Hello again! I'm on a role with this Caline story, but if your reading Pain Brush (Another story I'm writing) I might not update that for another while... Sorry! It's just that I'm so close to finishing this I'd rather get it done first. Anyway, here's chapter 15!

Chapter 15: 40 years ago...

Caline ran down the sidewalk, wearing a blue school uniform shirt with a blue school skirt. Her hair whipped behind her as she panted with a smile smudged on her face. Running up the front stairs of a rundown building, the sound of police cars rising and falling as they raced past her. In her immediate stop as they zoomed after the bad guy, her long hair and her skirt whisked forward in front of her. The smile growing back on Caline's face, she simply said to herself, "Another day, another police chase."

With that, she walked into the building and ran up the damp, wet stairs, then turned down a few corridors and opened the door. "Mother! I'm home from skool!" she said and slumped her brown denim bag on the couch. She ran into the kitchen where stood a tall woman with long wavy dark brown hair and violet eyes, wearing a green with an apron, dress and black dress shoes. Her arms were frantically working to turn the spoon around in the pot on the stove. When she heard Caline's running steps inclose into the kitchen, she turned around with a smile spread across her red lips, "Hello there birthday girl!" she said and turned back to the pot. "Watcha makin'?" Caline asked, rising her head high enough to see a bunch of rice crispies in a pot with gooey marsh mellows, "Rice crispie treats!" she said and took the pot by the handles and set it on the counter top. She took a wooden spoon and whipped the mixing into a glass case and put it in the freezer to get colder quicker. Then, after cleaning up her mess which was only putting a few napkins in the trash, she turned to Caline and kneeled down on one knee, "How was your day?" she asked. Caline smiled, "We had a pizza party! Because Ms. Delanie is retiring, I think the new teacher's name next year is... Ms. Bitters? Yeah! That's the name." she smiled endlessly. The mother's smile was faded by now. Taking the tray of Caline's birthday snack from the fridge, she set it on the table to await the arrival for her husband and sat on the love seat in the living room. Caline stood there in front of the television, watching the news on the weather.

"It seems that we're in for a wild ride tonight! Lightning storms are covering the country, far and wide! Our astronomers can't find much more about it other than the fact that we're going to get lightning off the wazoo!"

"Mommy!" Caline screeched silently as she watched the T.V. in fear.

"But not only will we be seeing fireworks, I inform you that you must stay in-doors after 6. We had just got news that it will have a time schedule that it's going to start at exactly 6:10."

"I'm scared..." Caline whispered as the weather reporter was done with his story. She didn't feel good about this, not at all. She hated thunder and lightning, it's what wiped out half of her family, is electricity problems.

Little while later did the door fling open and there stood a man in an orange vest with a construction helmet on his head. Caline jumped and skipped to the man, hugging him tightly, "Hi daddy!"

"There's my little girl!" he said and picked her up, smiling at her.

"Daddy, there's a huge storm outside and..."

"I know, sweetheart, that's why I'm home early. It's 5:44 and if anyone didn't make it home then that's not good." he shrugged as he set her down.

"Caline, your birthday rice crispie treats are done!" Called her mother from the kitchen. As she walked in, she stopped in her tracks to see Caline's father was home, "James! You're home!"

She walked over and kissed her husband, "How about we go celebrate our daughter's birthday."

Caline gagged playfully at the kiss. A moment later, they were all gathered around the table, the rice crispie treats had candles shoved in them. Well... only one. Once they sang the song of celebration to her birthday (Birthday song X3) Caline dug into her treats. But in her room a while later, it was a small room with blue walls and a bed and a dresser. Caline put her ear to the door, knowing there were voices about.

"James, we just can't go through this! Where were you really? I know you weren't at work!"

"Chill out, Viv,"

"I can't chill out! Where were you?!"

"I'm telling you, I was at work."

"I can't believe you'd lie to me like this."

"Alright, alright. Anything to stop the tears... I was at the drug store, okay?"

"THE DRUG STORE?! James, haven't you realized that because you buy so much drugs that the T.V. and this apartment are the only things we can afford! We're hanging off a cliff when it comes to getting food! I feel bad for Caline because we couldn't afford the cake she likes!"

"I know, I know! But what else am I to do?"

"STOP DOING DRUGS!"

"I can't! They didn't know drugs hurt people back when I started! They know so little, now! People think it's alright when I'm sitting here knowing the consequences."

"No excuses, James. I've had enough. I'm packing my bags and leaving."

Caline gasped and ran out, "No! Don't go mommy! I'll go so you and dad can live!" James and Viv exchanged glances, then down at Caline.

"Honey you can't leave. How will you support yourself?"

"I'll find a way! Just please don't get a divorce! PLEASE DON'T SPLIT UP!"

Viv bent over and picked Caline up, hugging her tightly, "We promise..."she said and set Caline down. "No, you won't. You'll turn right back around and start fighting again!" she yelled and ran out the door. James and Viv exchanged glanced, turning to the clock, it read 6:05. "Oh no..." murmured Viv as they both ran out the door after their daughter.

Caline ran, not turning back it took her 3 minutes to get to her favorite hiding spot, the bridge at the park. Caline leaned against the bridge's railing, watching the calm water rush by. Looking up at the sky, it's darkness filling in, Caline looked at her watch, 6:09. Three... Two... One...

A huge crackle shook the ground as lightning struck just at the edge of the bridge. Caline thought she'd go blind by the sudden burst of light. She fell over and rolled down to the other end and stood up, gaining sight. Another light flashed, then another, then another, in the same spot. Caline shielded the light from her eyes with her hands. But then, it all stopped, it was all quiet. Nothing left but a small hole where the lightning struck. Taking cautious steps to it, Caline looked down the whole. It grew bright. Soon, a huge funnel of light bursted into the sky as a metal object, much larger than Caline, fell in the spot. It shook the ground furiously and Caline fell back again. Sitting up and rubbing her forehead, she looked up to see the light slowly die down, the metal object opening up. A black figure jumped out and peered about. It's head straitened as Caline entered its sight. "Perfect..." it said in a light accent. Caline couldn't tell, but it sounded more Woman like. The figure stood there as a small robot jumped out, piercing red eyes upon hers. The claw extended as it grabbed her head, the palm of it in her face. She couldn't see. Not able to breathe, Caline slowly stopped kicking, falling back into an unconscious state.

See, now, I hope some of you caught on a bit, but... this is Caline's flash back. Anyways, yeah. Hope you enjoyed this one, even though it was short.