Torch of Will

Chapter One - Broken Memories

"Where...am I?"

Waves crashed louder than the roaring thunder. Rain poured as hard as hail in the middle of winter. And families wailed for their own, hoping that somewhere in the deep, their lost relative would be there.

There was a man who was clinging onto a dangerously unstable raft with his right hand, while anchoring his dear wife to the surface with his left. I saw it in their eyes; they were struggling to stay together. The tides roared in anger, breaking down the last of their defiance. She looked to her love one last time with as much crushing acceptance as she could muster. I saw his eyes widen and his mouth open to shriek out her name as she sank.

And in a cruel twist of fate, water overtook the man and his last hope of escape.

There was a large boat that sailed from the ocean to find survivors. It was overfilled, much so that passengers were desperately trying not to be forced out by the sheer pressure. I couldn't tell what was happening inside, but it all became clear when the wave approached. At that moment, I saw the worst that humanity had to offer. A man with a trench coat and hat shoved his way to the edge. One of the women fell off and plunged into the deep, much to my horror. Any disbelief I had for him shattered when I took a look into his eyes.

They were wild, feral even. His mind shut down, and his body was moving on pure survival instinct alone.

He reached for a lifeboat, ignoring the screams of panic behind him. He held his hand out...just a little more...

But it didn't matter. The wave reached them, and the boat didn't stand a chance. The tsunami swallowed up the hundreds, leaving no survivors.

Many more stories were being erased around me. Years of memories being washed away, lights being snuffed out by this disaster...

Where was I before this suffering?. That time when even just a sliver of my innocence remained?

Well, as innocent as I could be when I was very sure that water wasn't supposed to leak at all sides.

"Ryan!" I snapped out of my shock at the voice of my father. The nervousness in his voice was unnerving; that tone that was never supposed to exist in such a confident man. "Everyone! Come here!"

His words left no room for argument. My family huddled against the opposite wall of the cracks. They groaned at the intense pressure they were being subdued to, signifying that they could not hold any longer hold. I held my little sister, who trembled at the sight of our failing defenses.

"R-Ryan...?" my sister quaked, her brown eyes tearing up, and her pink-dyed hair soaked from the rain. I didn't have the heart to tell her what was happening.

"Listen." Our father's hardened voice reached out. "No matter what happens, I want you all to stay together." He and Mom held each other's hand tightly, their knuckles a bright white. The little girl in my arms looked up at me, and I nodded. We intertwined our hands, silently promising never to let go. She looked up at me, and a smile involuntarily formed on my face when the light returned to her eyes. At that moment, a burning resolve filled my heart. I had to protect her. I couldn't fail. If all else went wrong, I'd save her no matter what.

Our moment was interrupted by the crashing of the walls. Dad, panicking, tried to push me and my sister out of the way, but we were overtaken. We were thrown against the wall, my lungs out of breath, but I kept my promise. Holding on tight, I lifted my little sister up above me, hoping to God that there was air up there. My arms already started to burn from the strain, and my lungs were already craving for the next rush of air.