[color=LightSeaGreen][CENTER][h1][b] Elle Miller [/b][/h1][/CENTER][/color]
[hr]


[indent][b]”[i] think there’s an earth[/i]quake coming, stay out of the buildings!”[/b]

Henry’s shout began as background noise from down the street, but as Elle comprehended his words it suddenly became the loudest sound she could hear. [i]Earthquake?[/i] Elle thought to herself as she turned to squint in Henry’s direction. [i]In Pennsylvania?[/i] As impossible as it seemed, she knew Henry wasn’t the type of boy to cry wolf unless there really was one. Uneasily, Elle reached to grab her board and held it close to her as she watched the crowd shrug it off or curiously inspect the ground in front of Saturdays.

If there was an earthquake, was it okay to skateboard to avoid any falling debris? Was she okay where she was standing? Mooncash was most likely the newest building on this street, so it wouldn’t be damaged, right? Still, Elle took one step away from the windows and closer to the street. She glanced back at Willow to see if she’d noticed, but then turned her head to watch Henry. If there was anyone Elle would run towards if there was danger, Henry was the safest bet.

Just as Elle was beginning to think the earthquake was either too faint to feel or not going to happen at all, the rumbling began. The only startling aspect of this “earthquake” was that several wimps along the street were screaming. It honestly wasn’t that bad, even if it was Elle’s first earthquake. [color=LightSeaGreen]”Well, that was eventful.”[/color] She muttered. She took a step towards the street to go talk to Henry about it when it seemed that the people closest to him began to back away in fear. Elle’s brows furrowed with confusion as she could only watch from where she stood. [color=LightSeaGreen] “What’s all the fuss abou-]”[/color] Her question was cut short by a hair-raising metallic noise coming from Saturday’s sidewalk.. Elle felt goosebumps climb up her arms and to her neck and then send a shiver down her spine just before the sidewalk where Henry stood burst open.

Bits of cement went flying, cars collided in a flurry of crunches and horns blaring, and Elle was shell-shocked into standing still. Her instincts kicked in after a few seconds, but all she could do to avoid getting cement plastic surgery was to hide her head behind her board. Elle regained control of her legs just enough to fall back onto her rear and move back towards Mooncash. She heard glass shatter down the street and flinched. The grinding noise from beneath continued but the last bit of debris fell to dent the roof of a parked car about ten feet away from her..

Slowly Elle lowered her board to peer into the dusty air. She looked down at herself to assess any damage. Two knuckles on her right hand were bloody where a chunk had hit her board, but she was otherwise unhurt. She patted her board as she rested it in her lap. It was at this moment that she vowed to never break it or give it up for a new one. This board had seen her through thick and thin, and had now saved her from getting pelted by earthquake throw-up.

The dust from the sidewalk explosion began to settle, and the evening glow of the sun returned. Everything seemed normal. Elle let out a long sigh to compose herself. She slowly stood back to her feet and looked around at the damage, only to feel her heart lurch in her chest at the sight of what loomed over Leeburgh’s main street. 

[color=LightSeaGreen] “What the fuck is that?”[/color] Elle blurted out as she stumbled a step backwards and gripped her board tighter. She was frozen in shock again, and as it began it’s reign of terror upon the Saturday with a light pole she could only wonder what the [i]actual[/i] fuck was happening. [i]Is it aliens? -- No, NO, not every crazy coincidence in this town is aliens.[/i] She’d been watching too many conspiracy theories on Youtube. It had to be something reasonable. [i]Is there someone in town that can turn into rock? Or-or manipulate it?[/i] The thing honestly looked like the monster from Rock Monster(2008), so where was the bald megalomaniac behind it? [i]It has to be one of us… right?[/i]

Elle’s head whipped around as she searched the streets. She looked over each individual that remained. Most looked just scared shitless, so it couldn’t be them. The others were just watching in awe like herself. No one [i]looked[/i] like they were behind this. One of the panicked civilians suddenly bumped into her as he ran past and Elle grunted. [b] “Get the hell out of here, little girl!”[/b] He shouted as he continued on his frightened way. Elle would have been pissed that he called her little, but it was at this moment that she saw the golem turn its lump of a head towards Mooncashs way.. [i]Oh [b]hell[/b] no.[/i] Elle’s eyes were wide and fixed upon it as it held the light post above its head. [i]Helen and Willow are there…[/i] So many people were inside with them. [i]OH, FUCK, I’M HERE.[/i] Elle began to stumble backwards, but she never took her eyes off of the golem. It lurched its arm forward and the light post was suddenly careening towards herself and the building. The adrenaline that rushed through her body at the sight of this gave her just enough oompf to turn and dive in front of the nearest parked car.

Her elbows hit the pavement just as she heard the light post smash through the windows. Over the screams of panicked frappucino lovers she could hear the THUD of the light post as it pierced through a wall and Elle stared at the pavement in front of her in shock. [i]Is everyone okay? Did they get down in time?[/i] She wasn’t sure what she’d see if she looked into what remained of Mooncash, but she had to know if Helen and Willow were alright. [i]Should I call for an ambulance?[/i] She thought to herself as she slowly pushed herself onto her knees. [i]Would that thing attack it the moment it pulled onto the street?[/i] Elle crawled to the edge of the car and peeked out from behind it to see what the monster was doing now. Her jaw dropped. Henry was [i]fighting[/i] it! Who the hell did he think he was! Couldn’t that thing smash him? Elle was even further shocked to see Henry completely hold the weight of the monster as it [i]actually[/i] tried to smash him into the busted sidewalk. [i]Holy shit.[/i]

[i]Helen.. Willow. Its distracted. It won’t come for Mooncash again now.[/i]

With this realization, Elle finally turned her head to see that some of the Mooncash customers were already getting to their feet to check on the others inside. The ones closest to the door were bolting outside, and others were carefully ducking under the newest feature to Mooncash’s interior design. Elle reached for her board, which had been flung onto the ground beside her. She stood to her feet, her chest heaving with anxiety about what she’d find at the end of the light pole. For now, it looked like the only injuries were caused by the smashed glass or fallen ceiling tiles. She didn’t see Willow at her table or underneath it. Did she phase outside? Or did she go for Helen?

Elle glanced back to see that Henry was still tussling with the creature before she stepped towards the opening that once was Mooncash’s front window. [color=LightSeaGreen] “Helen?”[/color] She shouted inside. [color=LightSeaGreen] ‘Willow? Are you guys okay? Is anyone hurt?”[/color] Her voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the shop, but it had a bit of a shake to it. She was obviously frightened. Only scared that someone had been killed by the monster’s assault. She couldn’t wait for a response. The building didn’t look like it was going to fall, so Elle climbed through the open window and stepped down onto the plush seats of the booth Willow had just been in. Those who remained in the shop were still under the tables. Elle gestured for them to leave the building. [color=LightSeaGreen] “Get out of here while you can, that thing is distracted.”[/color] She urged them, but she didn’t wait to see if they left. Slowly, Elle moved around to the side of the light pole. Her eyes ran along its body as her sneakers crunched on broken glass. She was shaking by the time she reached the end of it, which was stuck into the wall right behind where Helen would have been standing. [color=LightSeaGreen] “Helen?”[/color] She choked out, and swallowed to wet her dry throat. The air inside was still dusty from the impact.

[/indent]