The Changing Storm

By Kayla Hubbard

This is a story of romance, action, and adventure taking place in a modern world that has been tipped upside down and inside out. Follow the trio of sisters as they try with everything they have to survive and decipher what has happened to them and find unexpected love in a world that is hellbound and determined to end their lives. In a world like this, they never expected to find a soulmate to live their lives with, no matter how short that life may turn out to be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781387600311

Book preview

The Changing Storm

By: Kayla Hubbard

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks, and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

Kayla Hubbard has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Copyright © 2022 by Kayla Hubbard

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

First paperback and E-book edition September 2022.

Book Cover by Getcover.com

Lulu Publishing Services

Paperback ISBN – 978-1-387-71550-3

E-Book ISBN - 978-1-387-60031-1

For My Jameson

Prologue

It was a dark, horrid night. The wind sounded as if wolves were praising the moon. The thunder crashed with such force the ground shook and it could be mistaken as the atmosphere exploding into pieces. Lighting couldn’t even brighten this night's sky. 

We could tell there was a storm coming. But it left us with questions that we didn’t have the answers to. What kind of storm were we facing this time? When would it arrive? Could we beat this storm? And how would we survive this time?

The darkness surrounds us as the fog rolls in. 

It’s time. I yelled as we readied ourselves for what we were hoping for was the last storm we would ever face. We carried more supplies than we should, but we never knew what we were going to need. Each storm, as we referred to them as to lighten the mood, was different. Never the same enemy twice. 

You have got to be kidding me. When will this end? Kristi'ana yelled. We knew that answer. The same answer we always had. We didn’t know, but we always prayed that this storm was our last. That we could finally live in peace. 

What stepped out of the fog wasn’t anything we expected but it sure didn’t surprise us with all we have already seen. Its face was the only thing we could see. He dressed in all black, from head to toe. We dressed the same way. His face though……… That face will always be unforgettable. He was covered in scales. Blue scales at that. This blue caught your eye because of the way it shimmered. A metallic blue. He was part Lizard and part man. Eyes the size of silver dollars. So big, yet so black. The kind of black that cuts straight through your soul. His nose, so flat that it was funny and sad at the same time. It looked as if he was hit in the face with a bat and it broke his nose beyond repair. He was smiling as he walked out of the fog. But this wasn’t a smile you wanted to see. It also wasn’t an evil, I’m going to get you type smile. It was I am proud of you type smile. Something like a parent would have for their child when they accomplished a goal. Though it made no sense, I have no doubt that's what the Lizard Man was thinking. He may have thought that, but why would he? We all looked at him like he was insane. He must know who WE are, though we have never seen him before. Today, he would truly know who We are. We are a family that was forged closer together by the trials and tribulations of the unimaginable events that have been the last months of our lives. No one that has met us throughout this eventful time would ever give that look….

1

In the beginning

There was a deafening explosion which included fire and destruction that happened all over the world. The fire was bright orange and blue. This explosion started the rain that lasted for what seemed like weeks. This rain wasn’t normal rain; it was not water. This rain was thick and creamy, like soup, but a pinkish rose color, like that of a sunset. It smelt of burning rubber and plastic. The pink rain melted anything wood or metal but couldn’t dissolve paper or concrete. Goodbye vehicles, houses, and businesses. It melted mostly everything so fast that not many people could escape. The ones that did survive the initial rain, either couldn’t find shelter and perished or found shelter and soon gave up dealing with the rain. Few, what we later found out was, very few, became what we are. Survivors.

***

How the hell did we make it thru this? I asked as Kristi'ana, Kyli'ana and I walked out into the street looking at the aftermath of the pink rain. Vehicles parked on the side of the road and in driveways, melted as if they were cheese under a heat lamp. Turning around in the street to see all the carnage. We see that the only building that wasn’t destroyed was the building we just left. Luckily, that was the building we ran into first when the pink rain started to appear. Fully made of concrete, the old Miller Orphanage, named after our small, tiny town, was still standing and untouched. This would now become our home and anything else we needed it for.

I guess this means that we are alone, Kyli'ana said as she started to cry. 

We have each other, Kristi'ana said as she hugged Kyli'ana. 

Okay. Suck it up. We can’t be the only ones that ran into a building and survived. Others must-have. There is no way in hell that only three girls escaped that shitty pink soup of rain. There were billions of people. I said to Kristi'ana and Kyli'ana. They both gave me the Stop being so insensitive look they always did. (I am not good at emotions like they are.) What? It's true! Then looking at them both I continued the sentence to, Let’s go look around. See if we can find anyone in the city that survived. I tried to be more sensitive by looking for others. 

What if there is no one? Said Kyli'ana. 

There are others, Kyli'ana. They might not be here, but they are out there, somewhere. I said still looking around. 

Should we travel the world? Kyli'ana questioned. 

How? I scoffed as I shook my head. 

Walk the world? Kristi'ana said in a smartass tone. 

No, let's ride that wave of cheese everywhere. I excitedly but sarcastically said as I pointed to the row of melted cars parked down the street. Then reminded Kristi'ana and Kyli'ana, We have always stuck together and been there for each other. We will do it now. And we will get through this together. We have a house, now let's go get food. Then we can search for others. I say as I started to walk to the corner store, after pointing out our new home, the old orphanage. 

It is completely surprising how many stores and businesses were destroyed. It looked as if a war was fought right here. Nothing is fully left standing whole, but the orphanage. 

I can’t believe that more buildings weren’t made of concrete. You would think businesses would have concrete structures instead of wood. Kristi'ana said walking into the corner store. Kyli'ana and I agreed with her. As we searched for food, we had to keep in mind that there was no electricity. This means no fridge to keep items cold, no microwave to heat things quickly. I guess we will have to cook the old fashion way. Over fire. As we filled carts worth of items we wondered weird stuff, stuff that only over privileged people would think. 

OH MY!!!! Kyli'ana says as she just realized something. Kristi'ana and I quickly turned to her to see what was wrong. We have no lights, no electricity, Kyli'ana said startled. 

Duh! That’s obvious. I said as I rolled my eyes. 

That means our cell phones won’t work, we don’t have Wi-Fi, or internet, or television, Kyli'ana exclaimed. Things that were so important in our daily life had vanished in a matter of minutes. I stared dumbfounded at Kyli'ana. With everything that could be missed that is what she picked. Kristi'ana and Kyli'ana stared at each other letting what Kyli'ana just mentioned sink in… 

Now Kyli’ana is a very lovely person, but sometimes she makes me wonder about her. The best way to describe Kyli’ana is that she is loud and crazy but don’t get me wrong, Kyli’ana keeps us knowing that there is still love in the universe, even when we believe that it never existed or will ever exist again. Kyli’ana Raine Johnson, (Ky-lee-ana), is the youngest of us. She is a heavier set beautiful young woman. Though she may have a larger weight on the scale she has a smaller chest and back side than Kristi’ana and myself. Kyli’ana is about 5 foot 4. She has the greenest eyes that you could ever image seeing. The green of her eyes makes you stop and stare because of it is something you will never get to see again. Light brow, wavy hair that is medium length. Kyli’ana is a girly girl through and through. Kyli’ana has the sister tattoo, like we all do, with her twist on it. Hers consists of roses and lace. She was barely able to finish the sister tattoo when we all got them. So, she stopped getting tattoos after that one was finished. She does have a piercing, a tongue ring.

Now the oldest of us is Kristi’ana. Kristi’ana Raelynn Johnson, (Kris-tee-ana), has longish brown hair with caramel highlights. Kristi’ana is the shortest one of us. Standing at barely 5 foot tall. She is what other girls consider the perfect size. Tiny, thin, with a bigger chest and ass. Her eyes are wonderful as well. One is a hazel color with hints of green and the other is blue. She received the best of the colors the world could give to anyone. Like her eyes, Kristi’ana is a mixture of girly girl and tomboy. Kristi’ana is best described as loud, crazy, sassy, feisty, fun, intelligent, kind-hearted, awesome bitch. She has a sister tattoo, with some differences. Roses, hibiscuses, and hydrangeas are what is intertwined in hers. Her only other tattoo is on the side of her right forearm. It is small in perfect calligraphy, our last name, Johnson. She also has a small diamond nose piercing.

Then that leaves me. I am Kayli’ana Rose Johnson, (Kay-lee-ana). I am the middle child, but I feel as if I am the oldest. I always have had the feeling that I need to protect both of my sisters. I am the tallest, standing at 5 foot 7. I am not an athletic person, but I am not the biggest. I guess the best way to describe my weight is that I am average, but there is nothing average about my chest or ass. Like Kristi’ana, I, too, have a bigger chest and ass. I deal with having the biggest out of all of us. Both make others stare. I have blue eyes. Crystal blue, like the ocean. I have long, straight, blonde hair that I usually keep up in a ponytail. I have longer bangs. I have more tattoos than my sisters. Naturally, I have the sister tattoo. This tattoo runs from the shoulder down our left arm that stops at our elbow. It also runs down our back, stopping just below our shoulder blade. Some of the tattoo comes down the left side of our chest as well. Mine includes roses and four-leaf clovers. I also have two six-shooter revolvers tattooed in the middle of my shoulders. On my right side, I have