Diary of a Storm Girl
March 8th 2254, 116 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
My grandmother said I should keep a diary. She said it would be “cathartic” to write what I feel like writing. I’m not sure what she even means by that. She says owning a diary helps keep memories. She said that having memories of old are valuable because we never know if someday we will lose everything like her family did in the Storm. I don’t know how to write a diary. I don’t even know anyone who has one. Everyone uses a computer for everything. I don’t know if I’m supposed to write what happened in my day or just my thoughts. I guess I’ll do both.
My mother says we are moving soon. We are leaving Earth for somewhere new. We are leaving this place because it is unsafe.
I don’t want to leave.
March 24th 2254, 116 years after The Storm
Today was my last day of school.
I didn’t do much work because most of it was saying goodbye to friends. My best friend, Serena, told me her family is staying on Earth. She says her family believes everything is okay. I feel sick. I’m not actually sick. There’s this feeling in my stomach I get when I am nervous. Perhaps I’m afraid, maybe I’m both. But I know for sure I’m scared for Serena. We’ve known each other our whole lives. I think her family is wrong. I hope I’m wrong. School focused on history today. We learned about the Earth before and after The Storm. How the people of Earth came together to rebuild and continue surviving. I wonder why everyone isn’t working together now.
A boy I like was sitting in front of me in class today. His name is Timothy. He has brown hair and brown eyes and kind of plain face. His family is from Minnesota and he talks differently than the rest of the boys in my class. I think it made him cute. I asked him what his family is doing. He told me they are moving back to Minnesota in June. He says that there is a base there that withstood the Storm and they have built it stronger. I got that feeling in my stomach again when he told me that. I think I realize what it means now.
But I feel that I will never see them again.
April 10th 2254, 116 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
I watched TV today. It’s all I can do since we started packing and all my friends started moving away. Serena and her parents went to Mexico City. They say it’s safe there and it will withstand anything that will come its way. Everything on TV is the same. Every channel is talking about moving away or staying. Every channel has their own opinion about what we should or should not do.
I texted Timothy. His family moved already. He told me they would move in May, but they got a head start on the other people going to the Rocky Mountain base. I told him I liked him. I told him I liked him the day he picked my book off the floor when I dropped it and what I thought about his accent. He said he still remembers that day. He said he never forgot about it and that he always wanted to say something. I have that feeling in my stomach again. He told me he would video call me when he got to the base. He said it would be another week before they get there. I have circled April 17th on my calendar.
I watched the history channel today. There was a show about the Storm. It showed pictures of the west and east coast being demolished. It only showed death and destruction. My grandmother came in and saw what I was watching and asked me to turn it off. It was obvious the show upset her, but I wanted to know more. I asked her about the Rebuiltment and she told me how hard everything was when she was a girl. I cried because I feared what was happening. She said if I needed to talk to her about anything that I could. I didn’t tell her anything. Like how I think all my friends have made the wrong choice or how I may have accepted that I will never see them again.
I hope I’m the one who’s wrong.
April 28th 2254, 117th Anniversary of The Storm
Dear diary,
Today is the Anniversary of the Storm. We went to a remembrance ceremony. Most of the people there were not alive when it happened. The guest speaker was one hundred and twenty-eight years old. He was eleven when the Storm hit. He said he hid in a basement in Texas before the great rains engulfed his home. I had to ask my grandmother what that was. She told me that before the Storm there were states south of Kansas. States called Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and others that sank into the ocean. She said the Storm sank those states into the Gulf of Mexico. I had learned of former states in school, but I never knew the names of them. In history class we just called them the Former Southern United States. I wonder if the people in those states spoke like Timothy.
I video called Serena today. It made me smile to see her face again. Serena told me Mexico City is better than she remembered. She moved the camera to the window so I could see the neighborhood square where her grandparents live. It was bright, warm, and everything seemed clay-like. Apparently it’s a strong polymer painted to look like clay and stone. They do that so they can preserve their culture. We don’t do that here. Mexico City seems like a beautiful city. Even though I only saw a glimpse, I knew that it was better than anything we had at home.
I asked my grandmother why Mexico City was so beautiful compared to West Virginia. She told me that since Mexico City is high in the mountains; the Storm did not have a great effect on it. It withstood the Storm even though they didn’t prepare like the rest of the world. For the first time, I felt like Serena would be okay. She thinks her family made the right choice in moving back to Mexico. I wonder if we have made the wrong choice. Sometimes, I wonder if we will be okay. I got that feeling again.
May 5th 2254, 117 years after The Storm
Still no call from Timothy.
I felt that something has happened. I wish he would call soon. So I can know he made it there safely.
Serena called again. It was hard to hear her because her family was having a party in the background. She tried telling me what it was about, but I couldn’t hear her. The only thing I heard is that something important happened on this day more than a thousand years ago. I know little about Mexican history, but if it’s something that they still celebrate a thousand years later, it must be important.
We leave in a week. I don’t know if I should be happy or sad or nervous or all three mixed as one emotion. Hardvous is what I would call that emotion. I know that word doesn’t exist, but it should. It should exist for moments like this. My mother showed me a picture of where we will be living. It looks like a ring. They got the idea from a movie from over a thousand years ago. The ring will sustain life for many years is what my mother told me. I asked her how long we will live there. She told me we will live on the ring for as long as it takes.
May 11th 2254, 117 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
We leave tomorrow. I finished packing the rest of my things I wanted to take. We can’t take much. They told us we need only take the things we need to survive on our new ring home. My mother told me it’s called Project Columbus. This name makes little sense to me. We aren’t trying to discover a new place. We are running from an old one.
I received a message from Timothy this morning. It said:
GOT TO ROCKY BASE. SOLDIERS EVERYWHERE.
NO SIGNAL WITHIN THE BASE.
That’s all it said. I sent a message back to him, but I don’t expect a response soon. Serena called me for the last time on Earth. I could see her family in the background preparing for something. I couldn’t tell what they were preparing for, but there was a lot of yelling and packing. Serena told me they are moving to a base that’s in the mountains. She said they will be there for a few weeks. I told her what Timothy sent me. She told me there were soldiers all over Mexico City. She said she wasn’t sure why they were there, but they are moving everyone to the bases in the mountains. Her father was yelling in the background. Her father was screaming at soldiers at the door. I couldn’t understand anything. They were speaking Spanish. Both soldiers had guns, and they started yelling back at Serena’s father. The computer then disconnected.
I have that feeling once again.
May 12th 2254, 117 years after The Storm
Today is the day.
I am still unsure about what the future holds for my family. It kept me awake last night. My brain keeps thinking about the soldiers in Serena’s house and the soldiers Timothy talked about. What if Columbus is like that? Everyone seems worried about what is happening, but everyone has different ideas about what to do.
We are driving to the shuttle launch right now. I keep looking at all the houses and buildings that we drive by. All the buildings are empty. All of them have signs that say they will reopen soon or that they are closed until further notice. There is no one walking on the sidewalks or playing in the park. We passed by Liberty Park. Serena and I used to hang out there for hours until one of our father’s came and got us. I told her I liked Timothy there at that park. I may never see that park again.
They told me I can’t bring anything with me on the shuttle. I want to bring this diary because I feel like it comforts me when I read what I’ve written and when I write more. They told me I have to pack it away while we travel to Columbus. I guess the next time I write in this journal I will no longer be on Earth.
May 15th 2234, 117 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
I’m watching the Earth from my window. It’s more beautiful than anything I have ever seen before. I’ve seen pictures of it from space before, like in my science books. This is something different. A picture can’t describe what I’m looking at. I mean, a picture can show colors and mountains and valleys and oceans and all the nooks and crannies of Earth. It misses one thing though. It’s alive. Earth is a living thing and looking at it from here is something you can’t describe. You watch the clouds moving, oceans swirling, storms starting to form and storms breaking apart. You examine the depth of all the mountains on Earth. A picture doesn’t show that. It just doesn’t.
Columbus is a station almost as large as the moon. It has different regions for the different countries of the world. It looks like an actual ring with the inner surface containing gardens and parks. Most of the people live in the “band” of the ring.
My room is gray. My room is lifeless. It isn’t alive like Mexico City. It’s not in the mountains in Minnesota. My room is square and has one window. The room next to mine is the same style as this one.
We have had no communication with Earth still. There’s a computer in this room, but they haven’t given me access. I want to talk to my friends on Earth, to tell them I’m okay, to know that everything is okay up here, to tell them what Earth looks like from above. I’m not sure I could describe what I’m seeing.
You just have to see it for yourself.
June 1st 2234, 117 years after The Storm
I started school again, if you can call it that.
There are kids from all over the world in my class. I counted over fifty kids in my class. Two from the New Republic of America, one from Norway, two from small Asian countries I’ve never heard of. I haven’t met the other kids yet. The boy from the New Republic lived in Illinois. I told him I was from West Virginia. I also talked to the girl from Norway. Her name is Marit. I told her I didn’t know much about Norway. She told me that Norway is the oldest surviving country from before the Storm. She said it was so far north most of the people survived the harsh conditions. I told her about Serena and how her people in Mexico City are the same way. They protected their culture. She has blond hair and blue eyes. I’ve never seen hair so blonde on a girl.
My father wanted to talk to me today. He said it was something important. He told me something is happening on Earth. I hope there is news about Serena and Timothy; I asked him to see if he could get in touch in them. You can’t see Mexico City from my window, but I can see Minnesota. It’s cloudy and raining there. I wonder if Timothy has a room like me. I wonder if he has a window where he can see Columbus.
June 2nd 2234, 117 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
Scientists on Columbus say that something is happening on Earth. My father didn’t go into detail, but he said the scientists said they have seen nothing like this in fifty years. They are studying the circumstances of the Storm, but there isn’t much physical data from those dates. I remember Serena saying one time that the scientists in Mexico City had a theory of the origin of The Storm. My father said they tried contacting Mexico City, but there was no response. They have taken shelter in bunkers in the mountains and lost communications with them. I asked my father if they would be okay. He told me they would. I hope Serena is okay.
I had school again today. All the English speakers had to pair with non-English speakers. I paired up with Marit. She speaks some English, but she has an accent and she messes up her words sometimes. I had to teach her how to pronounce American cities, including the city I’m from. She didn’t get it at first, but after several tries she could pronounce West Virginia. She made me laugh every time she would say it wrong. I think her accent is cute. It’s not the same as Timothy’s, but it makes me smile. I guess I like accents or something. I hope Timothy is okay.
I walked around Columbus Park today. Soldiers guard the entrance to it. I am only allowed an hour in the park. The park contains nature needed to replant Earth. It has trees and flowers and bushes. I sat in front of a patch of blue orchids. They had just bloomed. They were bright blue like the sky in New Virginia during spring. My hour was up in what seemed like five minutes looking at the flowers. I will go back tomorrow. My father says that Columbus can’t be harmed from anything happening on Earth.
I hope we will be okay.
June 5th 2234, 117 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
We continued our English studies today. This is the only time I ever get to speak to Marit. Whenever class is over, everyone has to go to their specific regions on Columbus. I don’t get to see anyone from my class because we all live in different parts of the station. I told Marit about the blue orchids at the park. She told me that blue orchids didn’t exist before The Storm. She said that after everything had passed. A blue orchid grew out of the devastation. She said that her people believed it to be a sign of the Storm ending. That everything had calmed down. They revere the blue orchid where Marit is from.
I told Marit that I wanted her to come with me the next time I go to the park. I told her I would be there tomorrow at three. She said she would be there waiting for me.
June 6th 2234, 117 years after The Storm
Dear diary,
I talked to my father this morning at breakfast. He said that Columbus will be above America in a couple days. Once we’re over Earth, the scientists will have a chance to scan what’s happening on the surface. There hasn’t been any communication with the bases. I asked him about Serena and Timothy. He told me he knows nothing, but he will let me know as soon as he knows. I want to talk to them. I want to know that they’re safe. Before we left, I felt that I was half a world away. Now I’m a full world away. That sounded dumb. Scratch that last part.
I met Marit at the Park today. She was sitting by the blue orchids. I sat next to her. She told me the story about the blue orchids again. She didn’t remember that she told me yesterday, but I didn’t care. I just like to listen to her talk because like her accent. I could listen to her tell stories all day long. She told the story of people called Vikings that traveled to the Americas even before Columbus. She said that they should name the ship after one of those Vikings rather than Columbus.
An hour passed by in what seemed like five minutes.
June 10th 2234, 117 years after The Storm
There was panic on Columbus.
School canceled classes, and they sent home me without an explanation. I didn’t get to see Marit today. I asked my father what was happening and he wouldn't tell me.
Something was wrong. He always gets quiet when something upsets him. He also gets a look in his eyes that shows he’s unhappy. I asked him if I could look at Earth today, but he said the scientists and soldiers on the Columbus forbid viewing Earth at the moment. He said it was so people didn’t panic on the station.
I miss Serena. I miss Timothy. I miss my friends.
June 25th 2234, 117 years after The Storm
I saw Earth today
I told my father I felt sick, and I needed to stay home from school. Once he left, I made my way to Columbus Park. I knew that every day they opened the shutters to let in natural sunlight for the plants in the park. I knew that if I could sneak in when the shutters were open, I could see Earth.
It wasn’t very difficult to sneak into the Park, there was only one person watching the door and they took frequent bathroom breaks. When I entered the Park I walked straight to the blue orchids and waited for the windows to open.
When they did, I saw Earth for the first time in weeks. It didn’t look like Earth, though. A white, swirling haze covered it. It almost looked like pictures of a hurricane, but this would be the biggest hurricane I have ever seen. There were specks of what might be land, but I couldn’t be sure. I waited in the garden to watch the Earth rotate some, but the haze remained.
I sat there and cried.
June 30th 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
My father and I spoke about what I saw the other day.
He told me that a new storm had engulfed the Earth and that we don’t know who’s still alive. I cried because I knew Serena wasn’t in a bunker like Timothy.
My father told me that small patches of the Earth remain above land. It gave me hope because Serena once told me that Mexico City is high in the mountains. I have heard nothing from her, but I hope that we hear something soon.
No one has heard from the bunker in America either. Most believe that they are safe, but unable to communicate due to the flooding and the New Storm blocking any communications.
Marit told me a story about his people. She said before there were rockets or cars or any technology we know today, her people survived for months at a time on ships as they sailed around the world. I asked her if people would live permanently on a boat. She told me that the boats weren’t designed for that. They take people from one place to another, not be their home.
I cried again on the way home.
July 4th 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
Dear diary,
They allowed Americans in my school the day off to celebrate with family. They allowed us one guest to invite, so I invited Marit to my family’s celebration. We celebrated with the family next door. Someone my father used to work with.
I explained to Marit what the fourth of July meant to Americans. She laughed at everything that we had that was red, white, and blue. My family always enjoyed the fourth of July, so they bought plates, napkins, and anything that had any of the three colors.
Marit gave me a gift today. She had taken a blue orchid from the garden and planted the flower in a mason jar. Taking any plants from the garden was forbidden as to preserve the delicate flowers and plants, but one flower won't hurt. At least that’s what she says. She knew what she said the other day upset me and she wanted to make it up to me.
I think I like Marit.
July 14th 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
Dear diary,
They excused the French kids from my class today as it is their day of celebration. Our class was half empty, I didn’t know most of our class was of French descent. They didn’t even speak with an accent.
We learned about the celebration that the French kids were celebrating. The teacher told us of a bloody battle that ended with most of the people in charge with their heads cut off. I found the celebration strange.
After class, Marit and I went to the garden. She held my hand as we walked, asking before doing it and I told her it was okay. She asked me how my tulip was doing. I told her that the petals fell off. She told me it wasn’t dead. Blue orchids have a dormant period. That’s how they survived the cold in her home in Scandinavia.
When I got home, I moved my orchid onto the windowsill to get whatever sun would come through. I hope it’s happy in its new home.
July 20th 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
My father sat took me out of school today.
When we got home, I saw that he had tears in his eyes. He told me that the Rocky Mountain Base had failed in protecting its people. The base flooded and my father doesn’t believe anyone survived.
I cried. He cried. I ran out of the apartment and toward the gardens on the surface. Marit was there.
She asked me what was wrong, but I couldn't get the words out. I just kept crying. She held me until I stopped.
August 3rd 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
Dear diary,
My father told me that the Storm is dissipating and some scientists are preparing for a return to Earth. He told me a region of people will also join the scientists and some soldiers back to Earth, but he doesn’t know what group will be going. He says if no group volunteers, that a lottery will select it. I could tell he was nervous about the New Republic of America being selected.
Still no communication with Mexico City, but my father says that Mexico City is appearing on certain mapping projections that Columbus is producing. I kept thinking about the Rocky Mountain base and how it failed; I hoped my father was right.
August 12th 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
I met Marit at the park today.
We sat in our usual spot and we watched the Earth from the gardens. It was a perfect blue like marble. We both saw some specks of green and white on the surface. Marit tried guessing what the green was by bringing a map of the Earth with her. I played along too, trying to help her figure out what the different islands used to be.
Marit told me that his region will volunteer to return to Earth. She told me they’re leaving September 1st and returning to the area that used to be Norway to help rebuild Northern Europe. I tried everything to not cry in front of her, but I couldn’t help it. She walked me back home and gave me a hug goodbye. Marit told me of an old saying that Norwegians say to each other. She said that the path in between friends never has grass.
I didn’t understand what that meant, but she told me we will see each other again.
I’m just afraid that she’s wrong.
September 1st 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
I watched Marit enter the ship that would take his people back to Earth.
They called the ship the Eriksson, after a famous viking that sailed the ocean. We all watched from the loading bay as the rocket left the dock and returned to Earth.
I returned to my room where I could watch the rocket fly off toward the bright blue marble that was Earth. I cried again.
My orchid has some buds on it. Marit was right. It was just dormant.
I miss my friends. It makes sense why people have to leave or why they have different ideas of shelter, but I want them to all be here. I keep looking out my window hoping to see the Eriksson, but I know it’s already too far away.
I asked my father when we would have communication with the Eriksson when it lands. He told me he doesn’t know since the Storm is still active and making communication difficult.
September 13th, 2234, Year 1 of the New Storm
The Eriksson called our class today!
They spoke about landing on Earth and how the Storm dissipated. The teacher asked if Marit could speak to the class. She only spoke for about a minute, but she seemed happy and optimistic. She told everyone that Norway still has some land left and they plan to rebuild on it.
When I got back to my room, I looked at my orchid. It has starting to bloom. Bright blue like the Earth. I couldn’t stop smiling all day.
May 10th 2239, 5 years after the New Storm
Dear diary,
I forgot I used to do this! The diary was under my bed, I must have lost it in the move to the Magellan, a station ten times the size of Columbus, our new permanent home. I reread all my old writings, but I couldn’t get through most of them because of embarrassment.
I don’t have much time to write today, but I promise that I’ll keep writing like before. Serena and I are going shopping in the Mexican region of the Magellan, she told me they have the best hand crafted jewelry there.
I also have to video call Marit on Earth, she told me they just finished building the school in Norway and it opens for class next year. She hopes to visit me in the next couple of months.
Oh, and I have a garden now, full of blooming, blue orchids.
