"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Laura looked at me compassionately.
After venting to her, I decided it wasn't fair for her to basically sit around as I moped all night. We were college students. There's much more fun to be had for her.
"I'll be fine, I promise." I lied to her once more. I realized on the car ride home there was a lot more to my problems than I'd allow myself to acknowledge.
"Well, if you need anything, call me. I'll be right down the street." She placed her hands behind her back, and I nodded to her as she walked down the busy city street.
I stood in front of the doors to my apartment lobby, letting out an exasperated sigh as I looked to the sky. Clouds had started forming , a blanket of dark grey casting its judging gaze on everything below. A storm was coming, I knew. I slowly plopped down on the steps leading up to my building, resting my arms on my knees. It was beautiful, truly.
Suddenly lightning shreds though the sky like a spear thrown by a furious deity, piercing the sludge and shattering the earth underneath, propelling mud like shrapnel, obliterating anything in its path. Bang! Again and again the lightning struck, shredding through trees like paper, tearing apart the landscape as if in a crazed, blind irrational rage.
Ruthlessly rain starts to relentlessly plummet from the heavens like kamikaze bombers splattering against the world, soaking the soil, forging streams and rivers through the sludge like a tear stained face. Like spirits the howling possessed the trees making them wave and dance, occasionally breaking branches and tossed them to the ground to be flooded by the ever rising rain.
The more brutal the storm the calmer my heart was. It was like Mother Nature had the same suppressed rage like I did, and decided that everyone should know.
I finally decided it was best I head inside before it got to hectic, and I made my way to the elevator and up to my room on the 5th floor. I unlocked my door, and strutted inside, relieved to be home at last. Plopping my keys on the kitchen counter, I made myself a sandwich and and sweet tea, and sat down on the black microfiber couch. I spent most of my time in this very spot, whether it be studying, writing, or watching tv.
I placed my food on the cushion next to me, and pulled out my laptop; my favorite tv show, The Night Manager, was beckoning for my attention.
About an hour had passed, and the sun had now set, giving the storm outside an eerie darkness for a companion. I hadn't paid much mind to the chaos outside, but once the power went out, I was instantly snapped out of my reverie. It was pitch black in my apartment, and I closed my laptop and put it to the side, accidentally knocking over my glass of tea.
"Shit!" I called out, and I sat up, fumbling around for my cell phone. I found it, and immediately dialed Janae, wanting to make sure she was okay.
"Hello? Astrid?" Her voice was shaky, for she had a fear of the dark which I'm sure she was surrounded by as well.
"Janae, hey.. are you alright?"
"Yeah, um," she paused and I could hear her talking to someone on her line. "We're fine. Carly is with me as well. How about you? Some storm huh?"
I chucked, and leaned back on the couch.
"That's for sure."
I heard a loud crash of lightning, followed by one single bang on my door.
My voice caught in my throat, and I could faintly hear Janae asking me what that noise was.
I sat up quickly, frozen, and then there was another bang, the lock on my front door breaking, and a quiet creak filled the room.
"Hold on," I whispered to my friend, and pulled the phone from my ear, turning on the flashlight. I shone the light over by the door, seeing a large bulky figure and a flash of red, silver, and blonde.
I dropped my phone, not a sound escaping my gaping mouth, to frightened to speak.
The lights soon flicked back on, and I could see the figure completely. It was a tall man, muscles rippling over his body, clad in some sort of glamorous armor, a red cape clasped to his back. He looked at me, and made his way towards me, before I took a step back.
"Don't come any further! I'm warning you!" Although it was an empty threat. I had no means of protecting myself.
"Lady Astrid! Pleased to meet your acquaintance! And am Thor, of Asgard. My apologies for the intrusion, but you're coming with me!" He exclaimed all high and mighty, and I was whisked off into the night.
"Astrid? Hello? Astrid?"