[ IP ] Into the Storm

It is almost Christmas time in Seasons City -- houses are now decorated with strings of red and green lights, and Santa Claus statues and Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes are all around town. 
 
 Danielle, a 13-year old middle school girl from the corner lot of Diamond Street, is off to the shopping mall to buy a gift for herself, just as she always does every year during this season. This year, she plans to buy a new bicycle. She had always wanted one ever since she was a little child, and now, she finally fulfills her childhood dream with the savings in her piggy bank full at last. 
 
 She waited by the bus stop with much eagerness. When the transport arrived, she hopped in immediately, and sat down on the first vacant seat she saw inside. Danielle was anxious, obviously very excited. She could n't keep still, repeatedly glancing at her wristwatch from time to time, and squirming continuously. She could n't wait to purchase her new bike. 
 
 A man in a business suit was seated beside her, and was just asleep a few moments ago. But now he has awoken to Danielle relentlessly saying `` Come on... Hurry up... Come on... Hurry up...'' 
 
 The man was disturbed, and with a cough he interrupted, `` Excuse me miss? What seems to be the problem?'' 
 
 `` Oh, no problem mister,'' Danielle responded, `` it's just that I am very excited! I'm finally going to buy my new bike today... And I ca n't wait!'' 
 
 The man giggled, and smiled fondly at Danielle. `` You sound just like my own --'' 
 
 `` A bike you say?!'' a voice from behind them exclaimed. 
 
 The man looked back, and saw an old lady in a floral dress, hunchbacked, and with a shoal over and around her head, `` Oh no, not this one again.'' the man quietly whispered to his self, but Danielle heard it as well. 
 
 `` Why, what's with this lady?'' Danielle asked, but the man did not reply. He only covered his mouth with his right hand, and looked away from the old woman, who has stood up from her seat and sat beside Danielle. 
 
 `` A bicycle? Why buy a bicycle, young one?!'' The old woman yelled harshly in front of Danielle's face. Danielle took one of her hands off her piggy bank to wipe off some saliva on her cheek. 
 
 `` Uh, it's December... I wanted to buy a gift for myself. What's wrong with that?'' 
 
 `` Oh, dear. Do n't you know there is a reason why bicycles are n't used as gifts for Christmas?'' 
 
 `` Excuse me? I am not aware of that. You know lady, my friend Joe got a bike last year, and nothing bad happened to him. So I do n't see why --'' 
 
 `` Do n't. Buy. a bicycle. It is cursed! Unfortunate things will happen to you! Oh my stars and garters! I can see it now! Unfortunate things will happen to the entire city!!! Do. Not. Buy. A bicycle!'' 
 
 `` Do not listen to her.'' Danielle heard the man's whisper from her right side. 
 
 She looked to her right and stared up straight to the man's eyes. `` Do not listen to her.'' he repeated, `` Tell me kid. Do you believe in superstition?'' 
 
 Danielle was taken back by the whole situation. It was very surreal for her. She took a long look at her piggy bank, and after a brief silence, she stated, `` Not really.'' 
 
 *A flick and a snap. * White noise sounded inside Danielle's ears, and it hurt her real bad -- caused a bit of a mild headache. When she opened her eyes to look around, the old woman was gone, and the man to her right was asleep again. 
 
 The bus stopped, and it was time for Danielle to go. She stood up with her heavy piggy bank in hand. For one last time, she looked around, but the woman was still nowhere in sight. She also took a last glance at the man that was still fast asleep. His voice echoed inside her head, the word *superstition* on repeat. 
 
 Danielle went out of the transport and took off. She entered a stall with a sign on front that read `` Amelia's Cycles''. She always visits this store every time she and her family goes to the mall. But instead of just taking a look around and canvassing for what she wanted to have someday, this time, she gets to actually buy one. 
 
 `` Hi Danielle! Is that a piggy bank you got there? Oh! So are you planning to buy one, kid?'' one of the clerks approached Danielle and asked. 
 
 Danielle could hear the old woman's harsh voice, *'' Do n't. Do n't. Do n't'' *, but at the same time, she could also hear the man, *'' Do n't listen. Do n't listen. Do n't listen'' *. 
 
 `` Yes.'' Danielle told after much reluctance, `` I want that one.'' 
 
 Danielle began to count all the coins inside her piggy bank. It took a while for her to count it all, but after a few more moments, Danielle was ready to go, with her new bike along. 
 
 `` Thank you very much, Gill!'' Danielle politely said before she exited the stall. 
 
 Danielle sat down on her new bicycle and began to pedal. As she got further and further away from the mall, she started to notice how the clouds are now darker than they used to be a few hours ago before she left home. 
 
 And in an instant, rain fell. It was unlike any other rainfall Danielle had experienced in her life. The wind was strong and the raindrops were heavy. Thunder and lightning got into the mix. The sound of the thunder booming was unbearable for her, and the way the lightning flashed stunned her eyes. 
 
 Trees fell, and leaves flew like birds. The road was very wet and slippery now. Danielle witnessed first hand as some cars out of control crashed right into each other. 
 
 It was chaos brewing everywhere, and Danielle was afraid. Afraid of all the damage, afraid of all the disorder -- most of all, afraid of the possible fact that it might have been her fault. 
 
 `` *Unfortunate things will happen to the entire city!!! *'' she remembers the old lady's words. 
 
 `` No, no, no. I ca n't believe this.'' Danielle said, as she stopped for a moment to see how the storm is beginning to escalate. From a distance, she could see the clouds were ravaging and the rain was intense. More lightning. More thunder. More chaos. 
 
 And so Danielle decided to return her new bicycle. 
 
 As she opened the store door, the clerk Gill greeted Danielle in surprise, `` Good afternoon -- Danielle? Back so soon? What's the problem? 
 
 `` I'm returning this.'' she responded, putting the bike back to where it was before she had bought it. 
 
 `` Why so?'' 
 
 `` I should n't have bought this Gill.'' 
 
 `` Why not?'' 
 
 `` It's... it's -- whatevermind.'' 
 
 `` No way. I mean, what about all the coins? You were saving a heck lot for that bike. Why do you want a refund?'' 
 
 `` I guess... I'm just going to buy a... I do n't know, an iPhone?'' 
 
 `` Dude, are you serious?'' 
 
 `` Just get my coins, Gill. Thanks.'' 
 
 Gill went to the back of the store and retrieved Danielle's piggy bank for her. One by one, he put all the coins back inside. As Danielle was waiting, she noticed a golden cat statue on top of Gill's working desk. 
 
 `` Cat statue? What's with the cat statue?'' she asked. 
 
 `` It's for... luck? Why? Something bad with a little bit of believing in some superstition or something?'' 
 
 Danielle put out a sigh and replied, `` No. Not at all.'' 
 
 Danielle went out with her piggy bank back in her hand. As she walked, she felt the raindrops still falling and the wind still blowing, as ravaging as it was the last time. 
 
 `` $ %! &. Screw your beliefs --'' 
 
 *A flick and a snap. * An immense flash flared, and then a large amount of coins dropped to the floor. Danielle was down, breathless and unconscious. Just as she was cursing to the wind, she was silenced. And then there was nothing left -- but the subtle sound of rainfall, followed by the booming cry of thunder... and, on the ground, the dead soul of a 13-year old middle school girl who believed too much.
