The Desolation of Light

Prologue

                "Hurry! The tsunami's coming!! You have to keep running and don't stop," A shadowy figure shouted as he rushed past, sliding along the slippery planks of the pier. Bitter rain and hail pelted down from above, and the loud crash of thunder rumbled overhead. With a violent jolt, more water cascaded over the small wall onto the street. Nearby, a few people screamed as they were swept away.

                 Along the pier, nothing else was visible but the storm-dark sky and the massive wave of water closing in from the distance. Lightning forked through the air, briefly illuminating the scene before shrouding it in darkness once more.

          There the three men stood huddled against the pounding rain as they stacked sandbag after sandbag along the narrow pier and streets. Their movements were slow and purposeful, like those knowing they were going to die. The man who had spoken, turned. "Hurry, there's no time!"

          "But what about you Papa?" the little girl screamed. "I won't leave without you! Please come with me!"

          "I'll follow you soon. Run as quickly as you can. Head for the Bell Tower!"

         "Papa!"

        "Go! I'll be alright." The sad smile on his face nearly broke her heart, but she knew she needed to go.

          Without a word, she turned and started running, fighting the urge to run back to him and cling to him, never to let go.

                 "Don't look back! Never look back!"

                Those were the last words from him she ever heard.

         

          Waves were washing violently along the shore before slamming and breaking against the houses and streets. Water spilled over the low wall, flooding the roads with pools nearly knee-deep. It sloshed against her legs and soaked into her dress as she ran. The weight of it forced her to slow down. Her heart was racing violently and her lungs were burning; but she couldn't stop. She had to keep going.

          Thunder rumbled even more violently as she raced towards the road. She was nearly there when she tripped and tumbled into the water. Suddenly she couldn't breathe. Loose debris battered her aside, while more waves slammed down on top of her.

        No! With hands thrown wide in search of something to grab onto, she made contact with the side of a crate and used the wooden boards to pull herself up. Her head broke the surface only seconds later.

        Crash! Another wave smashed into her side, knocking the air out of her. She collapsed on top of the box, and both were sent spinning further through the racing currents that filled the road. As the rapids swirled faster and faster below her, the box gave a violent lurch and pitched her off into the torrents below.

        She screamed, coughing when salt water filled her mouth and her arms swung wildly in the waves. Once she had been able to swim, but panic and desperation made her movements clumsy. The icy gale lashed brutally against her. Debris, and even people, battered her at every turn. Her fingers searched the water frantically, but caught nothing.

        With violent force, she was flung sideways against a building where she crumpled on top of a broken fruit stand. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. I'm going to die here. I'm going to die here. I'm going to die, her brain chanted like a prayer. She didn't want to die, but her limbs we're so heavy.

        But her father's words still rang in her ear: "Run! Quickly! Head for the Bell Tower." and with a faint moan, she forced herself to sit up. Below her swirled the violent rapids in their mad dash to reach the other side of the alley. But beyond that she could see the Bell Tower. This was the only way through. Already she had made it more than halfway. She could do this.