D) She feels much happier when she sees her mom.
The theme of the story is about how your family and friends are more important than your belongings. While Sydney's sister was worrying about saving her things, Sydney was worrying about the safety of their mother.
The correct answer is C. metaphor.
"Bright beams" that Nature has wrapped in black are Stella's eyes. In a way, it is also a simile, but every metaphor is a contracted simile (without "like").
There are other literary devices in this passage as well: contrast (black - bright), rhetorical question (one that doesn't have an answer, or an answer is obvious)...
First person , The text says I and me multiple times
