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I awaken to the soft light filtering through the curtains, as the new day tugged at my sleeves to join it. The morning air is crisp, filled with the promise of another day in Tokyo. I rouse Alex from his slumber, the touch of dawn coloring his room in pale hues. He stirs with the innocence of a child, a slight yawn and the stretch of small arms signaling his return to the world of the living.
His eyes, still heavy with sleep, meet mine, and a subtle smile tugs at the corners of his lips. Together, we prepare for the day ahead. I guide him through the steps of getting ready for school, his uniform carefully chosen and backpack filled with books and lunch. As I brush his hair, my fingers linger in the soft strands, hoping that I convey the depth of my affection for him.
We finish preparing and have breakfast. After our meal, we step out onto the porch, the day stretching before us. We find our place on the steps, waiting together for the school bus to arrive to take Alex to school. Alex’s small hand slips into mine, and we sit side by side, our hearts in synchrony.
My fingers find their way to his unruly hair again, and I start to gently rub his head, my actions a silent promise of my presence and care. Then, Alex breaks the momentary silence with an innocent question, one that catches me off guard. “Aunt Amber, did you hear the house shake last night? I thought someone was trying to pull my bed away.” His eyes are filled with curiosity, the weight of his question evident.
My mind races back to the previous night, the unexplained rumble that briefly stirred me from sleep. I’m left searching for a reassuring answer. But, in the end, I decide to shield him from any unnecessary worries. It could have been someone trying to steal in, or something worse. But whatever it was, I hope to unravel it soon.
I smile at Alex, my gaze softening as I place a hand on his shoulder. “Alex, it was just the weather. Sometimes, the wind and rain can make the house creak a little. Nothing to worry about.” I try to reassure him.
Soon, the school bus rumbles into view, its tires humming in the morning quiet. I turn to Alex. Gently, I hold his face in my hands, my eyes meeting his. With a sense of profound affection, I press a kiss to his forehead. “I love you,” I whisper, the words carrying the weight of a thousand feelings.
In the same language that has become a part of our daily lives, he responds, “Aishiteru, Mama.” The tenderness in his voice fills my heart, a testament to the love that binds us together. I smile widely. He’d tried calling me Mama a few times lately. And I didn’t mind—aunt, mama, mom, Amber, whatever.
The bus comes to a halt in front of our home, and the door swings open. With a final, affectionate pat on Alex’s back, I let go of his face. His small hand reaches for mine one more time, a brief squeeze that holds a universe of emotions.
He runs off toward the waiting bus, his backpack bouncing with each step. I watch him go, my heart overflowing with love and pride.
“See you later,” I holler at him. I begin to walk toward the house, not at all worrying if I would actually see Alex later, like I had casually said.
The sun has taken refuge behind the horizon. The day creeps on like any other, mine unfolding in routine. I do some cleaning inside and receive a call from a rider that would be coming in some thirty minutes. I gather my paints and canvases, my brushes and palettes, and I make my way to the porch.
The air outside is gentle, the calmness only occasionally interrupted by the rustle of leaves. It’s in this serene atmosphere that I lose myself in my work. My paintbrush feels like an extension of my thoughts as my hand dances across the canvas.
I keep on painting, humming to the sound of Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’,unaware of what was coming. The sudden contrast between the peace I am feeling now with what is going to unravel couldn’t have been imagined.
Like a thunderbolt out of the blues, a rumble shakes the ground beneath me and the screams of others grasp my immediate attention. It’s sudden and fierce, a violent tremor that throws my world into chaos. Everything tilts, and the porch beneath my feet shudders. My canvas flies away, the colors of my art scattered like confetti.
Panicked, I scramble to my feet, the thought of Alex gripping my heart like a vice. The earth’s fury manifests in the objects around me, hurling them through the air. Debris soars through the space, the outside world becoming a tempest of flying chaos. A big tree from the neighbor’s property on the other side of my house falls over, crashing over the barbed wire fence. I rush into my living room. The vibrations continue. Through the window, I see people running in a helter-skelter manner. I run outside to see what is going on and in the far distance, I can see a wave about 30 feet tall roaring towards us.
Fear consumes me. I’m no stranger to bad happenings, but this tremorous sight isn’t that. It feels different, more ferocious like the world itself is rebelling. Alex. He’s at school. The thought is a relentless echo in my mind as I rush toward the door. With trembling hands, I grasp the handle, my fingers trembling with the knowledge of what I might find.
As the door swings open, the scene before me is one of devastation. My heart sinks as I witness my home crumble before my eyes, the walls disintegrating as if they were made of sand. Chaos reigns outside, but a deep dread tells me that going there is not an option. The street is a battlefield, debris raining like artillery fire, and this furious wave is getting closer and closer every second. My heart pounds, adrenaline flowing, and all I can think is to run.
I immediately remember Jessica. I begin to imagine what she must have been thinking the last few seconds her life flashed before her eyes. Was it like this? I would probably get to know soon if I meet her on the other side of life.
Just then, in the midst of the tempest, a figure emerges, and a surge of relief courses through me as I realize it’s Derrick. At that moment, the world shifts, and I see him as more than just the man next door and a want-to-be grump from the airplane ride.
Derrick doesn’t hesitate. With the precision and speed of a well-trained soldier, he grabs me and pulls me away from the collapsing entrance. The world around is becoming an ocean of debris, and he drags me toward his home. It’s a desperate dash, every second counting. I cling to him, the urgency and fear pushing me beyond what I thought I was capable of.
We rush through his front door, and he leads me upstairs to the roof. As our feet hit the steps, I can hear the raging water right behind us. It seems we could not run fast enough. We finally make it to the exit door for the roof entrance. Derrick rams into the door, and we soon realize the door is stuck. Derrick quickly takes a few steps back and runs into the door with a powerful Karate kick, and the hard metal door swings open to the winds and roar of the waves. We enter the rooftop panicking and gasping for air. Derrick slams the door shut, and instantly it feels like a refuge, an island of safety amid the chaos. The ground continues to shake, the sound of destruction echoing in our ears. But on the rooftop, we find a respite. It’s a haven above the turmoil, the concrete roof and brick building offering protection as the world underneath continues to drown.
Trying to figure out what is happening and thinking about Alex, I feel my mouth swell with blood. I’d gotten a lip cut, so I spit it out immediately. I can hear Derrick’s breath, it’s as ragged as mine. I am suddenly swallowed up by our ragged breaths, and every emotion that I have encountered this past year enters my head. Beyond that, all that’s now enshrouded me is fear, as I see the water surrounding the building, and the reality that we have been stricken by a massive Tsumani sinks in. I keep trembling, like a leaf in the wind, unsure how we will ever get out of this.
I don’t know if I’d flown into some fantasy fiction, but what I am inside has claws and fangs.
I want to scream at the top of my lungs and wish all this away. I want my sister back and want to wake up from this bad dream.
Chapter Fourteen
Derrick
Imakemywayto the rooftop, each step heavy with an internal tension that I try to conceal. Amber clings to my arm, her fingers digging into my skin as the sounds outside become increasingly ominous. The roaring of the tsunami echoes like a beast unleashed, and the tremors beneath our feet intensify. The world under us is tearing itself apart.
Amber’s voice, laden with fear and worry for Alex, is a constant presence, like a mantra of concern. “Is Alex safe? What’s happening to him out there? Derrick, I can’t bear the thought of something happening to him!”
I try to keep my voice steady, though the unease festers within me. “Amber, we need to stay strong. I’m sure Alex is safe, and we’ll find him as soon as we can.”
