"Why isn't he back yet? Do you think he should be okay, Dusty?" Rose's voice barely rose above a whisper, drowned out by the pounding rain against the windows. The wind howled like a beast outside, rattling the glass, and Rose shivered, pulling her knees closer to her chest.
Suddenly, the sky outside flashed, lighting up the night for a brief, blinding moment before plunging them back into darkness. It was far too bright, too electric. Rose's heart skipped a beat as she tensed, waiting.
CRACK!
The thunder followed a split second later, an earth-shattering roar that seemed to shake the building down to its very foundation. Rose's breath caught in her throat as Dusty scuttled closer to her, its tiny metal frame trembling as though it too could sense the storm's fury.
