Tsunami

Beams of the sun covered the mystical ocean. The heat surfed over the golden sand. The sand like delicate sheets of velvet running through my toes; a rock pool lay across the far back as I peered beneath the crystal clear water. A brown newt scurried onto a rock. Gentle waves crashed upon the rocks, complimenting the peaceful churping of birds and the refreshing smell of the sea wafted over to me. Seaweed wrapped around my ankles as if it never wanted me to leave. 

Finally, we arrived at the resort. A holiday just for me and mum. We had to double take; it seemed too good to be true. The walls as lustrous as the sun, the pool as transparent as a soul. We decided the first thing we were going to do was to tour the resort and to view the whole of the entertainment rooms. A gate led to the beach. We must have been on the beach for at least 10minutes when staff came with complimentary drinks. This was paradise. We were living in the perfect moment. Cold drinks, just chilling on the beach, music on full blast. Oh my, this was definitely the life. Just me and mum having a laugh just like old times.

The sky became crowded with clouds. From white to grey, from grey to black. A sudden chill grasped my neck. The ground awoke. Sand spraying all over the place. Waves crashed against rocks. We scurried back to the resort. The sea chased us. A literal race for life. Boats vanishing in thin air. By now we reached the hotel. We tried as fast as we could to get to the highest floor. The sea caught up to me. 

I struggled to breathe, the view a sudden blur. Could this be the end? I was caught in the waves; which were heading straight for the hotel wall. My vision came back. I was about to be crushed. I shut my eyes. I don’t get it… I’m not against a wall? I opened my eyes; I was tangled in a tree. I was so thankful that my life had not ended. I gasped for a breath of air. 

A high pitched scream came from the right of me. It sounded familiar but then again panicky. It sounded like a shriek for help. As I grew nearer the scream it got louder and louder. The crying stopped. My mum stood there in panic; what was she thinking? As I stood up and approached her she perked up, she began to cry again. I asked her what the matter was, she replied with ‘I thought I’d lost you’. She pulled me close and squeezed me. 

I reminded her that we needed to get to higher ground. We scampered up the stairs; whenever we got higher the water was never far behind. The current grew stronger causing windows to cave in. Time was no longer on our side. Finally, we reached a point when the sea was no longer growing and we clambered to relative safety on top of the hotel. We made it onto the roof of the hotel. Exhausted from all the running I fell up the steps. As I got up a middle-aged woman stood crying in front of me. I wondered if her child was caught in the waves.

Seeing that woman in a state like that made me realise how sudden life can end.