reflections in the mirror

At 1am, Carlos finished working at the small Spanish restaurant that his family owned. He was really tired but he knew that he would never be able to sleep. He planned to head home, open a beer and watch television for an hour or so, before going to sleep. He knew morning would come around very quickly. Carlos was taking classes at the local college, he wanted someday to graduate and get a good job. He wanted to get out of the city. He didn’t like the crime and noise.

Carlos had lived in New York City all his life, but he had family that lived in a town about an hour away. It was a nice quiet town; he wanted to someday buy a house with some land, where he could have his parents live with him, when they were older. With a business degree, he would be able to take over the restaurant and maybe even move it out of the city.

Fortunately for Carlos, his classes didn’t begin until after 10am, so after an hour of TV to unwind, he headed off to sleep. He knew he would have to wake up a little earlier in the morning to finish the homework he couldn’t finish before work. Setting his alarm, he went to sleep, and before he knew it, the alarm was blaring in his ear. He really didn’t feel like he had gotten any sleep at all.

Making himself a strong cup of coffee, he sat down at his kitchen table and looked over the paper he had written for his business class. He had typed it up the day before, but wanted to review it for his oral report, that he had to give in class. Everything looked good; he finished his coffee, and put his books in his backpack. Today, he only had two classes, which meant that his bag was only about twenty pounds instead of forty. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door, and down to the bus stop. He would have to make it on the next bus, if he was to be to school on time.

The bus arrived on time, which was unusual, the bus traveled out to the outskirts of the city. When the bus got to the school, he had about ten minutes to get to class. He met up with a couple other people from his class, they talked for a few minutes before the Professor arrived. As 10 am approached, so did the professor, and the students all took their seats. The Professor started speaking to the class, when the whole building shuddered and the windows and light bulbs broke, showering glass onto everyone in the classroom. Some of the girls were starting to get upset, and there was shouting from the hall. Someone was yelling for everyone to get out of the building. Carlos grabbed his friend by the arm and they both crawled out the door. The hall was becoming crowded but everyone moved quickly enough. They started heading down the stairs when Carlos felt something or rather someone, on the floor at his feet. He bent down to help the person up, when he saw that the lady was not alive. He didn’t wait around, what he saw scared him more than he could say.

Carlos and his friend got to the main door of the building, when the blast wave hit. The door was slammed shut against them. They attempted to push on the door when they felt the incredible heat and heard screams from outside the door. Confused he tried to push the door again, but still it didn’t move. He tried a few more times, before turning and pushing himself through the crowd that was behind him, he went to the other side of the building and another door. This time the door opened, but when he stepped out the sight made him sick.

The blast wave had killed or nearly killed all the people outside. The trees were scorched, leaves were burnt. The buildings, though they were brick, looked like they had been burned in a fire. Carlos didn’t know what to do. Swept up in the crowd, those who had been in buildings when the blast wave hit, he wandered. Confused and unsure what to do, he just walked. It wasn’t until he heard more screams, that he was able to focus. He looked in the direction of the screaming and saw the wave. People were running before the wave, trying to avoid being caught up in it. Carlos had just enough time to find a place he thought that he would be safe. A still smoking tree. The bark was still hot to the touch but it wasn’t on fire, so he climbed, and hoped that it would be enough. Once he was up about twenty feet he thought that he should be ok, and the water started to rise.

He watched the water climb up the tree many feet at a time. It wasn’t until the water was about 5 feet from the branch that he was standing on, that he thought he might not be high enough, so he climbed up a little more. He climbed as far as he dared. Looking down, he just knew he would not be high enough. But he also knew that if he left the tree he would be in real trouble. The water rose, and soon he was up to his chest, holding on, and pushing debris from hitting him when he could. He didn’t know how long he held on, before the water started to drop, but it seemed like an eternity. He finally climbed down, and sat on the ground at the foot of the tree. He didn’t know what else to do. He didn’t know if it was worth it to try to find his family, they had been in the city and from what he could see, it wasn’t any better there than it was where he was now.

Carlos looked around him, wondering where his friends were. He didn’t know if any of them had survived, and he was afraid to look. There were some people still wandering around, but he didn’t recognize anyone he knew well. A group of people was walking around with purpose, checking on all those they came across, gathering those that they could, and walking on. Soon they came to Carlos; they helped him to his feet and escorted him away from the tree that had saved his live. They kept walking. Carlos didn’t know where they were going, but he was being guided by the group.

This is how Carlos survived for the next few days to a week, he wasn’t sure just how long. He was just being moved by those around him. At some point they ended up at a school that was being used as a shelter. He was fed, though he didn’t remember eating and he had a cot, though he didn’t remember sleeping. And soon, they were on the move again, but this time, they were in a bus, he didn’t know where they were going; he just vaguely remembered being told that he was going south, to a safer place.

The new shelter was somewhere in Pennsylvania, but he didn’t know where. He was brought to someone who asked him a lot of questions. He talked to the person, but it seemed to him like he was watching someone else. The person told him that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Syndrome or something like that. They handed him some pills and told him that he would have to take the pills once a day. He shook his head and went back to his bed.

Once he started taking the medicine, his head became a little clearer. He could think about the things he had seen, and reason it all out. He thought about his family, and started checking lists to see if their names were on it. They were not. He asked about New York City, and was told that it was virtually destroyed. There was little left of the city that anyone would recognize.

The temperatures were starting to drop, because of the clouds that now covered the earth, and the group was slowly moved to another shelter further south. So once again, he and a group of people boarded a bus, but the bus made Carlos feel sick. About 8 hours after getting started, the bus stopped so that the passengers could get something to eat, It was then that Carlos wandered away from the crowd. He stayed in the town that the bus had stopped in, he didn’t have anywhere to stay but soon found a nice family, who invited him to stay. He was fine while he had medication, but when he ran out of medication, he started to withdrawal again, inside his own mind. Thankfully, the family figured out what was going on with him and was able to give him the space that he needed. They also found another doctor for him to see and were able to get him more medication. Carlos still needed to be guided though, and followed those who became authority figures to him. So when the town decided to move following an earthquake, he did so without complaint.

They walked and walked, but all he could remember was the ash falling. It looked like when the TV doesn’t get a signal, the static and “snow” that you would see on the screen. It also sounded like it. There was a constant sound of falling ash. It was nice to get to the cave, the sight and sound of the ash had become a little more than he could bear. He settled into the cave and there he held on for a while. It wasn’t till after the first few months at the shelter that he started to come around and began to help out in the shelter. He did remember the epidemic when many got sick and died, but it wasnt until after that, that he started helping with the supply trips.

He didn’t have the courage to brave the unknown however, to try to head for warmer regions, when the three different groups left. He stayed, helped out and though he was getting better mentally, he was still very withdrawn. Over time he did start to get better, but still would dream about what he had seen, and was often seen staring into space, lost in the thoughts that he kept locked into his brain.

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.

Early to work, early to leave…that was Cory’s motto, as he wrote 6:45 am on his time slip. He really enjoyed spending afternoons with his kids; he was usually home in time to take his kids to the pool as he did most afternoons. It was nice to be in Cory’s position, as VP of his little company. His boss had pretty much handed the day to day running of the company off to Cory, and just checked in to make sure that everything was running smoothly.

First Cory checked on e-mails, checked on repair orders for the day, checked on new orders and then headed down the stairs to the workshop to see how things were going. The workers were just arriving, so he could spend a few minutes talking with them, before they got down to work. The guys soon got to work, Cory walking around checking on progress of the work orders.

Once done, he headed back upstairs; the managers would be in soon, as would the administrative assistants. He wanted to see what the plans for the day were. The office was going to be installing a new phone system and he wanted to make sure that the office manager and the receptionist were ready for the meeting that they would be going to. His secretary was working on a project to make the work order easier to follow. She was a wiz at several programs and had really done a great job. He wanted to see how far along she was and maybe how long until the project would be finished.

A few people had arrived. One of the managers was just sitting down at his desk. Cory talked with him for a few minutes. He had a possible new work order, but he had to do some follow up work and have a proposal written up. Once that was done, he would bring the proposal to Cory for him to take a look at. His secretary was in, she thought it would take her another day or so, and she would be finished…providing that she was able to work on the project full time. He didn’t think that would be a problem, so he left her to her work.

Cory returned to his office and called home. His wife, Alyssa answered, she was just making the kids their breakfast, and then they were going to head off to the park for playgroup. He talked with her for a few minutes, told her that he would be home around 3 or so and, if the weather held, he would take the boys to the pool, so she can get some work done around the house. Hanging up the phone, he sat back and looked out the window. He then set to work on some of the orders that he was personally responsible for. Looking over the papers,

Cory didn’t know how much time had passed, when the ground shook a little. He swore under his breath…”what had the guys downstairs done?” He headed to the workshop to survey the damage. None of the guys knew what had happened, though they had thought that someone had run the forklift into the wall, as well. But the forklift sat in its usual spot, untouched. With a slight shy of relief, he headed back upstairs. Within minutes though, his wife called from her cell phone, she was at the park and she too had felt the ground shudder. There was one TV in the place, but it was not hooked up to cable, he went to see if there was anything on the news.

It took a few minutes to find a channel that was a little more than static. The normal talk shows had been preempted, but the news people didn’t know anymore than anyone else. He sat and watched, a small crowd gathering around him. It soon became evident that something big had happened. No one could get a signal from New York City. Within minutes, other reports of a wave started hitting the coast line. Washington DC went offline, then stations in North Carolina reported the wave, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida.
Cory couldn’t say how long he was sitting there; he couldn’t remember ever looking at the time. He told everyone that they could go home; no work was going to get done anyway. He went to his office, grabbed a couple things that he thought he should have, and drove home.

Most of the day was a blur. He couldn’t remember much, which he thought was probably for the best. He just wanted to be with his family, no matter what happened. He needed to be with them
Alyssa was home when he pulled his car into the driveway. He was glad for that. Cory spend the next few days with his boys, watching TV only when they were not around. They had plenty of DVD’s to keep the boys occupied.

Cory did remember seeing the clouds. They seemed to move in within two or three days. The temperature dropped, and they needed to turn on the heat to stay warm at night. July seemed to have turned into October without any warning. Going to the pool was no longer possible. He was just happy to be with his family.

He did go back to work, as did his employees, but they didn’t know how long that would last or if the work they were doing would even be worth anything when they were done. He encouraged his employees to work; he wanted them to have money, just in case. And he wanted to keep things as normal as possible for as long as possible.

For a while everything seemed ok. The area planned for a winter that was colder than normal. Winter seemed like it was already upon them when September started. Cory wondered if it would warm up in the spring. Within days, he was sure things were not going to get better, anytime soon.

The earth shook. Cory had actually stayed home that day. He had decided to give his employees the day off. They worked so hard these days, but they still didn’t know if any of it was worth it. Cory was in the yard, splitting wood for the winter. He seemed to be spending most of his time doing that lately, but he knew his family would be warm. The first sign was the log toppling over, and then the ground really shook. He stumbled to the house and was able to open the door and call for Alyssa and his boys. They all came as fast as they could, holding onto the walls for support. Once outside they moved away from the house.

The ground stopped moving and Cory took a breath. He hadn’t realized that he was holding it. He looked at his family and was happy that they were all safe, but scared of what had happened. He checked the house out while his family waited outside. There were a couple cracks in the walls and a couple windows blew out, but other than that, nothing major. Calling his family in, he turned on the TV, power was still on, and that was a relief. News spread more quickly this time. He heard, “Harmonic Tremors…volcano…out west…more news as soon as it was available.” From watching different programs on TV, he knew that they were not good. Cory quickly called his wife and they talked quickly. Both decided it was time to leave and go south.

Alyssa and Cory quickly gathered the boys, told them to pick toys that they wanted to take on a trip. They packed clothes, camping gear, food, and even fire wood. Cory worried about what they were doing, but knew that if they stayed there it would not be good. Their only hope was to get as far south as they could as fast as they could. By the next day, they were ready…and it was just as well, as the ash had started falling. Checking the News just one more time, it was now thought that Yellowstone might have blown its top. He now knew that they had to go
They headed to a gas station, filled up the tank and a couple gas cans that Cory had thrown in for good measure. They were not alone in their migration; the road was packed with many who had the same idea. But at least the traffic was moving at a good pace. They made it as far as Kentucky when the ash became to much for the car and they were not able to drive any further. They found a little mall area and an open store. Cory asked if there was any more news on what had happened. They only knew what he had already learned. He asked if there was anyplace that they could stay, and was told that the hotel was just down the street, but he might want to stay for a bit, as news of a group of people moving someplace safer would be arriving soon. Cory and his family stayed, bought some snacks and waited.

It didn’t take long. Several people came in and shared the news. A group would be gathering together and hiking a little east to a cave. The cave was about an hours drive away, so it would be a hike, but many felt that the cave would be their best bet. Cory didn’t have any other plans, so after speaking with Alyssa, they decided to go with the group. One of the group said that they had a sled that Cory’s family could use to carry the boys and their things. He was grateful. Cory got his family packed up and ready to go. They didn’t take much with them, as they couldn’t carry as much as they would have hoped. They let the boys take two toys each, the food, clothes and bedding that they would use. Then covering the sled with a blanket, he told the boys to play quietly, and then they set off.

It wasn’t long until the sled was to difficult to pull, and they had to carry the boys. More things had to be left, but it was all right as long as they made it to safety. The next day, the cave loomed into sight. Once inside they shook the ash off and started to settle in as best they could. The boys fit in well; it amazed Cory how well they had dealt with all the chaos. Days seemed to melt together. He was thankful that his family didn’t get sick when so many others did. And the boys grew. Alyssa did her best to teach the boys, as they would have been taught in school. And she did her best to help with the group, but mostly that was a job for Cory. He did his part to help the survivors. He went often to find food and other things that the group needed. He even helped to build the wall that kept the snow and ash out of the cave.

Now as he looked back, he was grateful. So many things happened, and his family had survived. Now he wished that his boys could spend time in the sunshine, but he didn’t have any idea when or if that would ever happen.

word count 12,701

Adrianna was looking forward to her vacation. She had decided to go to see her Grandparents in Florida. Her plane was scheduled for the next afternoon, so she was packing her suitcase. She still needed to find a few things. Some things were in the dryer, and as soon as they finished she was planning to run to the mall to pick up a gift for her grandmother, whose birthday would be in a week. The mall was not her favorite place, but this was for a good reason. She really missed her family and was looking forward to this trip.

The mall was just as she remembered. Lots of kids wandering around, cell phones attached to their ears and chatting with their friends. She wandered through a couple stores but finally decided on something from the jewelry store. Adrianna knew her grandmother really liked necklaces.

After paying for her purchase, she headed back out of the store and to her car. When she arrived back home, she wrapped the present for her grandmother and packed the rest of her things for the trip. All she would need now were her things from the bathroom. Adrianna decided to watch a movie from her DVD’s and rest the rest of the day. She did not care much for flying, but it was better than spending days in a car driving down.

She had dinner with a friend, at a local pizza place. They had a nice time and when they parted they planned to have dinner with her friend after she returned. Back at home, she decided to get some sleep. Adrianna was not a night owl.

Her alarm went off, and Adrianna was up and moving. She always felt rushed, even though she knew that she had everything done. She kept looking at the clock. Four hours, three and a half hours, three hours, and then something happened, but she was not sure what. At about 10 am the ground shook. It felt like when they were blasting the bedrock to put in the wells for the new homes in the neighborhood. But the houses had been finished for a while. She wondered if another new neighborhood was being put in, but soon was checking the apartment to make sure that the windows were locked, and unneeded power cords were unplugged.

It wasn’t until a neighbor knocked on her door, did she think about when the ground shook. Madi from the apartment downstairs came up to find out of Adrianna had heard the news. Of course she had not. So Madi turned on Adrianna’s TV and they both stared at the screen for the next hour. The news was somewhat jumbled. No one knew exactly what had happened, as there was no one in the area to report. Scientists speculated. Government officials said that they had dispatched the military to check out the situation. Early reports were of something from space, crashing into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York. More scientists reported on how they hadn’t seen anything, and more government officials promised to get to the bottom of the situation…after they tried to rescue people, of course.

It wasn’t until an hour later, that Adrianna thought of her flight. They had just reported that a gigantic tsunami wave had hit the east coast of the country…that is when she started to grasp the full meaning of the situation. Did her grandparents make it out of the way? Had they even known? She tried to phone, but she was not able to get through. The message kept saying, “all circuits are busy, please try your call later.” She then tried the airline, which she was pretty sure were cancelled, but she just needed to check. The airline told her that all flights were cancelled for the foreseeable future.
Michigan was pretty far away from everything, but Adrianna suddenly felt like she was in the middle of everything. Worried about her grandparents, she decided that she would head south in her car. She just had to know what had happened to them. Her neighbor tried to talk her out of it, but Madi understood how Adrianna felt. Madi’s family was from the area, so she was going to stay

Adrianne took her already packed suitcase, and started south. She had no idea what she would find and she was a little scared. She hoped that her grandparents had been able to find high ground, basically, that they had been able to get into a high building. But she also prepared herself for the worst.

She was able to drive into Kentucky, by the time that she had to pull over, and sleep. She just pulled over and slept in her car. It wasn’t comfortable, but she was totally worn out. She awoke pretty early the next morning and decided that she had better stock up on food. She didn’t know how long she would be able to find food or stores that she would be able to get food if she needed it. Then she started out again. She drove for more than half a day, when she started noticing cars streaming north. She was one of the few driving south. Adrianne hoped that this was not a bad sign. She drove into Georgia when her travels became much more difficult. Roads were underwater in some parts and piles of debris. Broken parts of houses, cars, trees were just some of the things that she could identify.

Her progress slowed and she was only able to get about 50 miles a day. After a week, she drove over the Florida line. In different areas she could see tall buildings still standing, which gave her hope. But in areas she found nothing. What people there were, looked dazed and lost. She found several large boards set up with pictures of those who were missing.

Within miles of where her grandparents lived, she really started to worry. Would she find her grandparents? Did their building survive? Did they get to higher ground? She finally made it to their resort home, a large building on the west coast of Florida. The wave had covered the whole peninsula, but the damage didn’t seem as bad as she had expected. The buildings lower floors had the windows blown out. but the building stood. She got out of her car and prayed silently. She entered the building. Some of the residence had cleared a path through the debris. A board was set up, those who were alive posted a note to let others know how they were and where they were. She found her grandmas picture, it said that her and grandpa were ok, and that their condo, on the 26th floor had not sustained any damage. They could be found there.

The power was out, so Adrianne headed for the stairs. She had to break several times on her assent. She was worn out when she arrived at the door for the 26th floor, but she was just happy to know that she would see her grandparents soon. She knocked on their door. Her grandmas voice from the other side of the door, asked who she was and what she wanted. Adrianne told her that she had come and that she was worried. Her grandmother opened the door. Shock registered on her face. She didn’t expect her granddaughter to come after all that had happened. Her grandmother wrapped her arms around Adrianna and started to sob.

Her grandparents were very happy to see her. They had not expected to ever see any their family again. Things in the building were becoming difficult. Food was running low and others were starting to break into other condos looking for food. Adrianne’s grandmother told her about their having to block the door with furniture, to make sure that they were not robbed in the night.

They spoke for hours, and within a short period of time, it was decided that Adrianne’s grandparents would go with her north. They figured that the best place for them to be was away from the destruction that now covered the area.

Adrianne’s grandparents packed what they needed and Adrianne had been able to find gasoline, which was difficult with the power being out. At the beginning of August they set out. Driving only about 40-50 miles a day, it took weeks to get out of the area ravaged by the waves. Her grandparents need to make frequent stops and they needed to eat regular meals, which slowed their driving considerable. They passed back into Georgia, but the driving was no better. Adrianne tried to remember where the waves had started, so she could tell her grandparents when they would be able to travel unhindered.

By the end of August, they left Georgia behind, and found themselves in Tennessee. One morning, Adrianne didn’t know which one through, they stopped for breakfast. After their meal they got back on the road. But they didn’t make it to far before, the ground began to shake. The highway buckled the road, and Adrianne’s car was damaged. No longer able to drive, they set off to find a place to stay for the time being, and for Adrianne to find a car. The hotel wasn’t a four star, but it was ok for what they needed, the car however, was a much bigger problem. No one wanted to give her a car, as she was planning on driving north.

They spent 2 days trying to find a way to get north, before the ground shook. Adrianna and her grandparents had just finished eating a simple breakfast in their hotel room when they felt the ground shake. As it started, Adrianna knew that they needed to get out of their room. She guided her grandparents to the door, by holding onto the furniture. The room rocked. Adrianna was not sure if she would make it out, but once they were out the door, they fell to the ground, grateful that they had made it.

After the shaking stopped, Adrianna helped her grandparents to their feet and checked on their room. Part of the ceiling had fallen in, but she was able to get their things out. Now without a car or place to stay, they felt lost. A group was going around town; they wanted to hold a town meeting, to figure out what they were going to do. The meeting was to be held on the town green, as the Town Hall, made of un-reinforced masonry, had sustained serious damage and was not safe.

The meeting gathered and there were about 100 people. Everyone seemed dazed and no one knew just where to go or what to do. Tears were shed, shoulders comforted, and most important, ideas of what to do, where shared. The idea that got the most attention was one that proposed that the group would go to a cave system nearby. They decided that they would give everyone 2 days to collect what they could from their homes and they would start off from the town green. Adrianne and her grandparents were invited to stay with a family, whose house had managed to survive the earthquake.

The next morning the town awoke to a flurry of ash. There was a dusting on the ground and they ash was adding up quickly. Soon, it was difficult to see. A couple teens, children of those at the meeting, ran to every home to update everyone on a change…the group would leave that afternoon. Soon, people were walking into the center of town and as soon as the group was ready, they started the walk to the cave. At first it was not difficult, but the ash started falling faster and heavier. The younger members of the group, naturally took the lead while those who were older, fell behind. This did help the older members as they didn’t have to forge a path through the ash. The first night fell, but with no where to stay, they decided to walk on. Following what used to be drivable roads, they walked with the aid of flashlights. The ash didn’t allow for the beam to go far but they could see enough to keep walking.

They reached to cave by about noon the next day. Everyone was very happy to get out of the ash, and get the ash off of them. They went into the cavern, and were able to start a main fire with some wood that they were able to scrounge out of the woods. Then little fires were started by family groups. Adrianna was one of those who decided to get her own fire going. She tried to make her grandparents comfortable, but they didn’t have a whole lot. Food was served at the main fire, and many gathered there for support.

The next few days, saw many more people arriving. Sometimes they arrived in large groups, some one by one. Before long there were over 400 people in the cave. It was getting crowded, but everyone was happy to share what they had. There was little trouble, as everyone was in the same boat, and everyone seemed to know that they didn’t have much of a choice, unless they wanted to go back out into the ash.

Then one day, several of the older people started feeling unwell. Adrianna’s grandparents were part of that group. Most thought is was the cold and damp from the cave, and that the elderly were not adapting well. The ill were cared for by their families. But soon others were feeling sick. It was decided to put those who were not well, more inside the cave. There was a cavern, which was smaller, and easier to heat, that made a good place for an infirmary. Adrianne’s grandparents passed away within days of each other. Adrianne wondered if there was anything that she could have done. She felt horrible. She had brought them so far and they had not made it. She blamed herself.

For weeks and months afterward she would often cry herself to sleep. She would watch other families and feel like so much of an outsider. Adrianne wished that she had died with her grandparents; She went to sleep each night, hoping that it would be her last

Being a girl from rural northern Georgia, Charlotte knew how to take care of herself, when times got tough. She worked as an administrative assistant in the small town where she lived. She loved to wander in the woods and hike the trails. She was a country girl through and through. Her mind wandered on her drive into work. She really would have rather called in sick, put on her hiking boots and headed out for a day in the woods. Glancing first at her boots, sitting on the floor on the passenger side of the car, and then at her cell phone…oh, that would be too easy. Thinking about it, she hadn’t taken a day off in months, oh, what the heck…you only live once.
She dialed the phone.

Going to the foothills, she parked and put on her boots, thinking that she was really grateful for casual days. She put the cell under the seat of the car, no use taking it along, there was no signal out here…and she was, after all, sick. It was a warm day, but not unusual for the area. The wood was cooler, and Charlotte headed out at a leisurely pace. Breathing in deeply the wood air, she was happy that she had made this choice. About 10 am she found a nice place to sit on a rock, where she could see through the trees.

Charlotte closed her eyes for just a moment when she thought that she saw a bright light, a moment later, the ground shook. It startled her, but looking around for a tree that might have fallen, and finding none, she thought maybe she had just imagined it. Charlotte finished her water and continued her walk up the mountain.

Later that day, Charlotte emerged from the woods, changed into her shoes and drove down the hill. She didn’t get far when she saw something that she couldn’t imagine…water everywhere.
What happened? Remembering the earlier flash of bright light and shaking, she thought that might have something to do with it. She tried the radio, to see if there was any news of what might have happened. Most of the stations were gone, but a fuzzy one from somewhere distant, told her that some sort of explosion had happened in the Atlantic just off the New York boarder.

Charlotte sat, for what seemed like an eternity. What was she going to do? The water had started to drop, but there were still plenty of large puddles the size of lakes, and they could be really deep, she certainly didn’t want to get her car stuck in the water. But she did want to see if her house was still there. Stepping out of her car, she walked around looking at the view, finally sitting on the hood, she crossed her legs, put her elbows on her knees, chin on her hands, and wondered just how long she would have to wait. Charlotte wished that she had brought some more food with her. She had eaten her lunch hours ago, and was hungry again.

The sun was setting; Charlotte could now see that the roads seemed to be mostly clear of water, but there was so much debris strewn everywhere. She thought she could take care of enough of it to get through. It wasn’t until she actually got back on the road, that she noticed it wasn’t just remnants of buildings…it was also people who had been caught in the swiftly rising water.

It didn’t take long to get to the point where driving was fruitless, and she started walking. Only about 4 miles from her home, she knew she could make it there within the hour…but what would be there when she arrived?

Her home was moved from the foundation, some of the walls were collapsed in, but she was able to get in and get enough clothes, camping gear and canned food that she would be ok for a couple days. Stuffing everything into a hiking backpack, she looked one last time at her home, and walked out the door. Charlotte didn’t know where she would go, but she figured if she went back to her car, she could use it to get to higher and safer ground.

She got back to her car after dark, and decided to drive for an hour or two before stopping for the night; she just wanted to get away from the destruction. But she had to be careful; most of the roads went back down into the valleys, where the water had wrecked havoc. When she finally stopped it was in the middle of a beautiful meadow, surrounded by trees. She could only see the stars above; she felt sheltered and was, for a time able to forget what she had seen.

The next morning Charlotte drove north. She didn’t know where she was going to go; she just wanted to get away. By the end of the day she was in a little town just inside Kentucky. It wasn’t much of a place, but it had a campground and a diner. So she set up her tent, and went to check out the town, ending up at the diner where she had a burger, fries, and a soda. The TV was tuned to the local news. They showed much of what Charlotte already knew, it was what she didn’t know that she wanted to know.

Charlotte settled in to her campground, lighting a fire for warmth, sleep eluded her though. Everything she was used to was no longer as she expected it. She didn’t have a job, a home, or a regular schedule; she wandered around for the next few days in a sort of daze. It wasn’t until she decided that she needed a job, that she started to feel settled again. It wasn’t much, just a waitress at the diner, but it was money coming in, which she really needed as her food was running low.

One morning, a group of young men came in; they seemed to be in pretty sad shape, a little hung-over from a night of drinking, was her guess. They ate, flirted with her and finally they left, saying that they were headed south. Charlotte told them of what they would find further south, but they seemed to have their minds set. She watched three of the four go out to the parking lot, where they were waiting for the forth. She thought to herself…”they are kind of cute, to bad they were not sticking around.”

That is when the earth began to shake. Charlotte tried to get to the door, but was knocked off her feet almost immediately. The building started to creak, and Charlotte was worried that it was going to collapse. She crawled under a table, covered her head with her arms and started to pray. The building started falling in, first the glass from the windows broke, then tiles from the ceiling fell, the lights broke, and the wall buckled. Charlotte was lucky that she did go under the table; it saved her from being crushed by the roof.

After the shaking stopped, she heard the voices of the guys, they were yelling for their friend, and digging into the rubble. They found Charlotte first. Once she was safely out of the rubble, they continued to dig, until they found the cook, the other waitress, and then finally, their friend. Unfortunately, Charlotte was the only person who was in the diner, at the time of the quake that survived. The guys seemed dazed. Unsure about what to do next, they had a lot to think about, first, what to do and second where to go. They decided to bury their friend in the local cemetery, they said that their friend had no other family, they were not even sure if they would have been able to get him north to where his family had once lived. The three guys stayed in the area, they seemed lost, unsure of what they were going to do.

Within days, ash started to fall. When Charlotte first saw it, she thought it was snow. She had seen snow on a few of her hikes north, though it rarely snowed where she had lived. It wasn’t cold enough though, and she realized that it was ash. The news reported that a volcano had erupted, but no one was sure of where. Communication throughout the country was unreliable, with the major news networks being out; it was hard to know what was going on. At first the ash was falling lightly, but soon, it became clear that it was going to add up quickly. Charlotte had given up on her tent and moved into a house nearby. The people who lived in the town met together on the second day of the ash-fall and tried to decide what they were going to do. The ash was starting to make the already unstable houses, dangerous, and many wanted to find a new place, where they would be safe, to live.

A few that knew the surrounding area, suggested a local cave system. It was a large cavern that would be able to hold a lot of people and they were confident it would be able to handle whatever else happened. It only took a day for everyone to gather all their things. Everyone carried what they could. They made sure to carry food as well, as they didn’t know how long it would take to get to the cave or how long it would be till they were able to leave to get more supplies.

The trip took about 2 days, slogging through the ash was difficult and slowed the group down quite a bit. As they walked they picked up many others who had the same idea, using the cave as a safe haven. The group soon numbered well over 200, and by trampling down the ash, the trip was made a little easier for those who had the hardest time walking.

Once at the cave, the group split up into smaller groups, mostly of those who had originally been together. And though the cave was large they all found that it was a little cramped. Charlotte was very interested in investigating the cave more, once she was settled. She had her flashlight and camping gear, so she and another explorer went to see the cave. They were able to get an idea of what caverns were where, where the water was and just how big the cave was. The water was very important as the ash had covered the streams and small rivers; they had no other source of fresh water. The other little caverns gave the group a place to store their food. It also gave them a place to use as a hospital ward, once the virus swept through.

The virus took many from the group. Everyone in the cave lost someone that they knew well. Charlotte had just started feeling comfortable with the people that she had now lived with, to lose some of them was hard for her to bear. But in the end, Charlotte felt that those who didn’t make it were the lucky ones. With the batteries soon worn out and no other way or place to explore, Charlotte felt claustrophobic. She just wanted to get out and do something. She started going out with those who went to find food. It made her feel like she was important and she was able to get out of the cave for a while.

The trips did give her a little freedom from the dark cave, but she longed to see the trees against the blue sky, feel the sun on her face, and sit in a meadow of long green grass. She wondered, as she checked the cloud filled sky, would the sky ever be blue again.

My kitten spends more time on my computer than I do.

Jerry and Steve sat patiently, as the plane they were supposed to be flying in, was waiting for thunderstorms to clear out. The captain had come on the intercom and told them that they would be leaving in about 45 minutes. Jerry rested her head on Steve’s shoulder. They had arrived at the airport so early, and after their wedding yesterday, a nap sounded like a great idea. The wedding had been wonderful. A wonderful ceremony on the beach at a really nice resort in Maine, it all seemed like a dream. Jerry yawned and closed her eyes.

In just a little while, the plane did take off and head toward Florida, where they were expecting to spend two weeks on white sandy beaches, visit some tourist sights and spend some “alone” time together. The weather did clear and at about 7am, the plane lifted off from the ground. And for the most part the first 3 hours were uneventful. About 10am the Captain came on the intercom…and everything changed.

“This is your captain speaking; I have just been informed that some sort of explosion has occurred just off the coast New York. At this time, we are proceeding to our destination, but we may need to make an unexpected emergency landing. I will keep you apprized of the situation, and of any other news, as I receive it.”

Jerry felt cold; she grabbed Steve’s hand and held on for dear life. She really didn’t like to fly and was just starting to gain a little confidence, which had just disappeared. Steve told her that everything would be fine and that they would be on the ground very soon. And they were, but it was not in Florida, where they were supposed to be. Their plane was rerouted to Kentucky.

The Captain had explained that Florida was largely underwater and they needed to land where the airport was above sea level. When deplaned, they found the airport largely empty. Those that were there were surrounding what TV screens they could find. Steve suggested that they try to find a rental car and a place to stay for the night, Jerry agreed, she wanted to see what was on the news as well.

They were able to find a car, and a hotel, just around the corner from the airport. As soon as they were able to get their luggage brought in, they turned on the TV, and sat down to see what was happening.

The news was grim. There was no power in New York, and many thought that it was unlikely that anyone survived the tremendous blast. Though no one knew for sure what had happened, many suspected that the blast was the result of a large meteorite or comet. Washington had taken a hard hit, but the President was alright, as he was on the west coast that morning. Parts of the country were hit by a huge tsunami. There was little news from those sections of the country. Lots of speculation, but no real idea what was going on. The major networks were just as much in the dark as the local stations. Without their local reporters they were not of much use.

Not knowing what else to do, the couple decided to see if there was a restaurant or some diner where they could get something to eat, talk to others and maybe just get away from the TV screen that held them captive. But some of what they were seeking, eluded them. They did find a restaurant, but there were televisions all tuned to whatever news that could be found. People were talking, in hushed voices. The food was ok, but with all that was going on in the world, it just didn’t hold the same satisfaction.

Over the next few days, more and more was reported. Pictures brought back from the hardest hit place, which apparently was New York City, showed building, bent and broken, piles and piles of wreckage and water, where water should not have been. Washington was largely unrecognizable. The Washington Monument still stood but many other important landmarks were washed away. Maps would have to be rewritten.

It appeared to Jerry and Steve that going north, to their home, would probably not be the best thing to do. They both wanted to know how their families were, but the phones and electricity were not reliable and they had not been able to get through. Gas was another worry, they didn’t want to get trapped somewhere where they would not be able to get out of. The hotel was kind enough to let them stay at a fraction of what they would have normally charged. No one knew if things would get better or worse. Food stores were being restocked, but the trucks that brought the supplies were not coming as often.

Clouds had moved in and it no one could remember when the clouds had moved in. The temperatures had started dropping. By the middle of August the clothes that Jerry and Steve had brought, were woefully inadequate. They found warmer clothes but wondered if these would last long. The temperatures seemed to be sliding even further downward with each and every day.

They tried for weeks, to contact their families, but, for whatever reason, they were never able to. They soon hoped that they would someday find them again, but knew that going north to find them, was out of the question. September arrived to flurries and cold wind. Several people started talking about going further south. Smaller groups soon gained more people who also wanted to get out of the cold. But before anyone could get plans together, the ground shook.

The shaking lasted for a few moments, and it wasn’t incredibly strong, but it did weaken buildings and many found the homes and places that they were staying were damaged. No one knew why the earthquake hit, or even where the epicenter was. But within days, a fine ash started to fall. It started out much like flurries, and quickly grew into a blizzard. The buildings that were compromised by the earthquake were further weakened by the ash, and so many fell, injuring and killing those who had retreated inside.

The group that Steve and Jerry had become involved in decided to look for a much safer place to live. There were many suggestions, but the one that got the most votes was for the cave. The ash was building up quickly and cars were undriveable. So, they started walking. The trip only took a couple days. The cave wasn’t difficult to find, getting through the ash however was. But the cave was big, and seemed to be adequate. It was crowded, but everyone worked together to make it comfortable.

They had brought food, blankets, and clothes. Jerry and Steve made the best of their situation. Being together was the thing that made it bearable. Jerry didn’t know if she would have made it through without him. He had been her knight and being married was like a dream. They did everything together. So when the virus started making people sick, Jerry and Steve were just the ones to volunteer to help. At first it was just some of the elderly, but within a week, it seemed to be making everyone sick. Neither Jerry nor Steve was ever sick. They don’t know why, but it seemed to be a confirmation for them that they were doing what they were meant to do. So they kept at it, until the last person left. So many of the group didn’t make it. It made Jerry sad to know that so many had died. But those who did make it, those were the lucky ones, at least that is how Jerry looked at it.

But 4 years on, she sometimes wondered, life was difficult and it seemed that they would never be able to live outside the cave. She longed for the blue sky. The memory of it was not enough, she wanted to feel the sun on her face and know that she could sit on green grass. Jerry wondered if there was any place on the planet where green grass actually existed. She wouldn’t have had any way to know, but the earth was in a sort of deep freeze, there was grass, but it was very hard to find.

Steve and Jerry spent their every day together, they didn’t have a perfect marriage but it had stood the test of time…for better or worse, and they both figured that if they could make it through this, they could make it through anything.

Through the fog of sleep, Mike heard the alarm, his arm automatically reaching for the clock and the snooze button. But this morning, he knew that he really needed to wake up and get to class. English was not his favorite and at 9am it was definitely a class that he would fall asleep in, which is why he was stuck at school in July taking English again. Grudgingly, he pulled back the blanket and sat up. Feet on the floor…summer session was for the birds. All his friends were on vacation. Oh how he wished he could just take off and spend the day at the lake. Summers in Ohio were hot…very, very hot, as would be the classroom by about 10am. How he truly hated this summer and how he wished he had partied a little less last semester.

Mike pulled on his shorts, threw on a shirt, quickly brushed his teeth and hair, and grabbed his books and shoes. He headed over to the commissary, for a cup of coffee and went up the stairs to class. This time he decided that the best way to pass was to sit in the front of class, where the teacher could harass him when he started to nod off. Today, they were reading something from Shakespeare, all the more reason to sit in front and chug the coffee. About an hour into the class, he was daydreaming, when out the window, a bright light, grabbed everyone’s attention. But that was all there was.

The PA crackled to life, “Attention, Attention please. There has been some sort of an explosion off the coast of New York. Power has been disrupted so we do not have any further information. Professors and students, please finish up your classes. There will be no further classes today”

The class was effectively over. The professor looked at her class and just sighed; she knew that class would not be able to continue, so she dismissed them. Back in his room Mike, turned on the radio and the TV. No one knew anything, but reports of a bright light that streaked across the sky, an explosion over the Atlantic Ocean, and now a tsunami. The Atlantic shoreline had been transformed. Mike was just glad that he was not there. Time would only tell what would happen to the country.

Except for everyone being glued to the news at all times, nothing seemed different for a couple days. Then the clouds came, temperatures started to drop. July is usually very hot, but now everyone was starting to break out the sweaters and jackets. Daytime temperatures were only in the 80’s but nighttime temperatures were in the 50’s. And from there it just got colder, by the end of August, many were thinking the same thing, they just wanted to go somewhere warm. Some cars were still running and as soon as classes ended, Mike and some of his friends decided to head to the south. They would go till they couldn’t go any more; they would see how much of the land had been reclaimed by the sea.

On September 2nd, Mike and his friends Hunter, Murray and Bill, climbed into the car and headed south. By the second day, they had made it to Tennessee. They would have made it further, except for their need to find a bar every evening. After sleeping off the last night’s party, they went for breakfast and formed the plan for the day. They had heard that parts of North Carolina and South Carolina were under water. No one knew if Florida was still there, but the guys hatched a plan to head as far as they could to Florida. But before they got to their car, the earth began to move. Mike, Hunter and Bill were waiting in the parking lot for Murray when the shaking started. They immediately crouched down to keep from being knocked off their feet. About 30 seconds into the shaking an ominous sound came from the restaurant behind them, then the building collapsed into a pile of rubble. Mike, Hunter and Bill looked at each other in shock. Murray was in the building.

They immediately ran to the rubble, calling for Murray. They found one of the waitresses fairly quickly. She was alive but hurt. Then the cook and the other waitress, unfortunately they were not as lucky. Finally after digging through the rubble of the restaurant they found Murray, where the bathroom once stood. Murray had a concrete wall fall on him and he was no longer alive.

In shock, the three survivors sat on the ground and just stared into space. It was unbelievable; they didn’t know what to do or to say. They stayed in town that night and decided that they would bury Murray in this town; his parents had been killed in the tsunami on Long Island, so there was no reason to leave the area and no one that they could call to tell them what had happened..

After the funeral, they still didn’t know just what to do. But in hindsight, it probably was for the best. The ash started to fall, at first it was just a little, but soon it was becoming dangerous. The ash disrupted what power had remained and soon the cars were out of gas, with no way of filling them up. The group decided to find a safe place where they could stay, the suggestion was made for the group to go to a cave that was not far from the town. Mike was glad that he had Hunter and Bill with him. The march to the cave was surreal for the three of them.

Once they arrived at the cave, the three of them worked at helping to getting everyone settled. And once the group was settled they were one of the first to venture out for supplies. Once the ash stopped falling the snow started. By November it was snowing almost every day. And everyday they would head out to stamp down the new fallen snow so that the path would be clear. When the epidemic hit they were among the fortunate few that did not get sick. They thought it was probably because they were away getting supplies so often. Whatever the reason, they were spared.

They stayed for the winter months, but when spring came, the three started talking about finding someplace warmer. That was why they had headed south after all. But Mike felt he had found where he belonged and soon it was decided that Hunter and Bill would set out with the first expedition to look for warmer climes. If they were able to find a better place they would come back for Mike and the others. In June, the year following the disaster, a small group of 60 or so, headed off. Everyone saw them off and wished them well. Everyone hoped that they would return with news of the outside world.

Mike had made friends with some of the other survivors that were left in the cave, and within a year had fallen in love with a young lady named April. Soon they were married in what had become the new custom. They were both very giving people and were always looking out for the others in the cave.

But Mike always wondered what had become of his friends. He thought often of them and hoped that they would someday return so that he and April could get out of the cave. Two other groups had left but he stayed, he didn’t want to miss his friends, should they return for him. Day after day, he would look at the entrance of the cave and wonder. What if he had gone with them? He looked at April and felt guilty. He wanted so much for her to know that he loved her, but it always seemed to him that his longing to go was more than his love for her.

He wondered if he would always look at the cave opening and wonder…what if.

Total word count ~ 4936

Thinking back, Fredrick could see it all so clearly. The day began just like all the others. He woke, started the coffee, took a shower, and drank his coffee over a breakfast of Cheerios and the morning newspaper. He thought that the news was as grim as usual. A murder overnight, bank holdup yesterday, fire two streets away. That one he actually heard, as all the fire engines rushed past his apartment and he could smell the smoke on the air all night. Then Fredrick headed off to work. It seemed funny to him that while everyone was traveling into the city to go to work, he was traveling out. The city was nice, but the rat race just wasn’t for him anymore. He had put in his time in downtown New York City, now he worked in a quiet corner. The trip was uneventful, and he arrived at work in good time. He was able to get another cup of coffee and surf the net for a few minutes before he got down to work.

Fredrick glanced at the clock on the far wall. Sighing, he clicked the closed button on the computer screen…time for work. He opened the file on the top of the pile that was about a foot tall. He was a paper-pusher, but it was a job and it paid well. Suddenly out the corner of his eye, he saw a white flash, and then a strange cloud appeared over the low trees. On the 24th floor, he could see over a lot of the neighboring land, trees and even other buildings in the area. Something didn’t seem right, wasn’t that the same sort of cloud that you would see with a nuclear blast? Thinking fast, he turned toward the door, ran across the building. He just knew that there would be a huge blast wave and he wanted to be as far away from the windows as possible.

Others had noticed the blast as well, but they stood transfixed to the sight. Fredrick shouted to those he could see, and those he couldn’t, to get away from the windows. Many looked over their shoulder at him, but few moved. Fredrick slid under a desk on the far side of the building and put his hands over his head, just as the hot blast wave hit the building. Glass flew past him and even though he took cover he had several cuts on his legs, where the desk didn’t meet the floor. The pain was excruciating and after a few minutes he cautiously opened his eyes to look around him. His legs were not that bad, a few minor cuts, but nothing that would be permanent.

Fredrick looked out from under the desk and saw glass embedded in the wall just over the desk, there were people crying from several offices. He started to stand up, blood dripping from his wounds, and went to check on the cry coming from closest to him. He saw Christine, she had a large cut to her right arm, Fredrick tore at the arm of his shirt, ripping it, and bound her arm to stop the bleeding. She also appeared to have burns on the right side of her body and face. She must have gotten out of the way, but just seconds too late. He quickly told Christine to say where she was, that he would be back for her after he looked for other survivors.

A couple doors down he found his boss, he hadn’t gotten out of the way and Fredrick had to turn away, it was a horrid sight. Someone called out. He knew this woman, but couldn’t remember her name…he was lucky he could remember his own name. The woman, who was pregnant, screamed out in pain. Fredrick rushed to her and she told him that she thought that she was in labor, but it was way too early. Not knowing what to do, he told her to wait, he would be back. He had to find someone else who could help out. He walked around the corner, and immediately wished he hadn’t. He just saw bodies. He hoped that none of them were still alive; the injuries were just too horrible.

Fredrick checked the rest of his floor. He only found 5 others. Fortunately, one woman had had several children, so she could help the pregnant woman. They needed to find a hospital or clinic where they could be looked after. Those who were able, helped the injured down from the floors above, but once they got to the ground things were not any better. The dazed and injured were everywhere. No one seemed to know what hit them. The hospitals were so crowded; they were treating people in the street. When someone died, they were moved to a sectioned off area behind the hospital.

The next several days and possibly weeks were a blur. Fredrick tried to go to his apartment at one point, but found that getting anywhere near the city was impossible. From a hill top that overlooked New York City, it looked like a bomb had exploded. Buildings were torn in half or destroyed altogether. The major bridges were only mangled steel. Somehow, Fredrick was able to work his way south, with many others. Even though it was July or August, it was already so cold that snow had fallen instead of rain. The refugees, survivors of what they would later find out appeared to be a meteor or comet, found themselves in what was left of Tennessee, where the new coastline of the United States now was. They met up with other survivors and by occupying empty houses, were able to survive on the food that they were able to find left in pantries and food storage.

Things were going as well as you could expect, considering the circumstances, until one morning, the ground started shaking. It wasn’t a strong earthquake but it rattled nerves and several of the houses became unstable. At first, they worried only about aftershocks, but then the ash started to fall. They figured that the explosion had caused the earthquakes and the earthquakes had caused the volcano. They needed to find a new place to live. Someone suggested that they go to a cave system nearby. By the time they got to the area where the cave was supposed to be, there was about 2 foot of ash on the ground and drifts up to 4 feet. They found the cave, and moved into a cavern just inside, were they were safe from the elements. Fredrick woke one morning to find several of the older members of the group sick. He thought that it was probably their age that was the cause. One of the older gentlemen, Nicholas, had become Fredrick’s friend, so when he got sick Fredrick stayed with him, but then Fredrick started feeling sick. Nicholas didn’t make it, Fredrick almost died himself. But eventually, he pulled through, and was able to help by going out on scavenging trips.

At first the trips were close, they would walk a couple days to the nearest town and after making sure that the houses were empty, they would gather whatever they could. Most of the houses were collapsing under the weight of the ash, but they were able to find the things that they needed most. They would make slings by taking two boards and blankets. By stringing the blankets between the boards they could fill the blankets with lots of food, clothing and other things that they really needed.

At first the trips were going out every week. Two or three groups of 10 people would go out together but as the epidemic started taking lives. Everyone was worried about getting sick and the rations were doubled. The food stores were running low but they couldn’t get any more trips out. And once the epidemic was over, they didn’t need quite as much as before, which was good, as the trips were further and longer.

Winter arrived sometime in September, if Fredrick could remember correctly. If the ash wasn’t bad, add a few feet of snow, and things got a lot worse. Trudging through the snow was difficult, but at least the paths were easy to keep stomped down. But the snow didn’t seem to ever melt and it always seemed to be snowing. Soon, the trips into town were for wood. Getting the survivors up out of the cave was becoming increasingly difficult.

Within a year Fredrick had started a relationship with a young lady Cassy. The older people in the group had insisted that if couples wanted to be together that they would hold a ceremony, making the relationship legal. They were married and after a year, they were welcoming a new little boy, Jacob into the world.

Fredrick reflected on what had happened in the last 4 years, looking at his son, he was grateful. He had a healthy son, a lovely wife. The only thing that would make things better, is if the world would ever go back to the way it used to be.

Total Word count ~ 3584