Chapter Eight ~ Adam
Adam remembered the day as being one of the clearest and most beautiful days that he could remember. He loved being out of the water in his boat. Some days he would fish, others he would dive, and sometimes he just enjoyed being away from it all. Adam lived in North Carolina, a nice quiet place. Adam was married about 2 years and he had a house that he had just purchased, with the help of his parents. His wife, Jenny, usually came with him, but today she had to be with a friend who was going through some difficult times. So today Adam was just enjoying the salt air. He thought about fishing a little, he just wanted to get to his “special spot”, as he called it.
After about an hour, he dropped anchor and settled in for some fishing. Sitting back waiting for a bite, he closed his eyes and felt the sun beating down on him. Opening his eyes he looked around him and that is when he saw it. The brightest light he had ever seen streaked across the sky. He knew what it was, but he just couldn’t get his brain to accept the reality. It looked just like it had in all the programs and movies on television. He shook his head in disbelief. He knew that where he was, he didn’t know just what to do.
Did it hit the ocean? Was he far enough out to see to avoid being killed? Should he head in? Would Jenny be ok? Many questions ran through his head, but he couldn’t figure out what to do.
He knew that he would not be able to call into shore, as he was so far away from cell towers. His radio…maybe he could use the radio to warn others He called the Coast Guard, told them what he had seen and asked what he should do. He also asked them to contact his wife and tell her to get to higher ground. Then, he sat. It seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes.
Adam had dropped anchor, but knew that it would not hold him if he were to close to land. He thought about running out more chain, when the wave hit. Putting on a life jacket, he wedged himself as best he under the bow, he just hoped it would be enough. It was just starting to rise out of the ocean. It caught up his boat and brought him into land.
He didn’t remember much of anything else.
Little clips, like photographs flashed before him.
Several days later, he woke in a hospital. Crowded, and busy, he fought to find his voice, and tried to figure out what had happened. A nurse came to check on him after a little bit, told him that he had been found about 20 miles inland in his broken boat. They didn’t know if he was going to make it at first, but he pulled through. He had so many questions; he just didn’t know where to start. Then he suddenly remembered the most important question…”Do you know where my wife is?” The nurse replied that she did not, but if he had her phone number and address she would look into it. She said that the hospital was gathering information, which they were sharing with other hospitals and shelters in the area. If his wife was alive, she would find him soon. Adam just prayed.
Adam soon figured out that he had lost his lower right leg. And that his right arm had been severely broken. The pain medication had kept him from feeling anything for the first few days. But it also kept him barely conscious. He fought to stay awake, but that was very difficult. By the end of the week, the doctors felt it was necessary for him to start becoming mobile, and the pain medication was cut back. He was in so much pain, and grateful to be given his injection and fall back to sleep.
The nurses kept trying to find out information about his family, but with so many people, they didn’t have a lot of time. They were soon bringing him the lists of survivors, and he was looking for himself. Within weeks, he was up on crutches, wandering through the halls of the hospital. He was checking lists throughout the day, but his wife and parents were not on it. He prayed that they had somehow survived, and just hadn’t checked into a shelter or hospital. But somehow he knew the truth.
He was discharged from the hospital after about a month. But he didn’t know where to go. His home was destroyed as was his parents’ home. He went to both, just hoping. He tried finding friends, but with no luck. He stayed in the shelter a few more nights, but soon he decided, that he had to move away from the area, in order to find a place to stay and perhaps news of his family.
FEMA was helping by moving those who wanted to leave. They had busses that drove people out of the devastated area and to shelters set up in other states.
Adam was brought out to a shelter in Kentucky. He settled in and started looking again, but to no avail. He started to give up hope, no matter how much he didn’t want to. Soon he was only looking once a day, otherwise he was sleeping or walking aimlessly around. There was not much for him to do, or anywhere for him to go. He felt lost and alone. He had been supplied with clothes, bedding, and food, but it didn’t make a difference.
He didn’t know how long it was, but it felt like winter. He was given sweaters, pants and coats. He had lost complete track of time, yet it didn’t mater. He felt like he had nothing to live for.
Then it happened, something that made him suddenly aware of his life, and his desire to keep living. The ground shook violently. He didn’t know why, but he found himself trying to protect himself from potential harm. The shelter shook, creaked, cracked. At one point it sounded like it was going to give way. But it held. Adam, however, did not feel safe, and he really wanted to feel safe. He took a walk into town, it was difficult with the crutches, but he managed. He found that the town was full of people, but their homes had not all made it though. He met with some people who were talking of heading for someplace safer. But they didn’t know where that would be yet. The invited Adam to stay with them for the time being and they went to collect the few things that Adam had at the shelter.
The next day, ash was falling like flurries, and the discussions about where they were going to go, became more serious. A group of 10, including Adam, thought that they would check out a cave. If it was in good condition, they would stay there for a bit. Otherwise they would head south. The plan sounded good, but Adam worried that he would not be able to keep up. The group promised that they would not leave Adam behind. Later that day they started out.
Adam was slowing the group down, but they stayed with him and helped him when they could. The hike took almost three days, but when they arrived at the cave they found that they were not alone. The cave held quite a few people, from the looks of it, several hundred. The group merged in with those already at the cave. Adam was settled into a small family area, where he could get help when he needed it. His bed was blankets; he was given some clothes, as he didn’t have too much when he arrived. And the food was hot.
Years later, he still looked up when people entered the cave, hoping against hope. But his parents were not there, and neither was his wife. He had many friends in the cave, but he still felt alone.
