The Flood

So I wrote this for an assessment in school... I only had an hour to write it so it wasn't great, so I tweaked it to make it slightly better than it was. But I quite liked the concept and didn't want it to go to waste. It's still shit but I tried.

It's just a short shitty thing

Wind ripped through my hair as I made the dash across the rusting train tracks. Rain pelted harshly down on my already frozen face, cold and unforgiving. It felt like millions of little stones were being hurled at my skin with all the energy someone had mustered up.

Stomping boots somewhere behind me was reassuring, for that was an indication that Elizabeth was still following. She was usually light footed, but her footsteps had grown heavier and uneven as we ran together.

I open my mouth to shout to her over the roaring wind, but I promptly close it. It wasn't worth the strain it would cause my voice. I look ahead. A dark shadow was moving in the rain.

The train.

The train was moving.

Without us.

I gasped in horror as the worn wheels began to click and clack, slowly gaining power and speed. Using the last of my strength, I increased the speed at which I was running and carefully weighed up my options of making it through the rotting door. I didn't like my chances, but I would rather take them than stay where I was. So I chose to hurl my body with all my might at the moving train, in hope that I would make it through the carriage door.

Somehow I managed to land heavily inside. The flooring I had landed on was hard, and I cussed a loud thud upon impact.

But I had no time to think of anything else.

My shoes slipped and squeaked on the newly wet floor and I skidded around to pull Elizabeth in. She was dropping behind massively...

As the train gained speed, she lost it...

Thrusting my hand towards her I yelled at her to grab on. But my hand was far out of her reach. So I attempted to stretch further. Still no good. Using a single hand I gripped a white handle on the door frame. I leaned outwards as far as I could manage and opened up my body.

Finally her moist hand my own and started a grip of iron.

When my foot slipped, my heart leaped out of my chest and I took a sharp intake of breath in terror.

I honestly thought it was the end.

I was greatly surprised when two strong arms wrapped themselves round my malnourished was it and I found myself no longer hanging outside of a moving train. I was, however, flat on my back and slightly winded from my sudden experience.

A grinning face framed by short blonde hair smiled down at my and chuckled.

"Are you okay"

I sat up groggily and turn to where the voice came from. To my surprise, there was not one, not two, but three other girls sitting in the carriage with us. Our rescuers I suppose. The one who had asked the question had deep auburn hair and seemed to have a motherly feel about her.

I nodded, but another thought ripped through my mind.

"Elizabeth?!" I croaked out.

"Here..." Her deep voice sounded pained and miserable as I scooted towards her. The long brown hair of hers fell over her face, blocking my view. Numb hands clutched her ankle, which seemed to be bending a way that ankles didn't usually bend.

The blonde girl followed me and watched with interest as I pulled Elizabeth's hands away from her damaged limb.

"OY! Frau stop it! Leave her alone!" The sharp voice of the brunette caused the blonde to frown and groan.

"Oh shut up Trude!" The blue-eyed blonde called out. Her voice was high and reminded me of a tinkling fairy.

The first girl that spoke came and squatted next to me. She was calm and examined Elizabeth and I with great care.

"Hello. I'm Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke. My companions over here are Gertrud Barkhorn and Erica Hartmann..." Minna pointed to the brunette and blonde each in turn.

"I'm guessing you're running from the flood?"

I nodded, tearing a strip of material off the bottom of my shirt as a makeshift bandage for Elizabeth's ankle.

"Tomoko Anabuki..." I mumbled. "Thank you..l for rescuing us..."

"Elizabeth Beurling." Was the short response my companion gave, before she cut herself off with a sharp cry of pain. Minna smiled.

"The pleasure was all ours. After all, we need to stick together in times like these."

Gertrud interrupted.

"You're lucky. This was the last train, and if you hadn't have made it... You would've been stranded..."

Gertrud was giving us a hard stare. I couldn't see it, but I felt her gaze burning into my back while I clumsily fumbled around with Elizabeth's ankle.

The blonde one, Erica, had her head right next to mine and was watching my shaky actions with curiosity.

"Looks broken " she said, her tinkling voice down my ear made me shiver. The pressure increased when Gertrud joined her comrade sat next to me. I was sure that Elizabeth's ankle was broken; I didn't need anybody to tell me. I was sure it had happened when we were running for he train... But Elizabeth didn't say anything... Maybe she knew that I'd stop and try to tend to her. If I had done, we would've missed the train... And like Gertrud said, we would've been stranded.

I was surprised when the three strangers around me didn't offer me help, as my fumbling hands made it clear that it would be near impossible to continue my task. I was attempting to wrap Elizabeth's ankle. Throughout the whole ordeal, my partner had her teeth gritted and was digging her fingernails into her sweaty palms to stop herself from shouting out loud.

Once I'd finished, Elizabeth's head dropped forward. I scooted in closer to her and held her motionless body in my arms. Deep breathing and no reaction alerted my to the fact she was unconscious. Although her pain tolerance was unusually high, the lack of nutrition we had had recently was clearly taking a toll on Elizabeth's body.

Shivering slightly, I sat back against the wall, and pulled Elizabeth fully in towards me, and with some pulling I dragged her onto my frozen lap. I could feel her warm breath on my neck. It was nice.

Soothing.

The three girls were still watching us with interest. It was uncomfortable. Minna must have noticed, because she broke the ice by asking something I hadn't thought about.

"What are you going to do now?"