Weather Transmission

Friday, 1/13/2045   City 1   Region 2   Landmass 2

Weather report for Region 2. Temperatures for City 1 is dropping. Currently it is exactly 0?F. They are expected to drop even more. Wind speeds are 50kph and are increasing. 30 minutes past it was 40kph. Snow storms are heading south from the northern area of Region 2. Citizens are advised to stay indoors. Scientists are predicting a blizzard to hit City 1. Emergency supplies are being sent via Teleporter. The storm is expected to pass quickly but civilians are still advised to remain indoors until it is proclaimed to be safe to go outside. __Transmission Over__

When the word “ALERT” flashed across Maryse’s vision. She thought it was another homework ping interrupting her airspace eBook. She tapped the glowing word, annoyed that it couldn’t possibly wait until she was done reading. Her fingers lazily moved over the air with the grace of someone accustomed to the movements of the sort. Tapping it twice, she read the contents of the subject leaning back on the headrest of her bed. When the subject informed her it was an information bulletin for citizens, her eyebrows quirked up. “Strange.” Her voice was a murmur. A whisper on the wind. When it said “WEATHER ALERT” at the top of the page, she was shocked, and intrigued. Since when did weather get this much hype?
She scrolled down the page, her face expressing more annoyance with each paragraph. A snow storm? She was interrupted by a snow storm? Maryse rolled her eyes in exasperation. Stupid weathertyper. Must’ve lost his marbles. The airscreen pinged again. Why couldn’t she read! “I wish you had a mute button.” Maryse glared at the hologram, as if the force of her stare could invent a mute button. When the screen remained the same, she blew a rebellious strand of her hair out if her face and tapped the ping.

She had a quite few pings. One from her Aunt asking how in the world she forget her birthday. Maryse was appalled she’d actually forgotten her Aunt K’s birthday. Her aunt was like another mother to her, being the fun, vibrant one. She sent an email with a snarky comeback. Her aunt would laugh then send something back like: Oh now you remember your aunt. I’m not in the ground yet, besides, fearing being underground gives me an excuse not to die. (Thanks for sending back)

There was one from her dad asking her to clean her room, he’d forgotten to tell her before he left for work so she’d “forgotten” to read it. Then there was one from Clary, her friend, which was the latest ping. What it said, she never got to know. In the 0.5 seconds it takes for an airscreen to load up pings, everything went black in a world that never, ever went dark.

Weather Transmission

City 1 of Region 2 has undergone a power loss. A blackout hit the city when the blizzard entered city limits. The city hasn’t been able to send electricians to investigate why the blizzard has killed the power. None of the home-monitors, airtech, transporters and pings work properly. Calls of distress have gone up all over the city from civilians still outside unable to make it home. Those on the subway are safe, but stuck. The trains stopped, but heating is still online. No one knows why yet, but investigators are making their way to the subway. Those above ground weren’t so lucky. Citizens outdoors are advised to find shelter and those with room are to give shelter to all and anyone you see outside in the storm. The temperatures are dropping even more rapidly and hypothermia and frostbite are becoming bigger threats every minute. Transmissions still work so we shall send new information as it comes to us. Wind speeds are picking up and snow is piling everywhere. Whatever you do, stay inside. __Transmission Over__

“Mom?” Maryse jumped out of bed as soon as the wallglow had faded. Earlier she’d set it to rainbow glow without another thought. Now, she could only wish it was still there, pulsing over her walls, a kaleidoscope of color lighting up her doodles, twining over her walls like overgrown vines. Maryse jumped off her bed, trying to avoid tripping over any stray piles of stuff. She groped around in the darkness until she found the door. She forced it open and called out for her mother again.
“May-ris! I’m in the kitchen. Are you okay?”
“Yes, but what happened? Why did my airtech shutdown like it did? It never runs out of battery, it never loses connection to the system—it just did both!” Maryse’s mind was reeling and confused. She could tell her mother was a foot or two away, but it was pitch black and she kept hitting her foot on table legs. Most likely the same ones over and over again.
“I don’t know how to explain this properly.” Her mom paused, as if contemplating many ways to say what she wanted, but finding none that fit. “Well, did you get ping that was alerting you to an upcoming snowstorm? It advised you to dress warmly if going out was necessary.”
“Yes. Why was it important?”
“Well,” Mom’s voice cut off, like she herself couldn’t make sense of what she was saying. “That snowstorm, it came. But it wasn’t a snow storm.”
“Then what was it? A -And why are we standing in the dark!” Maryse was ready to start stomping her foot like a three-year-old.
“It came as a blizzard. If it stays as is for another day or so, it could be considered the most dangerous blizzard recorded.”
“Why dangerous? All it did was kill the power. It’s just snow…” She trailed off. She knew the answer before her mother even spoke it.
“Many people are caught in the blizzard… Including your father.”

Weather Report

City 1 of Region 2 is still in the dark. It’s been 15 hours since the terrifying blizzard hit the beloved Big Apple. Err… City 1. Power transmitters are frozen over and if they were to be thawed, the signal wouldn’t be able to make it through the storm. Officials say we just have to wait until the storm blows over. The power issue would be quickly fixed if the blizzard relented. The subways are still unmoving, but warm and sheltered. Make your way there if you’re in the area. Please, don’t stray out into the storm. Stay safe and warm. __Transmission Over__

“I feel useless.” Maryse mumbled as she glared at the wall. The dark, dead wall.  Her mom had dug up some old lanterns though. Flip the switch and it lights up with a yellowish glow. She was much more used to whitish light. She put her head in her hands. She remembered the last time she felt hopeless. They got snowed in. Maryse remembered crying in her dad’s arm while Mom talked to Auntie. They had been visiting for Christmas, but they ended up staying much longer.
“Maryse? May I come in?” Her mom sounded exhausted. When Maryse let her in, she looked it too. Both of them refused to sleep, instead trying to force the other to sleep. “Okay, the transmissions are still the only tech that runs on airwaves that work. No pings. We don’t know where Ry –your dad… is. I… just… hope…” Her mom broke down in tears. Maryse hugged her mom, though awkwardly. Where her Mom was short and curvy, she was tall and thin. Her mom sniffled. Maryse had tried so hard not to cry but she couldn’t hold them in anymore. She wanted her daddy. Juvenile to want her daddy, and to call him daddy, but she couldn’t help it. Tears of worry streamed down her face.
When Maryse and her mom stopped crying, they made a deal. They would take turns sleeping. When they got to the part about who would sleep, they argued. Until Maryse remembered something her aunt mentioned. She suggested a coin toss. Maryse called heads and flipped. She won and her mom groaned in defeat. And smiled. Who would be flipping coins at a time like this? And smiling at defeat?
Mom collapsed onto Maryse’s bed and quickly fell asleep. Yesterday, she would have been cross, but now, she was just happy her mom was there. She pulled her knees up to her chest and put her head on her knees. She let her dark brown wavy mess of poufy hair fall, blocking her face. She looked asleep, but she was wide awake. Studying the strangest things. Her feet, calloused from when she lived in the countryside and ran around everywhere without shoes. Then the light of the lamp, and the lamp her mom brought in, though it technically wasn’t a lantern, it was a lava lamp. A gift, from dad. It was red and very, very old. One of the oldest things they owned. Then her eyes darted to her hands. Medium sized, with skinny, skinny fingers. Like spider legs.
Aunt K, called Koco by everyone, said Maryse was like a miniature copy of her. Bookworm and all. Books… Her mind drifted to books and how she wished she had a printed book, but every book she owned was digital. Her mom made a noise and Maryse looked up. Then her world exploded into color.
She jumped up, but it was only her pings… Her pings! “Oh my!” She shook her mom, though it didn’t take much to wake her. Her mom was awake immediately. “Mom! The pings! They’re working! And we have one from dad!” At the same moment, Maryse and her mom burst into tears, but this time, they were tears of joy. They read the message together, praying he was safe.

Hey Ryse, I want you and your mom to know, I’m fine, and I made it to the subway. Don’t come trying to get me, I’ll be home when the snow clears. Love you. –Dad

Turning toward each to other, they hugged. Once again.

Weather Report

It has been 72 hours since that horrid blizzard. Tech is working again and families are reunited. There were a few casualties so far and we mourn them. The snow has cleared enough to be safe and life as we know it is back into the swing of things. Have a wonderful day! __Transmission End__