NCHS
By Secret Dancer
Chapter 4: Storm Warning
Zane woke up to the sound of thunder and an awful feeling in his stomach. It was still dark in his room. He turned his head to examine the numbers on the alarm clock. 4:09. Zane got up and went to look outside. A large fork of lightning flashed before his hazel eyes.
"I see. A storm has approached. I feel as though it will be a strong one. I might need to get the emergency kit, just to be safe." He said to himself before leaving his room and traveling downstairs.
"Ah, Zane. You're awake. I see the storm has waken you too." Dr. Julien said while working on repairing the lantern so they could have a little light.
"I wonder how Shard is doing. He does live in that trailer and this storm is quite brutal." Zane wondered aloud.
"The poor boy, and his parents are always on business trips." Dr. Julien added.
"I know. It is a shame that he misses out on family time. That only helps me learn to appreciate what I have."
"Is the phone working?" Zane asked after getting an idea.
"Should be."
Zane dialed Shard's number. He wanted to check on his best friend. It rang until it went to voicemail. That was unlike Shard. Plus his phone was battery powered, not electric. Zane got worried and called again. No answer.
"Father, how severe is this storm?" Zane asked.
"There were some tornado warnings issued out but none around here. Oh, and there may have been a flashflood warning distributed. Why?" Dr. Julien asked concerned.
"I've got to go out. I'll be back soon." Zane told him while putting on his rain jacket.
"Be safe Zane."
"I will."
Zane hurried out into the storm. The sky was blacker than the night and the rain was harsh. The wind howled and slammed against the trees and cars and buildings. This only made him worry for his friend more. Zane was running and it blew his hood back, allowing the raindrops to run down his face and collect in his hair.
As he was nearing Shard's neighborhood, he noticed the water pooling to his ankles. He felt it rise the closer he got. Soon it was at his waist. Zane's heart was racing. By the time he'd get there who knows how deep the water would be? The streetlamps started going out and Zane's vision was obstructed as he waded through the water.
He turned one more street and saw the sign for the street name. Zane gasped. There was a small dam about five miles out from here. He could already tell that something was wrong with the dam. This day is just getting better and better. The water was to the point where Zane couldn't touch the ground anymore. Luckily he had learned to swim growing up.
Shard's trailer should be around here somewhere but, it's so hard to see. Zane swam down the road further and he barely caught glimpses of people on the roof of their house as the water rose higher. The poor people, all their possessions washed out. Precious photos and memories destroyed. He knew he must be getting close to Shard's trailer because he saw the mansion at the end of the cul-de-sac with the water covering the second floor.
Zane finally reached the trailer spot. He could feel it in every part of his body. He saw people shivering on their roofs but he didn't see the trailer. Where could it be? But when the answer came to him, it was bone chilling. Under the water.
"Here it goes." Zane whispered to himself before diving under.
A little girl on a roof whispered to her younger brother, "That guy sure is brave or sure is stupid. The dam is about to burst. I wonder what he's going to do."
Zane swam down and he could faintly make out the metal walls. He got to the door and the pressure was keeping him from opening it. Paddling to the window he could barely peek through the blinds. There, he could see Shard. I'm coming friend!
As Zane was trying to break the glass he couldn't help but let the sight of Shard haunt him. The albino boy wasn't moving but, floating in the trailer. The house was full to the brim and luckily nobody else was in there. How long it had been full, Zane didn't know. A metal pole floated by and Zane grabbed it and began spearing the window with it. He knew he had to resurface for air soon or he'd be in Shard's situation. So he paddled back up to the top.
"Look, that guy again." She whispered again before seeing him dive back under.
CRACK!
"Uh, oh."
Zane still had to pole in his hands and was using all his strength to break the glass. Usually water pressure would have shattered it but apparently not. Finally after continuous blows, the glass shattered and he was sucked inside the trailer. Now to get Shard out of here.
He released the pole and grabbed his friend around the waist with one arm before paddling out. Then a large force slammed against them and they were taken with it. The dam! Being slammed into buildings, cars, and street lamps were not on Zane's to-do list but the waves that carried them thought otherwise. He worked to paddle to the surface and try to find a way out of this.
"I wonder where that boy is. No doubt that he drowned." The girl sighed sadly before pulling her feet to her chest.
Zane emerged at the surface and grabbed the first thing he could see. Using all his remaining strength, he pulled his friend onto the rooftop and soon followed. Shard still wasn't breathing and Zane worked on trying to get the water out of his lungs.
"Please be alright. Please, Shard." He begged. After several compressions, Shard threw up water and it ran down the rooftop.
"Ouch."
"Zane? Why aren't I in my house?"
"Flashflood and the dam busted."
"That's a lot of water."
"I know. But you are alright."
"Did you save me? All I remember was….nevermind."
"Yes, I did save you."
Shard hugged his buddy and the sun was starting to peep up.
"My parents-" Shard began.
"Don't worry. I didn't see them. They must be late or held up at the airport."
The two waited through the morning to be rescued. Zane couldn't call his father since his cell phone was shorted out. Shard pointed out a helicopter before being blinded by a light that ricocheted at him.
"Hey Zane, we're on TV." He grinned before passing out.
"Shard?" Zane asked, shaking him, trying to wake him up.
Creeek! Smash!
"Aaaahhh!"
"That guy!" The girl exclaimed.
Several Hours Later….
"Zane Julien?" Professor Wu asked during roll call. He received no response.
"Where is Mr. Julien?"
"We don't know Professor. Shard's missing too." Rocky answered.
"Very well. Who's next, oh right, Cole Lou?"
"Here."
"Lloyd Montgomery?"
"Here."
Professor Wu carried on through roll, read announcements, and then left to go get some forms. That gave the class some talk time. The group turned in their desks to face each other.
"I wonder where they went." Cole began to conversation with the question on everyone's minds.
"On the ride to school, I pass by Shard's neighborhood. We had to detour because the entire neighborhood was flooded." Kai said.
"Could that mean?" Lloyd asked while scratching his head again.
"No, do not talk like that. They are okay. Nothing happened." Jay said out of his cheery self. He was trying to talk himself into not worrying.
"Wait, Zane's last name is Julien. Isn't there a teacher at this school with that last name?" Lloyd asked.
"OH yeah! I bet that's Zane's dad!" Cole concluded.
"So we should ask him. Zane and Shard are almost always together. If Shard vanished then Zane probably would have gone after him." Wisp finished and right on time too. Professor Wu came back in.
"These forms are for the Samurai Games. You have to have a team for the first semester and for the second it is the best players on the teams. Find yourself a team, find yourself in the games." The professor announced.
"Ooh! Got a team here, professor!" Flame declared eagerly. Wu handed the forms to each member.
"We didn't agree to this!" Rocky whispered to him.
"Trust me." He assured him.
During seminar….
"Mr. Soto, may I fill out a pass to see Dr. Julien?" Lloyd asked holding his planner in his hands.
"Of course."
Lloyd followed the map on his planner until he got to Dr. Julien's room. There were only ten students in there all working quietly. Lloyd knocked on the door. He saw a red haired man come his way.
"Hello, are you lost little fellow?" the man, hopefully Dr. Julien- asked.
"Are you Dr. Julien?"
"No. He's taken a personal day. Something to do with his son."
"Oh, well thank you anyway."
Lloyd went back to seminar with worry and an itchy scalp. What could have happened to Zane and Shard? From the sound of it, something bad since Zane's father wasn't even here. I hope it's nothing serious! Oh!
Lloyd couldn't focus on his homework and when school ended he quickly met up with the others since Cole and Rocky didn't have football practice. They went to Darkley's, a popular high school hang out from the looks of it. The group even had a table they sat at every time they came.
"So kid, what'd you find out about Zane and Shard?" Kai asked.
"Dr. Julien wasn't there. He'd taken a personal day. Something must have happened to them." Lloyd answered sadly. Cole shot up with his hands spread apart on the table.
"Something happened and we're here? Come on!" He said before the waiter could even come to ask for drinks. They hurried out the door towards Rocky's house apparently.
"Why are we going to your place?" Lloyd asked. Being the newbie to the group, he didn't know jack.
"My parents own two RV's. A big one for road trips and a small one for camping. We're going to take the camping one." Rocky explained as they ran there.
Rocky ran inside for a moment.
"Mom, Dad! I'm taking the camping RV for a little while! My friends and I are going out!" He shouted.
"Okay, better not scratch it!" His dad warned. Rocky grabbed the keys and hurried to start the vehicle up.
"Where are we going?" Jay asked curiously as Rocky shot down the road. Lloyd held onto the chair for dear life.
"To Shard's neighborhood. We're going to search for clues." Cole explained. He had the seat closest to his best friend.
This sounds like Scooby Doo.
Linebreak
Flashback
"This is Shard'sssss neighborhood, Coach Garmadon. I'm sssure of it." Skales hissed as he slithered to stand beside Pythor and the gym teacher.
"Do not tell anyone about this or I will make sure everybody knows your secret and you pay for your insolence." Garmadon threatened.
"Yes, sir." Pythor answered and Skales red eyes glowed in the night.
Garmadon shoved his hands out and dark lightning shot from his palms. The element zapped the dam and cracks began forming. He gritted his teeth and concentrated harder as more began to shoot and crack the fragile dam as though it were glass. Pythor, Skales, Skalidor ,Fangtom and Acidicus watched in awe and any doubts they had about Garmadon were vaporized. Finally the dark coach shattered the water barrier.
"That should take care of one of those pesky brats. If you continue your loyalty I'll be sure to make your allegiance worthwhile. For now, here's a bit for your troubles."
Garmadon summoned more of his dark power and distributed a part to each tribe leader. Their small powers increased and black scales now conjoined with the other patterns.
Fangtom's miniature fangs grew in size and a block of concrete flew his way, he bit it and it became a serpentine. Acidicus was able to take his venom and spit it a long distance. Skalidor could feel his muscles tense and become stronger, his grip would be more powerful. Pythor felt no different except his hunger for vengeance was stronger. Skales felt his influence over others become stronger and a red beam shot from his eyes by accident.
"Welcome to the darkness. I knew the Serpentine gang would be worthy of my powers."