Unsteady (Phan)

Chapter Five: Denial

Phil nearly didn't make it to the toilet before his stomach released everything it was holding. Fresh tears were dropping down his face one after another, not waiting for one to stream down his face before another formed and fell out of his eye. He let out a scream, gasping for breath as he leaned over the cold toilet seat.

Photos of running, rapid water and buildings torn apart, pavements torn apart and being washed away by water, trees collapsed and crashing into the few standing buildings all flashed through his mind.

He vomited again, nothing was left in his stomach but acid and it burned his throat and came out his nose. He gasped for air, vomited again, and plugged his nose, reaching for toilet paper to wipe his face with. He blew his nose and flushed the toilet paper and his vomit before standing up and moving to the sink with weak knees.

A dog's body being rushed through the water, people on top of roofs of houses that were being ripped apart, the news lady saying there wasn't much hope for survivors, Dan tweeting that he was going to the beach early in the morning.

Phil's knees gave out from below him and he crashed hard on the tiled floor. His stomach lurched but there was nothing else for him to puke up and he stayed on his hands and knees on the floor, hiccuping and crying.

Heading for the California beach for my birthday!

They do not have their hearts set on finding many alive...

Phil screamed again, his tears splashing on the tiled floor in big, wet spots. He took a loud, ragged breath inwards, fell to his elbows, his forehead on the cold, hard floor.

I love you too, Dan.

The sob escaped again from his mouth, his ears were ringing so badly he couldn't even hear himself. He felt his stomach support the sob, like he was yelling out for something, someone. He hadn't even realized he was screaming Dan's name.

Heading for the California beach...

"DAN!" A long, loud scream. He was sobbing, his voice cracking and wavering. Hysteria was settling in.

Phil forced himself to his feet, rushing to his bedroom again and swaying into the walls as he sobbed Dan's name over and over again. He collapsed on the floor next to his bed and reached up for his phone. He dialed Dan's number. Waited.

Busy dial tone.

Tried again.

Same tone.

"PLEASE!" Phil begged, his voice unnaturally high and filled with angst.

His phone rang in his hand and Phil stopped breathing for a moment, not even checking the Caller ID he answered the phone, his hopes high.

"Dan?!" His voice cracked, weak now.

"Phil, I'm outside your door let me in!" A female voice, panicked.

"Dan?" Phil whispered weakly, desperately. He rubbed a hand across his face, staring at Dan's door from where he sat.

"Phil, it's Louise. Please, come open the door!"

Phil crawled to his feet, using the bed to support himself and leaving the phone on the floor. The newswoman words echoed in his mind as he walked in a dizzy daze to the flat door. He wasn't even aware of what he was doing, his body was taking him through whatever motions he needed to do as he slammed from side to side into the walls on his way there.

Louise had also been crying, her eyes were puffy. "I came here as soon as I- Oh my god Phil."

Phil slumped to the floor as Louise came in, closing the door behind her. She sat next to him, saying something but his ears started ringing again. His vision was going in and out, and what he could see of Louise was just a blur. He felt sick again, a rock in his stomach. If Louise heard, then it was true. There was no escaping this. There was no waking up in the morning and having a realization that all of this was a nightmare.