A/N: Here's another thing written for a school assessment with the prompt The Day the Storm Came. I haven't had the results back yet so I don't know how well I've done but I'm pretty nervous. I also used this for the prompt Alternate Universe for ohsam's Celebrating Sam challenge over on LJ. I might be posting a few fics for this challenge so keep an eye out.
Thanks to deadone1013, Guest, MissScorp, cmr2014, waitingforAslan, Dragonsrule18, bagelcat1 and TuesdayToo for the recent reviews! I've been really slow at replying recently so apologies for that.
It was always storming in Hell.
The prison island had other names, but its inmates knew it as Hell, and with good reason; they say there's no worse place to end up. Sam's brother would warn him: "Don't you go there, Sammy. Promise me you'll be good."
Sam promised. He tried so hard to honour that promise, did everything he could to be as good as his brother wanted him to be. He managed until his 24th year before he messed up and everything fell apart.
A lot of people got hurt, or worse, and they sentenced him to 18 months in the worst block of Hell. Sam's brother tried his best to save him but he couldn't do anything to help and so he was shipped off to the stormy Hell that would be his home for the next year and a half. In truth, Sam was glad his brother had been unsuccessful; he knew that he deserved everything he was getting.
Those 18 months felt more like a thousand years to Sam. The only sounds he heard were the screams of the other prisoners and the constant, monotonous hammering of rain on the stones all around him. He was tortured and beat every way imaginable and always the soundtrack of the storm played in the background, occasionally broken up by the rumble of thunder and the crash of lightning. Sometimes almost like it was competing with Sam for how loud they could be.
As bad as those months were, though, the years after were worse. He moved in with his brother after getting out because the need for companionship after over a year of solitude was overwhelming. Sudden, loud noises startled him and he would flinch if someone got too close. He refused to leave the house for a while for fear that something would happen and he'd be dragged away again. It seemed about right that they day he finally got up the courage to go outside was the day the storm came.
It just came out of nowhere. A few drops of rain splashed onto his head and he looked up just in time to see black clouds rushing to block out what had been a beautiful day. The drops started coming down heavier and a harsh breeze began blowing, causing a chill to immediately sink deep into Sam's bones. Long repressed memories bubbled to the surface and Sam felt his chest seize up, his breath coming shorter and faster. People on the street started running and yelling in surprise, adding to the nightmare effect.
He ran as fast as he could, the roll of thunder and pounding rain chasing him down the street. He clapped his hands over his ears, earning some strange looks from passers-by, but Sam didn't care. It seemed to take twice as long to get home, and Sam fairly sprinted through the door when he made it, slamming it behind him. A hand landed heavily on his shoulder and Sam jerked away, almost jumping out of his skin as his brother asked if he was okay. He didn't bother replying, instead racing upstairs and shutting himself in his room.
He sank down beside his bed, and squeezed his eyes shut, but the darkness only added to the building panic so he stared at the wall instead as he tried to get his breathing back under control. Nothing helped though and soon it felt like the walls were beginning to close in on him, trapping him with the sounds of the storm and taking him straight back to Hell.
He didn't know when he began screaming. It was fitting though: the final instrument in the cacophony of noise assaulting him with memories. The storm continued well into the night and the next day, and as Sam sobbed he began to wonder if he'd ever be okay again.
A/N: Ugh that ending is so shit. Oh well. Please review if you have a moment, and I might update again in the next couple of days! Bye!
