At 1:03 in the morning, outside of Los Angeles, stood the city limit sign. It stood tall until it started moving in the breeze... wait, there was no breeze. The breeze of the earth's crust moving made it shake.

The quakeometer's writing system went nuts, creating 10 small curves per second. The sign at Los Angeles City Limit was shaking now. The quake got louder and louder. It struck Los Angeles, causing power outage to all.

Meanwhile, Chris, sleeping dreamily and smiled, lay still in his bed. Martin was across from him in his own bed. Fury and Mango slept on the nest of blankets that Chris brought for them. But Mango woke up hearing the rumble. She jumped out of bed, waking Fury.

"Mango?"

"I hear something."

She jumped on Chris' bed and slowly passed over his thigh and leaped over the gap unto the air conditioner. She popped her head pass the curtains. The window was open, and she lifted her fox ear and heard the rumble clearer. Fury came around and lifted her front end up on the air conditioner and lifted her ear.

"Oh, Fury."

"Mango, shhh."

Chris was too engrossed in his dreams to realize danger was ringing in his wild ears. His brain had shut out the normal sounds of life and focused on the conversion in his dream.

Soon the hotel itself began to shake slowly. The light in the hall which crept under the crack of the door, went out. The entire hotel was black as night.

Martin snored his way through the night. His phone, which was on a charger, turned on as power went. Then, his phone realized a call.

RING, Ring Ring.

Martin got woken up. He saw that Laura was calling him. He rolled his eyes with a smile and answered the phone and disconnected it, nt realizing power was out.

"Hello?"

"Martin. Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Just got woken up."

"How is Chris handling this?"

"What? Chris is fine, he's still passed out. Hey, Mango! Get out of the window."

Bark, bark! BARK!

Soon Chris heard Mango's bark. He opened his eyes and yawned.

"Well, that does it. He's awake."

"Martin, why are you talking in the middle - FURY!"

Fury had jumped on the bed and was pawing Chris. She pointed her nose to the window. Chris got out of bed and opened the curtains and gasped.

"Laura, what is wrong?"

"Martin," Said Chris. "Come here."

Martin got up and walked to the window. He gasped as the city was black, not one light was shining. The moon itself wasn't shining.

Laura answered, "Power's out and there was an earthquake."

Chris realized the hotel was shaking, "Martin!"

Martin gripped the window pane, "Laura! We have to go!" Then, he flipped his phone shut. Chris was frightened. Martin pushed Chris to the bed and he went on top of him.

As the earthquake gradually got stronger, the ceiling above the brothers cracked. Fury got on top of Mango. The ceiling dropped its particles on the brothers. The hotel received its beatings as the quake settled.

Chris got up from under Martin. Martin was brushing the ceiling out of his shoulders. "You okay, Chris?"

"Yeah... let's get out here. Or else we'll be sandwiched."

The brothers got their things as slowly as possible, for the floor was weak and could break any minute. Chris got his things ready and was out of the room first. Martin finished after Chris after just thrusting the clothes in his suitcase. Fury and Mango each grabbed their blanket. Then, once the brothers were ready, they went downstairs.

The master was happy to see them safe. He bid them to go into the city and stay there till their fellow students come and grab them. Michael Sr. had called the man and told him all this.

Martin had a rental car. He quickly put the suitcases in the car. Fury and Mango got in the backseat. Chris in the front passenger seat. Martin sat in driver's seat, started the car, and drove away from the hotel.

Chris was still frightened by the kill of the quake. Finally the car hit Los Angeles' main streets. It was all black and people were out driving, looking at the damages.

"I guess we aren't the only ones, Chris."

Chris saw Martin's phone. He had mute it back at the hotel. When he saw Aviva's name. He took it and answered the call, "Hello?"

Martin saw the phone ring and the name. He was happy Chris had the guts to answer the phone.

"Hey Chris, where's Martin?"

"Driving."

"Okay, uh, where are you guys?"

"I don't know."

"Are you okay?"

"Just frightened, a little..."

"What happened?"

"The earthquake hit our place... really damaged it."

Martin said, "Let me see the phone, bro. Hang on, Aviva. I am putting it on speaker. Hello?"

"Martin?"

"Great. You are on speaker."

Aviva said, "Yeah, our place got smitten. How bad was yours?"

Martin answered, "Badly damaged. You have to watch your step or else you fall."

Laura came on the phone, "We're on speaker. About your place, that awful!"

"Yeah, but my brother doesn't seem to take too good. He was scared."

Chris turned away, "I - never experienced before."

"It's okay, CK," Said Aviva, "I never experienced an earthquake before. Besides, none of us in this group ever experienced one."

"Okay."

"Well, we got to go, girls. I need to keep my battery up."

"See ya, Martin"

"Bye, Chris."

Martin hung up the phone. He tried to cheer his brother up. He stopped the car and smiled, "Bro, we will be alright. It's not like lava is going to pop out of the street. What could go wrong?"

Chris gasped, "Don't say that! That's bad luck. Dad's told me never to say such a phrase as that! Especially if you say something before that phrase, like lava popping in the street. It could happen!"

Martin smiled, "I was just joking."

POP!

Chris screamed.

Martin had the car going and shammed on the brakes. One of the storm drains opened up, releasing steam. The lid landed on the ground behind the car.

Fury and Mango were scared half to death.

Martin stepped on the gas and dodged the steam releasing drains. Behind the car, a firetruck came roaring. Martin pulled over and let the truck pass. Chris was so scared he noticed some fire ball in the sky. "Huh? Bro!"

"Chris!"

"I mean it. Move!"

Martin stepped on the gas. As they were feet away, this ball crashed where they pulled over and exploded, destroying a store.

"What in the world!?" Cried Martin.

Another fireball came. Martin watched its target... it aimed for the truck! He shammed on the brakes. Felling hopeless, Martin covered his eyes as the fireball exploded on the truck, sending it to its side. It slid on its side and then came to a stop. Many firefighters were exploded out, except one. Martin had to do something. He got out of the car.

Chris tried to stop, "You can't just leave me!"

"I have to. If you need help... Just... call me."

Chris watched as Martin raced up to the truck and climbed into the cab to save the man who was stuck.

The firefighters let Martin do his part while they take on the fire.

Meanwhile a bus whirled into sight. It stopped and a group of young teens came out. Chris saw Aviva. He climbed to the top of the car to get a better view. The city was lighted up by fire. He gulped. Fury and Mango met him on the roof of the car. Before them was a burning city.

Minutes passed as everything seemed to be getting worst. Then, as everyone was being rushful, the steam from the drains died. The fireballs stopped. Fury looked up at Chris, "What a strange coincidence."

Chris said, "This is the end..."

The ground again quaked its warning. It was so strong, glass shattered from the windows and landed on all its victims. All the students retreated for the bus. Martin had the firefighter coming out. Chris ducked the glass.

As Fury looked up, before her eyes flashes of lightening-like light was over the legendary tar-pits. "Chris," She murmured.

Chris looked up. His jaw dropped as the tar-pits was completely dissolved. In a second, after the smoke, lava slurped up the trees. It poured out of raised gravel that it caused. Lava pouring out of the pond, into the street.

Martin and the saved firefighter retreated. The bus of students retreated. Everyone backed off... everyone except Chris, who was too scared to move.

"Boiling, hot lava!"

Martin turned and saw his brother on the car. How foolish he was! He left his brother on the car with lava just running to get him!

"Martin," Cried Laura.

"My brother needs help!"

Martin ran to his brother's aid.

But the lava made it first. The back tires blew out. Chris screamed and tried to escape. But the lava threatened its victim. Fury knew a wolf gotta do what's a wolf gotta do. She took Chris by his pants and pulled him to the hood of the car. Mango was lost in the smoke. But she found Chris' hand and gripped it.

Bang!

The front tires went.

Fury looked and saw the car was swimming in lava. She howled.

Martin was still running. When he finally reached Chris, it was almost too late.

"Chris, jump!"

Fury targeted her landing and leaped to safety. She barked her master to follow. Mango got on Chris' shoulders. Chris readies his jump...

KA-BOOM!