Natural Disaster

Chapter 53

Launa had never seen LA in person, before. She'd heard plenty about it, with its sunset strip and how scary it could be, not to mention the traffic. She knew that, whatever she had imagined, the city would be nothing like it, especially after the quakes. What she wasn't prepared for was how utterly devastated it was.

The roads and sidewalks held puddles eight feet long, at least, spreading across entire blocks and creating something closer to lakes than puddles. The air stunk of low tide, the fishy, salty stench permeating every corner of the city as they crossed the edge of it, wrinkling their noses as the smell met their nostrils. Everything seemed to be drenched in seawater, from the office buildings to the asphalt beneath them.

What was truly amazing was the amount of people volunteering to get LA back on its feet- moving beams and rubbled to free some space and dispose of trash. Apartment complexes and community-use buildings were being built the old-fashioned way- with pure manual labor and man-power.

They wandered aimlessly for what seemed like forever, moving through the groups of people that were helping to put the city back together, past a few vendors selling their wares in exchange for food. Mitch excitedly pointed out a little booth, further into the city, glancing eagerly over the the little stones of rose quartz and amethyst, only to be dragged away by his best friend.

Before they had left their shelter, earlier that morning, they had discussed and agreed upon their plan of action: Find Kevin and Kirstie first. Launa remembered Avi telling her about the beatboxer and soprano/alto girl, before, as well as Scott and Mitch telling her about how long they'd known Kirstie, and how well Avi and Kevin had fit into their group. I'm really nervous, but I really want to meet the both of them.

"We should find some sort of official... something," Esther suggested, glancing around, "They might be able to tell us where they are."

Or if they're even alive. The solemn, unspoken fear was written clear as day on each of their faces, and they hurried on, grasping at the barest straws of hope.

______

After an hour of trying to find something on their own, they gave up, asking anyone and everyone they came across where someone or something keeping track of the survivors could be found- because surely it existed. And, as if to mock them for trying to find it without help, they got directions within the first three people they asked.

Following the directions they were given, they turned the corner to what appeared to be a simple house that had been repaired from whatever disaster had struck LA. Glancing around, Launa noticed copious amounts of water damage at the corners and edges of structures. That, coupled, with the ghost stench of kelp in the air made her willing to bet that the ocean had inflicted some damage on the coast.

Esther knocked at the door, finding that it swung open easily, and a voice called to them from inside. "It's open!" They gingerly stepped inside, a man sat behind a desk with stacks upon stacks of books and files at either side of his workspace. Other desks sat around, some occupied, looking very much the same. "How can I help you?"

"Hi," Esther greeted hesitantly, giving a little wave, "Is this the Aftermath Regulation office?" The man grinned and nodded, and the tension began to ease from her shoulders. "We're looking for friends. Is there any way you can look them up?"

"I can definitely give it a shot," he told them, glancing between each of them and offering a warm smile, rolling his chair around to the edge of his desk where a stack of binders were precariously stacked, "We've been keeping track of everyone in Los Angeles. To the best of our ability, anyway. Some pop in that we don't have on file, but if your friends were here to begin with, they're probably in here. I'll look them up for you, and, if you all plan on staying, I'd like to log you into the books, as well."