Goodbye, Home

Chapter 2-Double Disaster

Kenneth and I walked along in comfortable silence. This is one of the things I liked about Kenneth- somehow, it wasn't awkward when we didn't talk. Just being near him was enough for me.

"So, what do you want to do? Got anything in mind?" I asked. We were wandering slowly in the direction of his house already, but we hadn't really decided to out loud.

I watched him deliberate for a moment. "Want to shoot some baskets? I got a new ball for my birthday", he said smiling. I looked down at his feet and saw he was kicking the red ball lightly as we walked, trying to match the speed but not let it get too far ahead.

I grinned. He knew me well. 

"Sure." I never gave up the chance to play basketball...with him.

We kept walking, me laughing whenever Kenneth kicked the ball too hard and it rolled away. When he returned the fourth time, his face bright red, I laughed harder.

"How did your parents afford that ball, anyway? Aren't all new things really expensive now?" I asked. Around here, everyone struggled with money. Although questions like that could be considered offensive in other places, here it wasn't common to own something brand new, and naturally people could get curious.

Kenneth sighed. "I don't know. Sports balls are wicked expensive, and my parents don't have that kind of money to spare. I assume they traded something, but I haven't noticed anything missing from the house." He sounded worried.

I sympathized with him. Parents tried to keep things from kids all the time, but somehow they didn't see that that just made us stress more.

He looked up at me as an idea came to him. "Now let me ask you something." 

"Okay..." I said, not sure where this was going.

"If you had a chance to see and feel snow one day, like people up north can do, would you? If you had to go away for a long time to do it?"

I thought about that as we neared his house. Truthfully, seeing snow had been a dream of mine ever since I was little. But to leave Messina? My home? I don't think I could do that. And I'd be leaving Kenneth too...

I was about to answer when the ground beneath us rumbled. I froze in shock and fear. Part of me hoped this was just my imagination, but I knew better.

"Earthquake!" I yelled. We'd had drills at school on what to do if there was an earthquake-sit on the floor under our desks, with arms protecting our heads- but never when we were out on the street. 

Kenneth grabbed my hand and we ran down the street, trying our best not to fall. Finally, we got to his house. No one was there.

I knew Kenneth was worried and scared, but also knew there was nothing I could do about it until his parents got home. The rumbling and the shaking of the ground only got louder and stronger. We were forced either to sit down or fall down when we finally reached his parent's room.

My mom. My dad. They were all I could think about. "Kenneth-" I started. But then I heard a sound I had dreaded ever since I was little- the roar and splashing of a gigantic wall of water. It was going to reach us in 5,4,3...  

"Hold your breath, Kenneth!" I screamed desperately.

2...

We clung to each other's hands as hard as we could.

1. 

I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe. Kenneth and I both were being tossed around, smashing into things and each other. In the confusion, the raging water broke our grip. Water filled my lungs, and I blacked out.