Aleila dug through the rubble, hoping to find something.

Anything.

Why did this happen?

She didn't know.

The hurricane had come so unexpectedly.

Thousands had died.

But it was her fault.

She had let down her guard.

She heard someone yelling her name behind her.

Percy.

His beach shirt was unbuttoned from lifeguard training, and his black hair blew in all directions from the wind.

He was tan with dimples… and also adorable.

“What,” Aleila yelled loudly, her voice drowning out from the wind.

She had black hair as well, but rosier skin and a blue beach dress on.

They were both barefoot.

He ran over to her.

“Are you okay?”

She could hear his voice more clearly now.

“Fine.”

The wind was so ferocious, it pulled her in every direction, and she felt as if someone was screaming in her ear.

Finally, she couldn't take it.

Aleila knelt down and put her hands over her ears.

Until the wind stopped.

It was painfully quiet.

Percy spoke again.

“Aleila you have some explaining to do.”

She stood, turning her head in every direction.

Piles of rubble lay around her as the sun set.

“Aleila please, what can I do?”

“Help me.”

She began digging through the rubble.

Without a question, Percy began digging too.

There were broken picture frames, bottles, and bits and pieces of soggy wallpaper.

But most strange were the empty bullet shells, _everywhere_.

The powder must have simply been washed out in the storm.

Finally, Aleila found what she was looking for.

She stood.

“What is _that?_” asked Percy.

Aleila smiled sadly.

He could never understand.

She brought out the large orchid that had, (somehow), survived the storm.

What was she thinking? Of course it survived.

It was magic.