Note: Sorry it took me eons to update this 'fic! Just like the Earth Angel,
I already have an idea on how the whole story of this 'fic would go, it's
just that I'm having a hard time putting it into words. Ahehehe. Review
please!
Chapter Three
A young nun by the name of Lourdes, trekked along a narrow trail in a patch of woodland, known to everyone in Leesburg as Forest Green. This is a special place for her. Besides her small quarter back at the orphanage, Forest Green had always been a place of reflection and prayers for this newly ordained nun.
At that moment, she was feeling down because she didn't get to accompany the children from Midvale to Church that morning. There is supposed to be a rotation with her fellow nuns on who would go with the children every Sunday to the town's Church for mass. It was her turn to go that day, but for some reason her superiors asked her to stay and do chores at the orphanage.
Just as she was finished with preparing the children's meal and sorting out their dirty clothes for laundry, Lourdes sneaked out and headed for Forest Green.
She knew that by doing this, she'd most likely be scolded and lectured by her superiors if she get caught. Fretting for a couple of seconds, she ignored the horrible thought that popped in her head and continued with her little adventure.
Anyway, Forest Green is just a few blocks away from Midvale itself, so she'd be back there in no time at all.
Now, taking in the cold morning air while enjoying the nice warm sunshine on her pale face, the mischievous nun wandered at the woods all alone. She was headed to her favorite spot, a small grassy clearing at the heart of Forest Green.
Ones she got there, she absorbed the tranquility of the place. It was beautiful. Lourdes dropped on her knees slowly, closing her eyes she began her prayers. She gave thanks to the Almighty for the wonderful day that Leesburg is having. She prayed for the children and all those she loved dearly to be safe and healthy.
Lourdes was deep into her prayers when a distinct thunderous sound echoed from the somewhere. Cutting her prayers short, she fluttered her caramel eyes open and was stunned to see that the light blue sky she adored earlier turned dark and cloudy.
At first she thought that there's a storm coming. Though she remembered that the weatherman from the radio said nothing about a storm in Leesburg. Lourdes was fazed for a moment.
She got up to her feet and stared at the grumbling dark sky.
Then, what she didn't expect happened.
Huge burning boulders of rocks blazed from the heavens! Lourdes knew it hit something because of the strong quake that vibrated on the ground.
"Apocalypse-." The nun thought in utter horror.
She backed away and thought of the town people. The rock seemed to be headed for town where the children and her fellow nuns are at that instant!
Lourdes started running, she doesn't know where she's going. All that she wanted is to get out of that place and get back to Midvale as quickly as possible.
Her heart beating wildly against her chest she never seized her running, even thought her long white dress would get caught and ripped from the spiked shrubs. All the while, she kept a small prayer in her heart that no one would get hurt, especially the children.
Awfully terrified, she found herself lost! Lourdes lost tracked of the narrow trail she's following and wound up deeper into the woods. She stopped running and looked around for a clue or some sort to help her find her way back.
But wherever she looked she couldn't find a trail that would lead her out. Panic slowly crept at the back of her head. Lourdes stood at that same spot for several seconds, helpless.
She could still feel the ground rumbling. She reckoned that the shower of the flaming rocks is still continuing.
From the little spaces from the branches of the tall trees she saw a great light heading her way. As the light drew closer she realized that it was a cluster of those burning rocks about to hit Forest Green.
"This is my end." Lourdes thought, giving everything up.
The wind rushed wildly towards her and the trees seemed to bend as the meteor rock approaches. Dried leaves flew everywhere.
For the last time, she did the sign of the cross, closed her eyes and leave it all to God. There was no way she'd survive this.
The meteor crashed down on the ground instantly, breaking trees it its path as it slid across Forest Green. The impact of the crash was so strong that it sent the young nun flying backwards for almost 40 feet before she actually hit the earth with a thud.
With that, Lourdes' world turned pitch black.
Meanwhile back at the town-square, people continued with their panic. Screams for help shattered the air together with the sound of huge rocks colliding with concrete roads, buildings and wooden houses.
Rubber wheels screeched as vehicles tried to avoid smashing with the flaming boulders that crashed in the middle of the road. A truck flipped over and began tumbling on its sides for a few times before it stopped.
The gas from the tank leaked and abruptly some of its wires sparked, sending the vehicle on fire. The poor driver couldn't get his seatbelt off so he was unfortunately engulfed in flames as well.
"Everyone get in!" A police officer in his early thirties advised the terrified town people at the top of his lungs. Officer Fred Danvers led them all inside the old Church.
The Midvale children were crying and so the nuns prodded them to get inside just like what the brave police officer asked them to do. The nuns, just as the same were panicking so they failed to notice that they're missing one kid, Dick.
"Mommy I'm scared." Whispered young Lena Thorul in between sobs to her mother as they sat back inside the Church. She had her short arms wrapped tightly around Mrs. Thorul's body.
Elizabeth couldn't do anything but hug her back. Then she joined the terrified town people in a prayer to keep them safe from harm.
"Sir, we're missing one child." Sister Joan went immediately to Officer Danvers to report the incident.
"What does he looks like?" Asked the police, alarmed deeply by the report.
"Blond, wearing a checkered white and blue shirt." Informed the worried nun. "His name's Dick. Please you've got to find him!"
Officer Danvers rushed out of the door suddenly with high hopes to retrieve the missing child.
Dick stood outside the Church watching as the meteor rocks crushed houses and cars with people still in it. Tears were welling up from his eyes, threatening to fall anytime. He was reminded of his family's death, not to mention that he was dead scared.
From where she stood, he could see the rusty old yellow bus of the Midvale Orphanage situated at the parking lot. Inside he could see their driver and his favorite nun, Sister Cecilia trapped.
Upon seeing Sister Cecilia, Dick had the urge to run for the bus and be with her. Conjuring all of his energy, the blond, blue eyed, brave kid started running for the parking lot.
Although Dick was frightened by the continuous shower of the burning meteor, he figured that he should be with Sister Cecilia on that bus.
Dick looked at her as a big sister. He had always been close to Sister Cecilia while growing up at Midvale. Often she'd tease Dick and say that he's her hero. He would of course feel flattered and think of himself as that, a hero.
"I'm coming." He thought, trying his very best to run faster.
From the windows of the bus, Sister Cecilia yelled the words 'get back inside' and gestured him to go away. She was concerned for his safety. But Dick had his mind set on joining her. Nothing could possibly change that.
To Dick's surprise, some grabbed him from the back. He pivoted his head and saw that it was the police officer, Mr. Danvers.
"Come on kid!" He said picking him up.
"Let me go!" Dick screamed, trying to kick his way out of the man's embrace.
He looked back at the old yellow bus, he swore he saw tears leaving Sister Cecilia's eyes as she pressed her hands on the bus window.
Then, in his eyes, everything that's happening seemed to be in slow motion. While he was jerking his way out of the embrace, a meteor rock crashed into the old yellow bus without warning. In an instant the bus exploded.
"Nooo!" He cried holding out one short arm, as Officer Danvers tried to pull him into safety.
Hot tears flowed from his pale blue eyes, watching the crushed bus in flames. Sister Cecilia's dead.
Fred Davers' heart was crushed when he saw what happened. That nun must be truly special for this kid.
Dick couldn't do anything but cry while gazing upon the burning vehicle.
Again, someone special in his life died. First they took his family away from him, and now they took away Sister Cecilia.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lourdes woke up lying in dirt after passing out for a couple of minutes. Every inches of her body felt pain. She opened her eyes and for a moment thought that she was dead.
From where she lay, she could see that the sky was blue again. The thing she called 'The Apocalypse' is over.
She struggled to get back on her feet, using her wobbly arms and legs to support her. The air had a distinct smell of burning sulfur or some sort.
Ones she was up, Lourdes was shocked to see that some of the trees were pulled off of their roots. The forceful impact of the crash must've caused that to happen.
Thanks to the bright sunlight, she managed to navigate her way through the smoke filled Forest Green. She began massaging her aching temples and attempted to recall what happened before she passed out.
"The meteor crashing-." Lourdes told herself, walking towards the crash site.
Although beat and aching, she had curiosity lingering on her mind. She reckoned that she should go and have a look at it. As she got closer the smoke became thicker and she found herself pulled by something glowing from a distance.
Using her hand, she fanned off the smoke to get a better look. The crash had made a shallow crater on the soft ground of Forest Green.
She did not dare go down on that thing, instead she bent over, squinted her eyes and tried to figure out that glowing matter at the bottom of the crater.
Lourdes was startled when she saw something move down there. She took a step back, fearful of what that might be. Her instincts told her to run away, but curiosity got the better of her. She remained from where she stood, waiting for whatever will pop out of the crater.
As the smoke began to clear, a figure emerged from out of nowhere. Lourdes squinted here eyes and to her utter surprise, a child was crawling out of the ground.
"Oh my Lord." She mumbled in disbelief.
The child garbed in a luminous white gown with the longest blonde hair, finally got out of the crater. Standing up, she looked up at Lourdes and studied her form for a while. Lourdes did the same.
Realizing that this tall woman staring down at her is no threat, the child smiled at her. She held up her hands as if telling Lourdes to pick her up.
Lourdes always had a soft spot for children, that's why she became a nun and worked at an orphanage. And so she approached the child and carried her in her arms.
"An angel?" Mother Francine queried.
The nuns where all assembled inside Mother Francine's office discussing about the tragic death of their fellow nun, Sister Cecilia and their bus driver Bert when Lourdes came rushing in with the angelic child.
"Maybe." Lourdes said putting down the child.
She explained to them in details on how she found her at Forest Green. Lourdes also mentioned that strange bubble shaped glass she found along with the child.
"I believe it's her ship." She added. The child took little steps before she sat on the middle of the office floor gazing at the faces of each of the nuns that sat around her.
"But where did she come from?" One of the nuns asked curiously, studying the child.
"I don't know." The young nun replied softly, kneeling beside the child. "She could very well be from another planet."
Lourdes brushed her slender fingers on the child's hair to comfort her. She can tell that she's bit frightened.
She couldn't believe her eyes when golden locks of her hair remained on her fingers. Everyone gasped when they regarded that the child's hair is falling out.
Every time Lourdes would run her hands on the child's hair, locks of it would start to shed off.
It was caused by the difference of atmospheric conditions between Argo City and Earth. Her body couldn't adapt easily, so hair loss is the result of all of these.
In a matter of minutes, the gleaming blonde hair that the child possessed earlier is now gone. She was bald.
One of the elder nuns proposed that the child should wear a wig to prevent the other children from noticing her condition.
The nuns all agreed to the proposal and at the same time they agreed to keep the child's origin a secret. They figured that if news about this strange child would leak out into the public, certainly the media would hound the orphanage nonstop. They would want to get a glimpse of the child of the meteor or maybe an exclusive interview with her.
For now, the nuns couldn't think of anything but to keep the child under their care. They would treat her as a normal child and would teach her everything she'd want.
The Midvale orphanage would be her new home.
Chapter Three
A young nun by the name of Lourdes, trekked along a narrow trail in a patch of woodland, known to everyone in Leesburg as Forest Green. This is a special place for her. Besides her small quarter back at the orphanage, Forest Green had always been a place of reflection and prayers for this newly ordained nun.
At that moment, she was feeling down because she didn't get to accompany the children from Midvale to Church that morning. There is supposed to be a rotation with her fellow nuns on who would go with the children every Sunday to the town's Church for mass. It was her turn to go that day, but for some reason her superiors asked her to stay and do chores at the orphanage.
Just as she was finished with preparing the children's meal and sorting out their dirty clothes for laundry, Lourdes sneaked out and headed for Forest Green.
She knew that by doing this, she'd most likely be scolded and lectured by her superiors if she get caught. Fretting for a couple of seconds, she ignored the horrible thought that popped in her head and continued with her little adventure.
Anyway, Forest Green is just a few blocks away from Midvale itself, so she'd be back there in no time at all.
Now, taking in the cold morning air while enjoying the nice warm sunshine on her pale face, the mischievous nun wandered at the woods all alone. She was headed to her favorite spot, a small grassy clearing at the heart of Forest Green.
Ones she got there, she absorbed the tranquility of the place. It was beautiful. Lourdes dropped on her knees slowly, closing her eyes she began her prayers. She gave thanks to the Almighty for the wonderful day that Leesburg is having. She prayed for the children and all those she loved dearly to be safe and healthy.
Lourdes was deep into her prayers when a distinct thunderous sound echoed from the somewhere. Cutting her prayers short, she fluttered her caramel eyes open and was stunned to see that the light blue sky she adored earlier turned dark and cloudy.
At first she thought that there's a storm coming. Though she remembered that the weatherman from the radio said nothing about a storm in Leesburg. Lourdes was fazed for a moment.
She got up to her feet and stared at the grumbling dark sky.
Then, what she didn't expect happened.
Huge burning boulders of rocks blazed from the heavens! Lourdes knew it hit something because of the strong quake that vibrated on the ground.
"Apocalypse-." The nun thought in utter horror.
She backed away and thought of the town people. The rock seemed to be headed for town where the children and her fellow nuns are at that instant!
Lourdes started running, she doesn't know where she's going. All that she wanted is to get out of that place and get back to Midvale as quickly as possible.
Her heart beating wildly against her chest she never seized her running, even thought her long white dress would get caught and ripped from the spiked shrubs. All the while, she kept a small prayer in her heart that no one would get hurt, especially the children.
Awfully terrified, she found herself lost! Lourdes lost tracked of the narrow trail she's following and wound up deeper into the woods. She stopped running and looked around for a clue or some sort to help her find her way back.
But wherever she looked she couldn't find a trail that would lead her out. Panic slowly crept at the back of her head. Lourdes stood at that same spot for several seconds, helpless.
She could still feel the ground rumbling. She reckoned that the shower of the flaming rocks is still continuing.
From the little spaces from the branches of the tall trees she saw a great light heading her way. As the light drew closer she realized that it was a cluster of those burning rocks about to hit Forest Green.
"This is my end." Lourdes thought, giving everything up.
The wind rushed wildly towards her and the trees seemed to bend as the meteor rock approaches. Dried leaves flew everywhere.
For the last time, she did the sign of the cross, closed her eyes and leave it all to God. There was no way she'd survive this.
The meteor crashed down on the ground instantly, breaking trees it its path as it slid across Forest Green. The impact of the crash was so strong that it sent the young nun flying backwards for almost 40 feet before she actually hit the earth with a thud.
With that, Lourdes' world turned pitch black.
Meanwhile back at the town-square, people continued with their panic. Screams for help shattered the air together with the sound of huge rocks colliding with concrete roads, buildings and wooden houses.
Rubber wheels screeched as vehicles tried to avoid smashing with the flaming boulders that crashed in the middle of the road. A truck flipped over and began tumbling on its sides for a few times before it stopped.
The gas from the tank leaked and abruptly some of its wires sparked, sending the vehicle on fire. The poor driver couldn't get his seatbelt off so he was unfortunately engulfed in flames as well.
"Everyone get in!" A police officer in his early thirties advised the terrified town people at the top of his lungs. Officer Fred Danvers led them all inside the old Church.
The Midvale children were crying and so the nuns prodded them to get inside just like what the brave police officer asked them to do. The nuns, just as the same were panicking so they failed to notice that they're missing one kid, Dick.
"Mommy I'm scared." Whispered young Lena Thorul in between sobs to her mother as they sat back inside the Church. She had her short arms wrapped tightly around Mrs. Thorul's body.
Elizabeth couldn't do anything but hug her back. Then she joined the terrified town people in a prayer to keep them safe from harm.
"Sir, we're missing one child." Sister Joan went immediately to Officer Danvers to report the incident.
"What does he looks like?" Asked the police, alarmed deeply by the report.
"Blond, wearing a checkered white and blue shirt." Informed the worried nun. "His name's Dick. Please you've got to find him!"
Officer Danvers rushed out of the door suddenly with high hopes to retrieve the missing child.
Dick stood outside the Church watching as the meteor rocks crushed houses and cars with people still in it. Tears were welling up from his eyes, threatening to fall anytime. He was reminded of his family's death, not to mention that he was dead scared.
From where she stood, he could see the rusty old yellow bus of the Midvale Orphanage situated at the parking lot. Inside he could see their driver and his favorite nun, Sister Cecilia trapped.
Upon seeing Sister Cecilia, Dick had the urge to run for the bus and be with her. Conjuring all of his energy, the blond, blue eyed, brave kid started running for the parking lot.
Although Dick was frightened by the continuous shower of the burning meteor, he figured that he should be with Sister Cecilia on that bus.
Dick looked at her as a big sister. He had always been close to Sister Cecilia while growing up at Midvale. Often she'd tease Dick and say that he's her hero. He would of course feel flattered and think of himself as that, a hero.
"I'm coming." He thought, trying his very best to run faster.
From the windows of the bus, Sister Cecilia yelled the words 'get back inside' and gestured him to go away. She was concerned for his safety. But Dick had his mind set on joining her. Nothing could possibly change that.
To Dick's surprise, some grabbed him from the back. He pivoted his head and saw that it was the police officer, Mr. Danvers.
"Come on kid!" He said picking him up.
"Let me go!" Dick screamed, trying to kick his way out of the man's embrace.
He looked back at the old yellow bus, he swore he saw tears leaving Sister Cecilia's eyes as she pressed her hands on the bus window.
Then, in his eyes, everything that's happening seemed to be in slow motion. While he was jerking his way out of the embrace, a meteor rock crashed into the old yellow bus without warning. In an instant the bus exploded.
"Nooo!" He cried holding out one short arm, as Officer Danvers tried to pull him into safety.
Hot tears flowed from his pale blue eyes, watching the crushed bus in flames. Sister Cecilia's dead.
Fred Davers' heart was crushed when he saw what happened. That nun must be truly special for this kid.
Dick couldn't do anything but cry while gazing upon the burning vehicle.
Again, someone special in his life died. First they took his family away from him, and now they took away Sister Cecilia.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lourdes woke up lying in dirt after passing out for a couple of minutes. Every inches of her body felt pain. She opened her eyes and for a moment thought that she was dead.
From where she lay, she could see that the sky was blue again. The thing she called 'The Apocalypse' is over.
She struggled to get back on her feet, using her wobbly arms and legs to support her. The air had a distinct smell of burning sulfur or some sort.
Ones she was up, Lourdes was shocked to see that some of the trees were pulled off of their roots. The forceful impact of the crash must've caused that to happen.
Thanks to the bright sunlight, she managed to navigate her way through the smoke filled Forest Green. She began massaging her aching temples and attempted to recall what happened before she passed out.
"The meteor crashing-." Lourdes told herself, walking towards the crash site.
Although beat and aching, she had curiosity lingering on her mind. She reckoned that she should go and have a look at it. As she got closer the smoke became thicker and she found herself pulled by something glowing from a distance.
Using her hand, she fanned off the smoke to get a better look. The crash had made a shallow crater on the soft ground of Forest Green.
She did not dare go down on that thing, instead she bent over, squinted her eyes and tried to figure out that glowing matter at the bottom of the crater.
Lourdes was startled when she saw something move down there. She took a step back, fearful of what that might be. Her instincts told her to run away, but curiosity got the better of her. She remained from where she stood, waiting for whatever will pop out of the crater.
As the smoke began to clear, a figure emerged from out of nowhere. Lourdes squinted here eyes and to her utter surprise, a child was crawling out of the ground.
"Oh my Lord." She mumbled in disbelief.
The child garbed in a luminous white gown with the longest blonde hair, finally got out of the crater. Standing up, she looked up at Lourdes and studied her form for a while. Lourdes did the same.
Realizing that this tall woman staring down at her is no threat, the child smiled at her. She held up her hands as if telling Lourdes to pick her up.
Lourdes always had a soft spot for children, that's why she became a nun and worked at an orphanage. And so she approached the child and carried her in her arms.
"An angel?" Mother Francine queried.
The nuns where all assembled inside Mother Francine's office discussing about the tragic death of their fellow nun, Sister Cecilia and their bus driver Bert when Lourdes came rushing in with the angelic child.
"Maybe." Lourdes said putting down the child.
She explained to them in details on how she found her at Forest Green. Lourdes also mentioned that strange bubble shaped glass she found along with the child.
"I believe it's her ship." She added. The child took little steps before she sat on the middle of the office floor gazing at the faces of each of the nuns that sat around her.
"But where did she come from?" One of the nuns asked curiously, studying the child.
"I don't know." The young nun replied softly, kneeling beside the child. "She could very well be from another planet."
Lourdes brushed her slender fingers on the child's hair to comfort her. She can tell that she's bit frightened.
She couldn't believe her eyes when golden locks of her hair remained on her fingers. Everyone gasped when they regarded that the child's hair is falling out.
Every time Lourdes would run her hands on the child's hair, locks of it would start to shed off.
It was caused by the difference of atmospheric conditions between Argo City and Earth. Her body couldn't adapt easily, so hair loss is the result of all of these.
In a matter of minutes, the gleaming blonde hair that the child possessed earlier is now gone. She was bald.
One of the elder nuns proposed that the child should wear a wig to prevent the other children from noticing her condition.
The nuns all agreed to the proposal and at the same time they agreed to keep the child's origin a secret. They figured that if news about this strange child would leak out into the public, certainly the media would hound the orphanage nonstop. They would want to get a glimpse of the child of the meteor or maybe an exclusive interview with her.
For now, the nuns couldn't think of anything but to keep the child under their care. They would treat her as a normal child and would teach her everything she'd want.
The Midvale orphanage would be her new home.