"Hey mom, how much longer till we get there?" I yelled up to the front of the caravan that was making it's way along the mountain path
"It's just around the bend!" She shouted back down the line
And sure enough, just as the sun was starting to get blotted out by the advancing tidal wave, the caravan circled around an array of boulders. Nestled in the crater from an ancient meteor strike was a towering glass structure. Walkways and catwalks rising up nearly as tall as the circle of mountains surrounding it. This was the safehouse that we'd been searching for. When news of the rising sea and the imminent tidal waves which threatened to flood the land came to our village, we had set out in search of this tall structure. It was our hope to live her so that the waves wouldn't kill us.
We made our way into the crater and were greeted by a strange man in a long brown coat. He led us into a glass stable where we stored the oxen and the carts. Several muscular men came and unloaded our supplies onto the elevator and I watched as everything we owned rose up into the sky.
As we made our way from the stables to the base of the structure, the wave was no longer in the distance. It seemed like you could reach out and touch it.
Seeing the look on my face, the strange man spoke up "Don't worry, the worst we have to worry about is getting a little wet. The mountains around us will stop the water. We'll be our own little island in the middle of a watery abyss"
Somehow it didn't do anything to ease my apprehension.
Soon we were settled into our rooms, and my mom was busy cooking something on the stove. It smelled like some kind of meat but I hadn't taken time to look. My attention was on the approaching wave. It was coming and coming fast. I didn't understand how no one else could be worried. Such a huge wave couldn't possibly be stopped by such small mountains. However, I guess in such a dire situation, where there really is no hope, people hold on to whatever hope they can grab onto. What point is there in worrying if there isn't anything you can possibly do.
My attention was diverted from the window as my mother called out that dinner was ready. I sat down at the little table in the room and looked down at my plate. It turns out that my mom was cooking fish. It struck me as slightly ironic that we were eating something we were about to become. Dead fish.
I took my plate and went to sit by the window so that I could watch the wave still. As I sat down, idly chewing on a bit of fish, I saw that the wave had reached the mountains. The fish caught in my throat as I saw the mountains get swallowed by the wave. From a distance, the wave looked like it was the same size as the mountains, but up close, the mountains were miniscule. The wave didn't even slow as it went past. My fork fell from my hands as I stared out the window, my eyes even with the top of the wave. Suddenly, the flight instinct kicked in and I turned yelling to my mother.
"Grab onto something, NOW!"
She looked startled, but then she saw past me to the window. Almost too late, she grabbed onto the ornamental post that decorated the entrance into the kitchen. I had managed to grip the old fashioned radiator that was bolted to the floor just as the wave crashed into the structure. There was a giant shudder, and I saw my mother fall for a second before she was able to grab onto the pillar again. It seemed to be over before it even started. Once the shuddering stopped, I relinquished my anchoring and peered out the window. The wave was gone, but in the distance I could see another coming fast. The crater was completely flooded in, and the water was still rising as the next wave approached.
I knew that the next wave would flood the level my mother and I were on.
"We have to go higher mom, lets go" I commanded.
She let go of her pillar and came with me out the door of the room. To the left was a series of catwalks and stairs and ladders making their way up higher. For some reason, I hadn't noticed these when we'd arrived at the structure, but I thanked the gods now that they were there. We hurried over to the first ladder and started climbing.
Once we reached the top of that ladder and started along a catwalk towards a set of stairs, the next wave hit. Everything shuddered, and my mom almost lost her balance and fell off, but I was able to grab her in time. The shudder didn't last long and we continued on our way. I could feel the mist of the frothing water just below our current catwalk. Another wave was coming fast, not to far behind the last and I urged my mother to go faster.
The next wave got there just as we got to the top of yet another ladder. Thankfully we were high enough for the wave not to get us, but they were getting closer and closer.
We rushed along another catwalk to a ramp that went up to another catwalk. We came to a set of stairs that had been damaged. A few steps had crumbled and cracked and fallen away leaving one big cliff like step. Since I was stronger, and would be able to pull my mom up, I had her boost me up so I could get on top. It took awhile, but I was able to get up.
The delay proved to be very disastrous. I reached over the ledge and grabbed onto my mother's arms to pull her up. Just then then next wave hit. I watched my mothers face cringe in pain as the force of the wave and the icy cold water rushed into her. Her hands were torn from my grip as I watched her get swept away with the wave. I watched in horror as she tried to swim in vain as the under current pulled her under. The last I saw of her was a few splashes and a couple bubbles and then she was gone.
I cried out in anguish, but logic prevailed and I turned to ascend the rest of the ladders and stairs. But when I turned, I saw that the concussion of the last wave had destroyed everything else. I could go no further. I stood there on my little island of glass, the water rising above my ankles as the wind caused by the waves swept my hair. I stared at the next wave as it came rushing towards me. This one seemed to come slower, almost as if to taunt me. To laugh in my face. I could just imagine the water speaking.
"I'm going to enjoy this so much. That last one was so tasty"
I screamed in rage and anguish. A beastly roar. It was cut off as the wave crashed into me. I felt water rush down my throat for my mouth had been open. My arms and legs were numb instantly from the cold of the water. I couldn't even swim. I could feel bubbles rising along my face as the last of my breath was expelled. I felt myself being pulled under into the darkness. My conciousness fading away. Darkness. Nothing.
