The Earth shook, one thunderous
boom after another sent seismic waves throughout the area. My eyes would focus
on one falling building before losing sight only to regain the vision of
crumbling walls. Sounds swam in and out of my consciousness, voices, screams
and gentle whispers. I couldn’t feel the sun on my skin anymore. The darkness
churned inside me, restless, but unable to break free.
My
throat felt dry. I tried to swallow, but my tonsils were so swollen that only a
rasp of air made it through. I summoned up as much saliva as I could and gulped
it down only to choke. A coughing fit took hold of me and I clutched at my neck
in pain.
I
felt a hand on my back and instinctively shied away from it. Where was I? It
was dark and the ground I was lying on was freezing. I barked out the last
remnants of air left within my lungs and inhaled deeply through my nose. The
hand returned to stroke my back and I shrugged it off before rolling over. I
was expecting to see stars, or feel a breeze on my skin, but a decaying ceiling
stared back at me sending wafts of mould to overwhelm my senses.