Inverno

Selvaggio

     I barely have any time to register what's going on when the ground beneath me begins to shake. I step back, away from the cliff, and in the distance, I am able to make out a big chunk of ice falling into the ocean. I take another step back and freeze when the ground beneath me starts to crack.

     No. I dive over the crack, and without thinking I start back to the ship where Finn sleeps. I'm running as fast as I can, but the calving is catching up to me. My ears are filled with terrifying and loud booms and splashes as I pump my legs as hard as possible.

     In the haze, I spot the shipwreck and the make-shift door I made in the hole. I wrap my arms around myself and brace for impact as I slam into the snow-door. A jolt of searing-hot pain travels through my shoulder, I fall on the ice. I spot my bag next to me and snatch it, looking for one of my hooks. I find one and begin to thrash at the entryway. After a painful couple of minutes, I manage to break enough off so that I can push right through. I land on the floor of the little space with a thud and feel around on the ground for Finn's flashlight. I manage to find it and turn it on, illuminating his lifeless figure on the bed I made.

     "Finn," My voice cracks as I drop to my knees by him and I feel the adrenaline rush making me shaky. "Finn!" I cry, shaking his shoulders. He stirs, and then his eyelids flutter open. I don't have the words to explain any of this, so I pull him up to his feet.

     "What's going on?" He says groggily.

     "The ice!" I get out. He looks around in a daze, then his eyes widen. He turns around and grabs his things, and we struggle through the hole of the ship. When we get out, I can see the calving. I put my arm around Finn's waist and pull him towards the buildings of New York City. He grunts as I rush him, and I drive us forward.

     I feel nothing but fear and determination as we slide down hills and duck under debris. Thereś only about 500 feet of no-man's-land in between us and the buildings. The ground behind us falls apart rapidly and Finn and I are calling it close as we hurdle towards safety.

     "Just a little bit longer!" I yell, as he pants aggressively. We reach the first building, and as much as I want to claim it, I know that the first few buildings we pass are going to be crushed, so we head deeper into the city, and look for sturdy foundations. It's when I see the old Bank of America that I start to go faster.

     "Bank!" I pant, and point up. I let go of Finn and tiredly reach around and grab the hooks, and I hand him the rope.

     "Do you know how to tie a palomar knot?" I yell, reaching the bank.

     "I believe so," Finn replies. He gets to work on the knot around his waist, and I tie the other end around mine. Gathering courage, I strike the building with a hook and begin to climb as fast as I can. My arms ache with every blow, especially with the added weight, but Finn is trying his best to climb. I pause to look behind me and see the waves getting closer, hearing the groaning of buildings as their foundation collapses. We don't have enough time to make it to the top, so I settle for 4 floors below. I pull myself through the window frame and turn around to pull Finn up.

     "Hold on!" I scream. He nods and grabs onto the rope with both hands, steadying himself. I pull as hard as I can, placing both my feet at the base of the window frame for support. I catch his arm coming up and grasp it, helping him in. I whip my head up and glance outside, watching buildings as they crash into the furious black water.

     "Carter!" Finn grabs my arm. "Let's go," He drags me away from the sight. We hurry towards the center of the building, finally turning into a giant faculty room. It's dark, except for the faint light from the sunrise coming from a window from another room. I find a couch, and although the cushions are hard from the cold, Finn and I take a seat, still tied together. None of us says a word, and I get ready for the impact about to come. Finn seizes my hand, and I can feel the warmth of his through our mittens. It is only a waiting game now.

     Despite the adrenaline pumping through our veins, Finn makes conversation to ease the moment.

     "What was your family like?" Finn asks me faintly. I hesitate.

     "I never had one," I murmur. "I just live alone and when I have the extra time, I dig up a few books from the New York Public Library, that's why I know how to do what I do. But I don't remember learning how to read or write, I must have had some past before all of this," He gives me an empathetic look. I sink. "What about you?"

     "I had a twin sister, and a mother," He looks down. "When it all happened, I was only 5. The only thing I remember was the heat wave. For some reason, it didn't affect me as much as it did my family. I have scars on my legs from the radiation burns, but it fried my family's brains. They were dead before I knew it. I wasn't immune though, I mean I sustained a minor case of ARS. Haven't been able to fully fight it off for years, but it shows sometimes," He sighs.

     "I'm so sorry," I say.

     "Hey, thanks for tending to my leg," He whispers after a beat. He looks up at me through dark hair, and even though it isn't bright enough to study, realize that he has blue eyes.

     I smile weakly, and I can tell that he's shaking. I don't know what compels me at this moment, but I feel like hugging him. Screw it, we're probably gonna die anyway, I think. I pull him into a hug, feeling like crying.

     "Thanks for being my only friend," I laugh into his shoulder, and he chuckles too.

     The building shakes, and I close my eyes, Finn and I holding each other for life, literally.

     The couch breaks off of the floor and starts to slide around the room, and Finn and I pull away, grasping the couch as we hit the wall. I put a foot down on the floor to steady myself and step into water, gasping.

     "Oh my gosh," I mutter, exasperated. I turn around and scrutinize the door, water filling the room. I put my foot up and curl up on the couch, hoping that it'll float. Finn's mouth is gaping open, and I can feel his fear.

     Crash, the monster hits the building. This is it. All at once, I feel the bank beginning to fall over and fear overcomes me. Stranded in mid-air, I watch as we plummet into the water below.

     Nothing but pure agony.

     The pain grips at every nerve, muscle, and inch of skin on my body. I know I'm screaming, but I can't hear myself, only an ear-piercing cry. There's darkness everywhere, as if I'm silenced by an invisible force. I feel every electric nerve alive within me, filled with pain and fire, and as if there were an off switch, in an instant it stops.

     And I'm alone. Again. Surrounded by nothing but blackness as I drift into subliminal.