Kissed by Team Crafted //tc 3

Alone or Stranded

~Hannah's POV~

"Thank you! God bless you!" The man took his child out of my arm. Adam had told me to run, but I couldn't. Not after I saw the girl looking helplessly for her father on the streets.

I'd probably die now. I'd die trying to save someone else. The water was approaching faster than I could ever run, and there was nothing I could do about it. There was only a few feet separating me from the tsunami's clutches now.

I took a deep breath, and let the white water swallow me.

~~~

I tumbled for what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. My lungs were bursting, straining for oxygen. I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to direct myself to the surface.

Before I had a chance to break through to fresh air, my lungs gave in. I took a nice big gulp of salt water, but I was still alive. I coughed and sputtered, deep underwater now.

I let myself float, trying to figure out which way was up, and which was down. I began lifting a few inches at a time, and once I had determined the direction of the surface, I used all my last ounces of strength to propel to the surface.

Only a few more inches of water, and then I broke free!

I took deep gasps of air. Oxygen had never felt so good! I wiped my eyes clear of salt water, and opened them slowly. I didn't see much at first, but then I realized why. All the buildings had been torn away; the only things remaining of them were chunks of material floating in the water.

I didn't see anyone for great distances around me. Not even the man and his child, who couldn't have run more than a few yards before the water reached them, too.

I panicked as my brain automatically forced me to tread water. Where was Adam? Had he made it safely to the helicopter? Were they looking for me? Was I the only survivor?

I barely had time to process these thoughts before I felt like I was being pulled backwards. It took me a second to realize that was because the wave was retreating. Great, now the ocean was going to swallow me. Again.

I tried to search for something stable to grab hold of, but nothing came into view. My only option was to swim against the current. I kicked my legs as hard as I could, trying to remember how my swim coaches had taught me to swim freestyle when I was younger.

It was working. The wave had only pulled me a few more inches. I could see the land now, and what a sight it was to see.

I was able to stand now. The last of the water retreated, and I stumbled to my feet.

There was nothing left of the road I had just been standing on. All there was for miles around was mud. Mud and the ruins of buildings. A few bricks here and there, a sopping slab of insulation there. All the rest had been pulled out to sea, and would probably be washing up on beaches for months.

I wanted to cry. I really, really, really wanted to cry. Nothing came out. I made awkward sobbing noises, but no tears formed.

"Adam?" I choked on my own word. My voice cracked. "Adam?" I repeated.

No response.

"Oh no," I said to myself. "Oh no oh no oh no!"

I picked up a twig sticking up out of the mud, and threw it hard at the ocean. Now, innocent, small waves were gently lapping at the beach. Or what was left of it, at least. It was hard to believe that thing had been a monster only moments earlier.

"Adam?" I shouted. "Adam!"

No response again. I furiously threw chunks of mud at the ocean. Yeah, like that would do anything.

Adam was either dead, or had gone off without me. So now I was alone, or stranded here.

"Hannah?" I turned around and gasped. Now I knew who that second YouTuber was. The one we were sharing a booth with. I couldn't believe who it was.

"Ty?"