Meanwhile, officers from the local police, journalists from major news outlets, and agents from the Federal Emergency Response Agency had all arrived. Although the natural disaster occurred in Ravenshore, its epicenter was clearly this school. Even top experts couldn’t explain why it happened. On normal days, this school barely drew attention. But today’s incident had turned it into the center of national attention—everyone from the local to the highest level of authorities was now watching. This time, the school had truly made a name for itself.
Back in the dorms, the moment the skies cleared, Megan bolted out the door, heading straight for the auditorium. This time, none of the students stopped her. She should’ve gone long ago. If it hadn’t been for them, she would’ve been there much sooner. As the warm sunlight touched their skin, everyone finally felt as though they’d woken from a nightmare.
Everything that had just happened seemed like a surreal dream. It came too fast and vanished just as suddenly. When the dark clouds rolled in, some had genuinely wondered if the end of the world was upon them. But now, with the sun shining again, no one could quite believe it. They were still alive. Nothing about them had changed. Their arms and legs were still intact. Overwhelmed with relief, they clung to one another and wept with joy. Thank goodness. Everything was still intact. They were still alive. At the very least, they would live to see tomorrow’s sun.
As Megan ran out and neared the auditorium, she saw from a distance a crowd of school administrators, police officers, medical personnel, and journalists. And in that moment, the hope she’d held—believing everything would be fine now that the sun had come out—was instantly shattered.
She had imagined that stepping out would mean seeing Aurora standing there, alive and well. But now, seeing this crowd gathered in front of the auditorium–what did it mean? And what about the tall auditorium building she knew so well? Why was it completely gone now? Megan swallowed hard, dragging her heavy feet as she slowly walked forward. She moved like a robot, not knowing how long it would take to reach the auditorium. The excitement and hope she had moments ago felt like they’d been doused in a bucket of cold water. When Megan reached the front of the auditorium, it was no surprise that she was immediately stopped.
Seeing a dazed, delicate-looking girl approach, the police officer couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.
“Miss, what’s wrong?”
“I need to find my friend…” Megan tried to push past the officer, heading toward the ruins of the auditorium. But the outermost officers couldn’t possibly let her through. There were reporters still documenting the site—his priority was to maintain order and calm the public.
“Young lady, don’t do this.” The officer spoke gently but firmly. “The team up ahead is still surveying the scene. If you rush in like this, you’ll only interfere with their work.”
Megan froze at his words. A flicker of emotion finally appeared on her face, breaking through the earlier numbness.
“Sir, what exactly are they surveying?”
The officer sighed in relief, glad that she could still communicate. “Your school building collapsed. They’re checking to see what happened. We’re trying to determine the cause.” He looked at her kindly. “So, if you’re able to go home, do it now. Don’t linger near the site.”