Just one of two entries for a writing competition at my college.
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   Standing on the highest viewing platform of the Empire State building, Ethan Hale felt like he was on top of the world.

   The wind whipped his charcoal-coloured hair around his pale, round face. Deep brown eyes peered down from the dizzying height, Ethan's stomach twisting into knots as he gazed at the busy streets below. Cars scurried like ants to and from their destination, their colours and lights all blurring together.

   Ethan could see everything, it seemed.

"We can't stay up here too long, son!' came his father's deep British voice. Mr Hale had to yell over the heavy wind, the downside of being so high up.

"You, mum and Kiera go on without me," Ethan shouted back, his focus still on the expansive view, "I want to stay up here a little longer! I'll catch up, I swear!"

   He vaguely heard his dad shout something about a warning and something else about a storm, but like most teenagers, he paid no attention to it.

   Ethan and his family had saved up for years so that they could take a well-deserved holiday to the United States. They'd been In New York City for the past three days, and were exploring mid-town Manhattan, which had brought them to the Empire State Building. Definitely Ethan's favourite. He loved heights; the feeling of the wind in his hair, the views. He was a bird soaring far above humanity, observing life below as if he was separate to it all.

   He must've stood there for ages; the view was so mesmerising, he'd lost track of time. He only snapped back to reality when he noticed the midday sky was getting very dark. Thick, angry storm clouds were moving quickly across the sky, stealing any sliver of sunlight and filling it with a heavy grey mess. The wind picked up dramatically, and that was when Ethan realised it.

   He was up on the viewing platform by himself.

   A loud rumble of thunder echoed through the air, followed by the flash and crack of lightning that split the sky in two as the clouds seemingly burst. It started to pour with rain, soaking the teenage boy within seconds. Ethan hesitated, before bolting inside. He didn't really mind the wind or the rain, but he wasn't stupid – he knew it was unsafe to be that high up when there's lightning.

   The first thing he heard was the ear-piercing sound of an alarm; a hurricane warning with an announcement to evacuate the upper levels of the building, and to use the stairs instead of the elevator – in case of a power failure.

   'Smart idea,' Ethan thought as he began his descent, his shoes slipping slightly as he rushed down the stairs.

   The building swayed as it was battered and bruised by the powerful gale-force winds, the rain like bullets as it struck the sides. An ear-splitting crack sounded, and the lights surged before bursting with a loud pop, plunging Ethan into darkness.

   Lightning had struck the Empire State Building.

   The sound had caused a deafening ringing in Ethan's ears, but he continued to run down the stairs. He was calling for his parents, screaming his sister's name, but save for the savage storm that raged outside, it was eerily quiet. Ethan didn't so much as see another person. It was very bizarre.

   Had they evacuated the whole building? In such a short amount of time? No, it wasn't possible, the building was too big. There was no way every single person would have left...

   Unless he's been alone on the viewing platform a lot longer than he'd originally thought.

   Ethan stopped to catch his breath, leaning against the wall as he panted heavily, and that's when he heard it. Above the noise of the raging storm outside, he heard the groaning of the tall building as it strained against the hurricane.

   There was another painfully loud cracking sound that echoed through the stairwell, and the whole building shuddered violently. It was different from the sound of lightning though. It was the sound of cracking concrete as the hurricane started to break apart a building that was supposed to be structurally sound. A building that had stood soundly for almost 88 years was finally breaking. Panic finally started to set in as Ethan realized what was happening. A million different scenarios played in his head. What if his family were hurt? What if he didn't see them again?

   Another shudder reverberated through the building, followed by a violent lurching. Everything tilted to one side, and a cry of surprise left Ethan's lips. it took about a minute for the vibrations to stop, and for all to be still again.

   With a newfound energy, the teenage boy pushed himself away from the wall and continued to race down the stairs. He lost his footing a few times, sending himself sprawling on the ground, but that didn't deter him. He had to find his family. That is, if they were okay. Ethan wasn't religious by any means, but at that moment he prayed with everything he was that they'd been evacuated in time.

   It was a death race now; the building was falling apart, and Ethan had to get off the higher levels before it broke - or worse, collapsed - with him in it. He already knew the staircase would be compromised further down. At the angle of the building for him, it meant something had given away lower down. He had a gut feeling about it.

   Ethan had to be prepared – mentally and physically - to get through it all so he could see his family again.

   "How could I be so stupid?!" he cried out with pained frustration, after slipping yet again. "I shouldn't have stayed, I should have gone with them!"

   He hated himself. Hated himself for not listening. For not leaving with his parents when he should have. For not hearing what his father had said. He should have paid more attention.

   "Mum. Dad. Kiera. I'm so sorry..." he trailed off in a pained voice, choking back tears. He couldn't afford to break down now. He didn't have time to feel sorry for himself. He had to make it out of this damned building so that he could hold his family again, and make it up to them later.

   A feeling, deep down inside of him, told him that it was only the beginning. He refused to dwell on it, but something told him that he wasn't going to be seeing his family for a while.

   That was the day the storm came, but it would take another six days before it finally went away. The longest week for humanity was just beginning.