Ruin

March eleventh, 2011 marked the world turning upside down in Japan. It started out like a typical morning: everyone got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and went to work or school. They hadn't expected much to happen that March eleventh. At eleven in the morning, the earth gave way to the shakes. Usually, the people were used to things like this. However, this quake turned into a monster. The following tsunami hours later made things worse.

Sakura dialed Syaoran's cell number in the crowded shelter that evening. The ringing on the other line made her heart race faster. Come on, Sweetheart! Please pick up! Sakura paced around in her spot in the shelter as she tried to look for a familiar face in the crowd. She bit her lower lip, tapping her foot.

"We're sorry," the operator said. "This number is either out of range or turned off." Sakura hung up pale and trembling. Syaoran-kun…

"Look, he's not going to pick up any time soon," Meilin said sitting next to her. Sakura looked at her with big, worried eyes. Meilin sighed and shook her head.

"Listen, there isn't much we can do right now," she said. "I'm sure he's fine." Sakura put her hand to her stomach and sat down on the floor.

It's been busy in the shelters all over Japan. Sakura and Meilin were among the second batch of people to arrive. Some suffered from minor injuries. The seriously wounded ended up going into the hospitals that were still open and running. All either lost their homes or had them flooded out. Sakura looked around at the people in the shelter. Everyone looked really tired. Not many had much to eat since they first arrived. The volunteers and medics rushed around to help the misplaced victims. Their endless questions filled the room.

"Where is my husband?"

"Did you find my wife?"

"Is Daddy going to be okay?"

"Where are my grandkids?"

"When can I eat?"

"Is my house still there?"

"What's going to happen to us?"

"Is Fluffy going to be okay?"

"Mama, I'm hungry. When can we go home?"

Sakura looked down at the new wallpaper on her cell phone. She and Syaoran took that picture outside of a movie theater on Valentine's Day. He flashed up a huge grin and pulled her in as a high school girl took their picture on Sakura's picture. Seeing this picture put Sakura at ease while making her heart sink. She remembered how this morning played out. Syaoran had just got promoted yesterday and the couple had planned on celebrating this weekend. They hoped to have moved to a new place soon before the baby was born. They had been saving up for ever since that first apartment search. Syaoran's promotion seemed to help bring them closer to their goal.

Now, Sakura didn't even know if Syaoran, Tomoyo, her father, brother, and brother-in-law were still alive. She closed her hand around her phone in a desperate grip. Meilin rubbed her on the shoulder. Sakura lifted her head in alarm. The other woman gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Everyone will be fine," she insisted. "They will call when they are able to. A storm like this can't take them all out." Somehow hearing Meilin say all of that made Sakura feel much better. Maybe she was right and Syaoran and their friends managed to get to a shelter somehow. Meilin happened to look down at Sakura's lap when she heard and buzzing noise.

"Hey look, you have a new message," she said.

"Huh?" Sakura looked down at her phone screen. Two text messages had just arrived. She pushed the buttons to open the first one.

"It's from Tomoyo," she said.

"What does it say?" Meilin asked.

"I'm okay. I'm in a shelter across town." Sakura scrolled down the message. "Look! She sent a picture." She handed the phone to Meilin. Tomoyo grinned in the photo, giving them a V-sign.

"Good to see her still alive," Meilin said. Sakura hit reply.

"Meilin and I are in another shelter," she typed. "Have you seen Syaoran, dad, Touya, and Yukito?" Sakura hit send and looked at the second message. Her heart did little flips in her chest at what she read.

"It's Syaoran!" she exclaimed. Meilin lifted her head.

"What?" she asked. Sakura's hand shook as she read the message.

"He's fine," she said. "He only hurt his leg. The doctor will examine it soon." Meilin gave it her all not to collapse with relief after hearing the good news. No sooner had Sakura repeated that message, a medic walked up to the women.

"Hello ladies," he said. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Meilin answered. Sakura nodded as she tried to calm herself down.

"I'm going to examine you both just in case, is that okay with you?"

"Examine her first," the Chinese woman said, nudging over at Sakura. "She's pregnant."

"How far along?" the medic asked.

"Three months," Sakura replied. The medic put his hand on her belly.

"Any pains?"

"No."

He flashed a light in her eyes. "I'll have a nurse examine you shortly."

Sakura held her arm, nodding. "Okay." It would be days before she would see Syaoran or her family alive again.

The Pain of Waiting