I was going back from work by the time it happened.
The ground violently shook, tossing me off my balance as I saw the changes that instantly appear in my vision.
Cars turn, buildings collapse, along with highways that reaches the sky, roads cracked and split two places in half. I even saw unfortunate people fall or get crushed by the heavy objects that fall.
There I lost my consciousness. It seems I have died.
But I did not.
-
I didn't die, but I was not in a safe place either. However, neither did those things concern me.
"My girlfriend." (John)
I was living with someone, my lover to be exact. We started living off together when I was able to purchase myself a good condominium. A place elevated from the ground for 36th floor.
However, my soul crushed when I looked at my surrounding.
Just a few hundred meters away from here, surely the same thing could've happened. There's no way my home could've survive that violent earthquake. It was even hopeless to think about alternative event that could save her.
But... Still, I gotta find my way home...
...I gotta see it for myself.
I shook off a few debris from the collapsed building from my clothes and continued my venture that I was doing just before everything happened. While I do so, I looked at the surrounding area, greatly affected by the earthquake.
It was pure horror.
Something I thought I would only see from war movies or apocalyptic genres. I couldn't stomach the view I am currently seeing, and due to that, I wasn't able to hold myself and threw up.
I'm starting to feel dizzy from the sight around me. As if I am starting to lose the slight hope I have in my mind that is keeping me from collapsing right here.
And as I continue walking, things only get worse.
Child's disorganized limbs scattered in pieces from fallen skyway. Just at its dismembered hand is a bloodied stuff toy that seems to be brand new with its price tag still intact. What a sad thing to see.
I hold myself back as my emotion starts to overwhelm inside me. Fortunately, I am able to arrive at my home... or rather, my former home a few walks later.
There's... nothing recognizable left here.
The supposed green parks full of trees and vegetation, now covered by gray dust and debris of collapsed buildings that surround it. The artificial blue river made to make the city look beautiful are now either died by red matter or gray ones.
I suppose I shouldn't have let my hopes up. Considering I was really fortunate to even survive that disaster with everyone, anywhere, either dead or dying.
Is the city poorly made, or the earthquake is just too great?
Suddenly, as I was contemplating, a loud explosion resonate near where I stand. When I turn my head to look at the source, I saw the gray clouds forming up above the sky, swirling to where the supposed explosion is.
There occur consecutive lightning strikes, in the same places. As if they were coordinated. And a few minutes or so, the clouds scattered around, leaving nothing behind, as if nothing actually happen.
Confused, I frown.
"What the fuck is that?" (John)
Quite well-made for an natural attack to occur. Especially when that area where the lightning strikes is known for its highly dense population, since it was the city's slum.
Is it the government's doing? What an obvious and shallow thing to do.
*Riinnggggg*
*Riiiingggg*
My pocket vibrates, and along with it, a ringing tone resound. Strange. At this time, the network service should be down, with the entire area nearly pulverized by the earthquake.
Still, I grab for my phone. And to my shock, when I saw the name of my girlfriend engrave to my phone. She's calling me.
Without any hesitation, I answered the call.
"H-Hon???... *sighs* Are you... There?? Plea...se...speak up... I'm getting scared..." (Luisa) It was my girlfriend's voice. And by her tone alone, she's in great distress.
"D-darling.... You're alive, OH my goodness. I'm... Where are you right now? I'm currently at our home... Or I supposed our former home since it had already collapsed... Do you need help, I can come for you!" (John) without even thinking for a seconds to choose my word, I blurted out, reassured by merely hearing the nostalgic and comforting voice of her.
"I-I... I don't know... It's dark... It's... Cramp... I was *sniff*sleeping then the ground shook violently... H-help me..." (Luisa)
"Dark? Why, where were you sleeping?" (John)
"W-where else could I be sleeping!!? Of course in our bed!" (Luisa)
"Ah..." (John) without even thinking of other possible situation, I already knew where she is.
She was sleeping, then everything went dark. It's cramp as well...
...there's only one thing I could possibly think of. And that is the best outcome I could've possible dreamed of.
"Darling... I think you're inside the bed." (John)
Around 2 years ago, before my lover and I started living together. There was a major earthquake that happened. It led to a catastrophic result that traumatized even my parents.
That contributed to their disapproval of me buying a condominium just in the big city, a vulnerable place where earthquake could be devastating. So I told them I would buy the latest bed tech. A bed that automatically, in a speed unseen by everyone as of yet, drop its sleeper inside it to keep it safe from disasters.
The bed was made to withstand a pressure of two 16 wheeler. It was a high technology device that operates by distributing the presssure of an external force to everywhere, only to dampen it to the other side.
...it must've saved Luisa when she was sleeping. Quite reliable for a highly doubtful company, to say the least.
"Darling... Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out of there. For now, rest easy. In no way in hell will you die there from being crushed so don't worry. There is also food and water stored just at your side and a few empty bottles in case of your needs." (John)
"O-okay... Please get me ASAP, I love you." (Luisa)
"I love you too, darling. I'll be there before you know it." (John)
...is what I said.
But I don't really know what should I do.
The earthquake almost shattered the building's concrete for it to nearly pulverized, but there are still a few stubborn stones that are yet to separate from each other. And that's currently the problem I have.
Neither do I have super strength nor people to help me get these stones off from my path. I couldn't also risk on stepping on it and reach for the top. I wouldn't know where my lover is, and if worst comes, I could be the reason for her death.
For now, I should look for nearby survivors. I should also contact for help... Is what I want to do, but I got no signal. It was a miracle that my lover was able to call me.
And for a few walks around my collapsed home, I found no survivors either. Just a few... bloodied corpse or dismembered bodies, lying on the floor. Some of their intestines in sight which caused me to vomit as well and demotivate me from further finding survivors.
To my luck, it is also getting dark. And... Of course, my phone's battery is draining fast.
I tried to call Luisa, but to no avail, I wasn't able to. As if the call was merely one-way, and she's the only one who can call me.
And so, without even further hesitation, before the sun sets, I head to find myself a tools from building debris to use break and threw the stones off my lover.
---
It has gone nighttime. My motivation is still at peak since Luisa just called me again. Just what I thought, the call can only be made at my lover's side, and there is no way to call her back. Quite intriguing, but I should set aside my curiosity first.
When I realized this, I told her to call me every hour so that we both would know each other's wellbeing and my progress of rescuing her. Although it has gone dark, my vision greatly adapted to the darkness. It was also unusually bright despite the lack of light which is concerning. However, instead of complaining about it, I utilized it to save my lover.
For hours, all I did was split stones, remove it, and give path to my lover. I was able to locate her when she called me, hearing a few rumbles from the outside, there I realize I was getting near.
And, although I have not taken my dinner yet, I still have the strength to fully dive onto this hardship, just to see my lover's beautiful face one more.
A few more picking, a few more splitting. Then all will finally come to an end.
A few more.
And more and more.
-
"John?! John, is that you?!" (Luisa)
I heave a deep sigh and collapsed while still holding the tool I used to destroy the stones. I kneel in front of the metallic box where my lover is and held it gently with my hands.
Narrowed eyes, I give a weak smile to it.
"Hey... darling." (John)
To withstand even a 16 wheeler truck, the bed came with a heavily locked door, armored by the toughest, yet lightest metal there ever could. It's also thick, to withstand the force and damp it before it could even reach its user, so many may be confused how I can communicate with her.
The reason for this is, the company made a slight airflow from the center of the bed. Both for air to pass through, and of course, noise to be received and sent. The easiest I can come up with this technology is that, they put it in the center since the force travel the weakest at it.
"Are...you okay?" (Luisa) she seem worried about me... truly, what a thoughtful lady.
I stared blankly at the box, completely unable to further comprehend my situation due to my lack of mental energy. But to give up now will only make things worst for both me and her...so it's better to continue this.
I reach for the handle where the manual said I could open it. But it was expectedly unlucky for me, the lock was damaged.
This, however, didn't stop me from rescuing her. With no other things in mind, not even thinking through my action, I grab my metallic tool, raise it to the air, and slam it to the damaged lock. The lack, controlled electronically, buzz due to being severely damaged. However, I didn't keep it in mind, and instead, continue smashing it with my tool.
In the end, the lock gave up, I was able to turn the door loose. The door cracks and open, and there reveal my lover. Long black hair that extend to her hips, silvery eyes, nut-shaped face, slight thin, not due to malnutrition but diet.
Beautiful, as always.
"Hey... Missed me?" (John) I asked before finally falling onto my lover's embrace.
"Yeah." (Luisa) Tears fell on her eyes as she catch me.
***
Luisa Smith
It was dark, nothing but the cramped space and her body can she feel. Being a mild claustrophobic, she began to panic right as she awake.
"H-Honey??? John??!" (Luisa) Luisa tried to push the wall that keeps the space tight, but it was heavy.
Panicking, she began to act like a wild animal. Breathing heavily as she try her hardest to push the wall to afar. But unfortunately, the wall is just too sturdy for her to even make a dent on it. Feeling hopeless, she simply cry.
*Sob*
*Sob*
*Sniff*
Silently, as the time pass by. She cries.
She stopped only after her minds become clearer, trying to forget her current situation as it was already inevitable to happen. Instead, she grab what she hoped to be her phone, and it was.
Without further hesitation, not even minding the lack of signal, she dialed the first person in her mind. Her lover.
"P-please... *sniff*... *sob*...,p-please... Answer..." (Luisa) Miraculously, the phone went through despite the lack of signal, and without even hesitating, someone answered the call. "H-Hon???... *sighs* Are you... There?? Plea...se...speak up... I'm getting scared..." (Luisa)
"D-darling.... You're alive, OH my goodness. I'm... Where are you right now? I'm currently at our home... Or I supposed our former home since it had already collapsed... Do you need help, I can come for you!" (John) A deep relief flooded Luisa's thought as she hear the gentle voice of her lover. At a time like this, the person she could always count in is her bestfriend and boyfriend, John.
"I-I... I don't know... It's dark... It's... Cramp... I was *sniff*sleeping then the ground shook violently... H-help me..." (Luisa) Still, the situation she's in is gravely a terrifying one.
"Dark? Why, where were you sleeping?" (John)
"W-where else could I be sleeping!!? Of course in our bed!" (Luisa) Is he an idiot? Where else could she be sleeping?
"Ah..." (John) Perhaps something came to his mind like always, silence heard from the other side of the phone.
"Darling... I think you're inside the bed." (John)
W-what...? How could that be?
"Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out of there. For now, rest easy. In no way in hell will you die there from being crushed so don't worry. There is also food and water stored just at your side and a few empty bottles in case of your needs." (John) Feeling reassured once more, Luisa nodded to her lover's word and gave her all trust for him.
"O-okay... Please get me ASAP, I love you." (Luisa)
She grab onto one of the waters where her lover said is, and drank it as her thirst have been unforgivable since earlier.
"I love you too, darling. I'll be there before you know it." (John) She hang up on him, trying to preserve the battery that soon will get empty.
--
Hours have gone by, and many food have gone empty due to her stress eating. She frequently tries to call her lover, and thankfully, he always answers it. But time have already been consumed too much for her to remain calm.
Though she was constantly being reassured, her mind have been being pressured by the situation too much that she was panicking again.
It has gone dark, even. Her lover said. She tried to give him some time to rest, but her lover is truly a stubborn man.
And a few hours more pass by, until...she heard a loud thud above her.
"John, John is that you?! (Luisa) A few seconds of silence pass when a reply came.
"Hey ...darling." (John) His voice is weak, but it was him. She felt and felt the familiarity of his voice. Thank God...
But... According to his voice, he's severely exhausted. He needs a rest.
"Are you okay?" (Luisa) Only silence, no reply. She frowns, have he gone to rest?
But contraty to her thought, a loud thud rang once more. This time, it's too close. Even a static of the electronic door buzz as another loud thud vibrates the wall.
And another... And another...
A few more tries, then the door cracked open and reveal a dirtied, yet reassuring figure of her lover. John.
"Hey...missed me?" (John) His smile is gently, and it was only highlighted when the moon's light reflection illuminated half of his face. Lovely.
"Yeah." Tears dropped on her face once more, before John completely collapse onto her body, giving her a warmful embrace.