Earthquake

I…

Where am I?...

Who am I?...

Wh-what is this?

I opened my eyes slowly, the loud noises around me were muffled and I could see bright lights and red… A lot of red. My head hurt but I raised it slightly, screams and howls and sirens and claxons, all going at the same time. I sat up slowly, putting my hands on the floor but my left arm gave way underneath the weight. I blinked slowly, my right eye clearing slightly but my left eye obscured by something thick and red. Pushing myself up with only my right arm, I put a shaking hand over my left eye, feeling something sticky. It came away red. I now turned my head a lot, despite the pain in my neck and looked at my left arm; it was covered in blood, the flesh torn with flaps of skin at my bicep, revealing the muscle beneath.

Gagging, I turned my head away, trying not to faint or throw up. I didn’t look at my arm again, scared that I might pass out if I did. I looked at the rest of me, my left leg hurt as well but all I could see were cuts and slashes down my shin. Looking around myself, I saw a desk and leaned over and took a firm grasp on it, pulling myself up into a swaying but still standing position. I saw that I was in an office, it was familiar somehow but I couldn’t quite say why. The room gave a violent lurch and I gripped onto the desk again, steadying myself. I leant against it and felt around my head, I could feel a large lump on the back and something wet, my hand came away red again. I spotted a door and staggered towards it, my left arm in excruciating pain. Every step I took shot pain up through my left leg and arm as I stumbled through a door, making my way out of the familiar yet strange building. I didn’t pay attention to where I was, just heading for an exit.

I tripped along something on my way out, it was soft and made a shuffling noise along the floor when I tripped over it but I paid no attention to what it was. The claxons and sirens blared on but the screams had died down. I didn’t pause to think why there were no more screams; I just concentrated on trying to get out. Get out alive.

I fell out of the building, like I was spat out like a bad taste; I fell to the ground, crying out when I hit my arm. I almost passed out but I gritted my teeth and used my right arm to prop myself up again, hauling myself to my feet. The light dazzled me I realised it wasn’t the sun, it was fire. Fire spread everywhere along the island and I felt a pang in my heart, realising that everything that I loved was gone. My… family. I wiped at my right eye, tears springing to it before spotting a boat. I cried out in joy, I needed to get off of the island and to the mainland. They could help me. I scrambled painfully onto the boat, pulling myself along the handrail to get to the steering wheel. Flicking the ignition, I nearly cried with relief when I heard the splutter of an engine coming into life. I made the boat shoot forwards but immediately, I felt woozy and sick. I never got seasick but I figured it might have something to do with my injuries. I lost my eyesight for a second, jerking the wheel in a random direction accidentally. I blinked hard and forced my eyes open but I saw the rocks coming towards my boat. My arm wouldn’t obey me and before I had the chance, I heard the grinding and splitting noise of the bottom of the boat splintering and breaking into pieces. The wood was no match for the unyielding and jagged rocks. I was thrown off of the boat and into the crashing waves below. I felt the water rush into my wounds and I surfaced, screaming as the salt made the pain even worse. I only had time to grab onto a large piece of wood from my boat, haul the majority of myself onto it before I passed out.

*** 

            “Help! Somebody help me out!” I heard beside me. I didn’t move. “We need help!” I heard a little louder. I opened my eyes a little, the light making me close them again. I felt nothing but pain. A small noise escaped my throat, halfway between a groan and a gasp.