Note: This story begins when Sam, Laura, JD, and Brian are in the streets heading to the library. Everything in this chapter takes place from Sam's POV.
I led the way, trudging through the waist deep water en route to the library. I heard Brian, JD, and Laura behind me, cursing as they tried to wade as fast as they could. I reached the steps of the library, feeling relief as my body was finally out of the frigid water. Maybe it was just me, but the water felt colder and higher than it had been when we'd started to walk from JD's apartment. Brian and JD quickly joined me on the steps, shivering as the icy air hit their wet bodies. I felt my heart stop when I realized that Laura was not with them. Laura Chapman, the girl I've had a huge crush on since freshman year. "Where's Laura?" I yelled to Brian and JD over the roar of the hoards of people. "She's right there!" JD shouted back, pointing to a taxi that was stuck in the water in front of the steps. I squinted my eyes; sure enough, Laura was there, hunched over on the back of the taxi while a policeman broke a window, presumably to free some trapped passengers. A woman and her children slipped out through the window, and to my relief, Laura began walking with them up the steps to the library. Before they had reached the steps, however, the woman started pointing back to the taxi frantically. And Laura turned around to head back in the water.
I hopped up and down, willing Laura to hurry up and get inside where it was safe. My gaze was drawn up the street by some sudden movement. To my horror, I saw a sixty foot high wall of water angrily rushing towards us. "Laura!" I shouted, as I ran down the steps to get her.
Of course, she didn't hear me. My surge of panic propelled me faster than I thought I could move through the icy cold water. I reached the taxi and shouted, "Laura!" again.
This time she heard me, and looked up at me. I yelled, "We gotta go now!" and pointed up the vast canyon of steel buildings. She followed my finger and froze. "Come on!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her with me towards the library. We ran as fast as we could up the steps. But once we reached the top, there was a traffic jam of people to get in through the door. Holding Laura's hand, I shoved her in the rotating door while I followed. I let go of her hand as I felt her slip free of the crowd. I could see Laura running up the stairs inside of the library. She stopped and turned around, searching for me in the crowd. Our eyes caught. I mouthed, "Go," and she nodded sadly, her expression turning to horror as she saw what was coming behind me: death.
The second the wave hit the group I was in, I felt myself getting thrown forward, through glass, glancing off stone. I was swept faster than I had ever gone before through the library's first floor, a large, marble statue looming right in my path. I tried to veer away, but I was moving too fast.......too fast.....too fast.
My only thought on impact was that I hoped Laura was alright.
I led the way, trudging through the waist deep water en route to the library. I heard Brian, JD, and Laura behind me, cursing as they tried to wade as fast as they could. I reached the steps of the library, feeling relief as my body was finally out of the frigid water. Maybe it was just me, but the water felt colder and higher than it had been when we'd started to walk from JD's apartment. Brian and JD quickly joined me on the steps, shivering as the icy air hit their wet bodies. I felt my heart stop when I realized that Laura was not with them. Laura Chapman, the girl I've had a huge crush on since freshman year. "Where's Laura?" I yelled to Brian and JD over the roar of the hoards of people. "She's right there!" JD shouted back, pointing to a taxi that was stuck in the water in front of the steps. I squinted my eyes; sure enough, Laura was there, hunched over on the back of the taxi while a policeman broke a window, presumably to free some trapped passengers. A woman and her children slipped out through the window, and to my relief, Laura began walking with them up the steps to the library. Before they had reached the steps, however, the woman started pointing back to the taxi frantically. And Laura turned around to head back in the water.
I hopped up and down, willing Laura to hurry up and get inside where it was safe. My gaze was drawn up the street by some sudden movement. To my horror, I saw a sixty foot high wall of water angrily rushing towards us. "Laura!" I shouted, as I ran down the steps to get her.
Of course, she didn't hear me. My surge of panic propelled me faster than I thought I could move through the icy cold water. I reached the taxi and shouted, "Laura!" again.
This time she heard me, and looked up at me. I yelled, "We gotta go now!" and pointed up the vast canyon of steel buildings. She followed my finger and froze. "Come on!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her with me towards the library. We ran as fast as we could up the steps. But once we reached the top, there was a traffic jam of people to get in through the door. Holding Laura's hand, I shoved her in the rotating door while I followed. I let go of her hand as I felt her slip free of the crowd. I could see Laura running up the stairs inside of the library. She stopped and turned around, searching for me in the crowd. Our eyes caught. I mouthed, "Go," and she nodded sadly, her expression turning to horror as she saw what was coming behind me: death.
The second the wave hit the group I was in, I felt myself getting thrown forward, through glass, glancing off stone. I was swept faster than I had ever gone before through the library's first floor, a large, marble statue looming right in my path. I tried to veer away, but I was moving too fast.......too fast.....too fast.
My only thought on impact was that I hoped Laura was alright.