James POV-
"James? What happened?". Her voice was so... So cautious, yet so caring. I don't know how I will tell her...
"James? Honey?". Her voice got me out of my thoughts. I sigh deeply.
"...I guess this is where I'll begin..." I whisper under my breath.
"Begin what? James? You are scaring me, is everything okay?...".
I close my eyes as I let the tears that have accumulated in my eyes flow down my face. I sniffle.
"J-James? Why are you crying?". Her accurate conclusion brought a smile to my face.
"And how did you know that?" I can't help but talk through my nose.
"I have cried way too many times, I guess?...". She begins. "What is it that is bothering you... Tell me.".
I take a deep breath. How will I tell her this!?
Once I open my eyes, a bottle filled with water was the first thing that caught my attention. It was not the bottle itself, or whatever brand the water bottle is, the ripples are what caught my eyes.
Earthquake.
"James? Are you there?".
"Ana, listen to me carefully. Both you and Miss Sue must go under a table... Go under the dining table, now...".
"Jam-".
"Ana, now...".
There was a moment of silence.
"Ana?".
Nothing, no reply. I quickly drift my eyes towards the water bottle, the ripples are getting bigger and bigger, the quake will be here any second.
"Okay, what now?..." I hear her voice, causing a wave of relief to rush through me.
"Okay, whatever you do, do not end the call, am I clear?...".
Ana POV-
"James? What happened?". I can feel myself growing anxious.
I waited for a reply. Nothing. My first red flag.
"James? Honey?" I call out his name with the hope inside me that he will speak up, but the sound of his sigh makes me think otherwise. Along with that, I could feel my chest becoming numb as hole-like feeling forms.
"...I guess this is where I'll begin...". Begin where? I can feel my heart beginning to pound harder and faster against my rids.
"Begin what? James? You are scaring me, is everything okay?...". I can tell nothing is okay. My mind is beginning to fear the worse.
There was that eerie silence again, right before a sniffle broke what seemed like hours of silence. It was also that sniffle that freaked me out...
" J-James? Are you crying?". What is happening!?
It was not long before I heard him chuckle. "And how did you know that?". I felt slight relief...
" I have cried way too many times I guess...". On top of that, I have also seen and heard people cry too many times... "What is it that is bothering you?... Tell me, " I really want him to tell me what the issue is. I want both him and me to resolve the problem. To find a solution.
Silence... The silence that makes me always fear the worse...
"James? Are you there?".
Instantly, I could hear his voice reply.
"Ana, listen to me carefully. Both you and Miss Sue must go under a table... Go under the dining table, now...".
Wait, What!? Why?
"Jam-" I get cut off, by both his voice and the glass in front of me. The water... it's moving...
"Ana, now...".
I stand up, but just as I do, I can hear distant shouting coming from the open windows in the kitchen. "EARTHQUAKE! EARTHQUAKE! EARTHQUAKE!".
"Ana?" I hear James's voice, making me realise I have lowered my phone from my ear. I then get my mind together and do as I was told, go under the table with Miss Sue. I find her already under the big dining table, as she made some space for me. Once I take my place beside her, put my phone back against my ear.
"Okay, what now?" I try to keep my voice calm and contained, but I am freaking out. I have never in my whole life experienced an earthquake.
"Okay, whatever you do, do not end the call. Am I clear?..." His voice is harsh, but it is harsh for a reason and that reason is for safety.
I nod as if he could see me through the phone, before answering a soft "yes...". I hitch for breath when I could feel the slight tremors beginning to make their presence. The chandelier above us is beginning to lightly cling as the hung accessories hit against each other.
"Don't be scared baby, okay?" His voice is so calm, soothing, making me want him to be here with me. I feel my eyes tear up.
"Baby?" I hear him call out.
"I am scared, James..." I reply quietly as I let the tears that have built up in my eyes flow down my cheeks.
I jump up when I hear a sound screeching of wheels on the other side of the phone.
"I am coming, baby... I'll be right there, okay?".
I nod again, pretending as if he could see me. "Okay..." I whisper through my tears.
I suddenly felt two hands wrap around my left wrist. It was from Miss Sue.
"Child, there is no reason for fear, it will come and go, come and go. Breathe slowly, okay?".
I nod before breaking down, sobbing.
"Hush, hush..." I felt her pat my head gently, just like my grandmother used to do...
"Baby? Ana?" James calls out my name, I put my phone back against my ear.
"James?" I call out his name. "James? Where ar-" but before I could finish the earthquake struck. Hard.
The sudden jolt of the quake made me drop my phone as I collapsed onto the floor. "Shit!".
It was not long before I heard all the glass and ceramics fall and break onto the floor. I scream in fright as the tremors grew stronger.
I don't know what to do. I freaking out!
Loose things kept on falling and breaking as the chandelier above us clung vigorously. It was not long before the table itself began moving as more and more things fell onto the ground.
Suddenly, a loud bang as more ceramic plates broke and flew towards me and Miss Sue like tiny, sharp pellets.
I was praying for my dear life for the earthquake to stop...
Finally, the earthquake calmed down and the tremors stopped three minutes after they showed their existence. Those three minutes to me seemed like hours...
Finally, I could reach out and get a hold my phone. "James?" I called out. No answer. "James?". I begin to feel panic kicking in. "James!?".
I look up as Miss Sue as I can see her lost for her words too. About seconds passed before I heard ambulance race outside the house, and another minute of silence passed before I heard the ambulance through James's phone, getting louder and louder. I hoped for the ambulance to pass the car, but my stomach turned when I heard the ambulance stop, in what seemed, right in front of the phone.
"James?" I call out before breaking down into tears once again. I suddenly hear the phone being picked up.
"James?" I felt relief soar through me.
"Hello?".
I freeze when I hear an unfamiliar voice.
"Hello..." I reply. "W-Who is this?".
"The paramedics, are you a relation of Mr James O'Neill?".
"Not a relation, but I am his girlfriend." Once again, fear ingulfed my body, but I manage to gain the strength to ask him, "W-why?... Did something happen?". Who am I kidding, of course something happened, I know that something happened. I can feel it in my heart and if that wasn't enough, I am talking to a paramedic. I am fearing the worst...
I hear him take a deep breath.
"James O'Neill was in a car accident...". My heart dropped like a stone. I feel like I am in one of my nightmares again.
Wake up, Ana... This is all just a nightmare, wake up. James is most likely beside you, in bed, caressing your cheek or watching you sleep, just wake up, Ana.
I hitch for a breath.
"Please tell me that this is all just nightmare...".
I hear the paramedic let out a sad sigh. "I am sorry Miss O'Neill.".
"What hospital?..." I ask him.
"UCLA Medical Centre.".
I can't comprehend what is happening.
James POV -
"Ana? Baby?" I want to hear her voice, I want to know that she is still there.
"James?... James where ar-" but before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud bang. In a matter of seconds, the earthquake tremors hit me too, forcing me to pull up.
"Ana? Ana!?" I call out. I can hear screams as things begin falling and breaking. "Ana!?".
I have to get to them.
I push the gas pedal down as I race towards my house. I notice cracks on the road as the shaking began intensifying. I need to get to Ana... I need to get to my baby. I push the gas pedal even further, speeding up the car. Suddenly, another SUV rushed out and intersected my way. I immediately pushed the brake pedal as far as I could, but it was too late.
Suddenly... everything turned black.
*Sound of brake screeching. CRASH...*