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Description
Shay stared out of the apartment window at the quiet street below. Those who weren't stuck in the traffic jam out of town were inside.

It had all started months before when the news reported a possible meteor shower, but as the date drew closer the reports changed. Suddenly it wasn't just a meteor shower or even a spectacular one. If the space rock drew as close as it seemed it would there could be severe damage or worse. If it just skimmed the atmosphere the pacific northwest would be peppered with meteors, possibly destroying cities. If it was a direct hit then the resulting smoke and ash would likely send the world into another ice age.

Her family had urged her to come home, but she and her brother had seen so many Armageddons come and go with no harm. She also didn't see how being two hours away would make them any safer.

They watched all the rich people flee the city over the past few days. Now there were only the poor and the stubborn.  Shay had never considered her family poor, but money had played a role in the decision to stay.
At least, she thought, they were better off in a brick and mortar building than the poor shmucks on the highway.

"This is probably like that asteroid a few years ago. There was all that hype and nothing happened." Tyrese, Shay's brother, said.

She just nodded an looked toward the sky. It was nothing. It had to be. It wasn't the end of the world. Not today. It couldn't be.

"You've been standing there for hours. Sit down, try to relax."

She sighed. "I just don't want to be caught off guard. You know, if something does happen."

"Nothing is going to-" He paused.

There was a whistling sound and Shay clearly heard it too. It was a strange sound, like a bomb dropping in a cartoon. It was not the type of noise they had expected. Shay whipped back around in time to see a ball of fire part the clouds and hurtle toward the center of town. Her breath stuck in her chest as it suddenly seemed to stop just above the buildings. There was no boom, just a flash before a shock wave erupted.

"Bathroom!" Shay screamed grabbing her brother by the arm and dragging him into the small room. She slammed the door shut and pushed him toward the tub. Suddenly there was a roar and the door rattled violently. Shay pressed her left hand to the door in an attempt to keep it shut against the force.

Then everything was quiet again. There were just a few thumps as pictures fell from the walls and bottles rolled off the counter. The two panted, their eyes squeezed shut.

"You okay Ty?"

He took in a deep breath and let out a nervous laugh. "Was that it?"

"I don't know. I hope so." She whispered in a shaking voice. She wasn't sure if she could move yet, her legs felt like jelly.

"I might have messed my pants a little, but I'm cool." He chuckled a little finally finding the strength to lift his head, but as he did his eyes went wide. "Shay... Shay your hand..."

Shay's heart skipped a beat as she first looked at her right hand. It was normal. She then looked back at her left which was still pressed firmly to the door. She shrieked. That wasn't her hand, that was the hand of a corpse withered and grey. There was a clean line at her wrist where the flesh just returned to its normal healthy appearance.  She pulled her arm back to examine the appendage in disbelief. That's when she saw the mark left on the wooden door.

The wood that had been covered by her hand had begun to decay.

Description
Shay stared out of the apartment window at the quiet street below. Those who weren't stuck in the traffic jam out of town were inside.

It had all started months before when the news reported a possible meteor shower, but as the date drew closer the reports changed. Suddenly it wasn't just a meteor shower or even a spectacular one. If the space rock drew as close as it seemed it would there could be severe damage or worse. If it just skimmed the atmosphere the pacific northwest would be peppered with meteors, possibly destroying cities. If it was a direct hit then the resulting smoke and ash would likely send the world into another ice age.

Her family had urged her to come home, but she and her brother had seen so many Armageddons come and go with no harm. She also didn't see how being two hours away would make them any safer.

They watched all the rich people flee the city over the past few days. Now there were only the poor and the stubborn.  Shay had never considered her family poor, but money had played a role in the decision to stay.
At least, she thought, they were better off in a brick and mortar building than the poor shmucks on the highway.

"This is probably like that asteroid a few years ago. There was all that hype and nothing happened." Tyrese, Shay's brother, said.

She just nodded an looked toward the sky. It was nothing. It had to be. It wasn't the end of the world. Not today. It couldn't be.

"You've been standing there for hours. Sit down, try to relax."

She sighed. "I just don't want to be caught off guard. You know, if something does happen."

"Nothing is going to-" He paused.

There was a whistling sound and Shay clearly heard it too. It was a strange sound, like a bomb dropping in a cartoon. It was not the type of noise they had expected. Shay whipped back around in time to see a ball of fire part the clouds and hurtle toward the center of town. Her breath stuck in her chest as it suddenly seemed to stop just above the buildings. There was no boom, just a flash before a shock wave erupted.

"Bathroom!" Shay screamed grabbing her brother by the arm and dragging him into the small room. She slammed the door shut and pushed him toward the tub. Suddenly there was a roar and the door rattled violently. Shay pressed her left hand to the door in an attempt to keep it shut against the force.

Then everything was quiet again. There were just a few thumps as pictures fell from the walls and bottles rolled off the counter. The two panted, their eyes squeezed shut.

"You okay Ty?"

He took in a deep breath and let out a nervous laugh. "Was that it?"

"I don't know. I hope so." She whispered in a shaking voice. She wasn't sure if she could move yet, her legs felt like jelly.

"I might have messed my pants a little, but I'm cool." He chuckled a little finally finding the strength to lift his head, but as he did his eyes went wide. "Shay... Shay your hand..."

Shay's heart skipped a beat as she first looked at her right hand. It was normal. She then looked back at her left which was still pressed firmly to the door. She shrieked. That wasn't her hand, that was the hand of a corpse withered and grey. There was a clean line at her wrist where the flesh just returned to its normal healthy appearance.  She pulled her arm back to examine the appendage in disbelief. That's when she saw the mark left on the wooden door.

The wood that had been covered by her hand had begun to decay.