Chapter 5

We're approaching a home. It looks like a farm. There are hundreds of people outside of it. I can't help but smile with relief as I walk up, seeing families, couples- survivors. There are people alone too, like me. When we approach a piece of wood and they gesture for me to sit down, I turn, grabbing both of them. Wrapping my arms around them, I blink away the pain from my ribs in order to thank them, over and over again, hoping they will understand what I'm saying. I let go and realize they did. They smile, nodding and turn. I watch them walk away, back the way they came with me, in search for more survivors. I continue to look until they disappear through the trees, knowing they saved my life. I take a seat, leaning back, hoping to get some weight off of my ribs. A woman then makes her way over to me. I can see she's native. She's probably the owner of this house. She has a pen and pad in hand. Bending down, she examines me. "Hello. Name, please." She holds out the pad and I nod, taking it. I scribble my name onto the paper, looking down at the others by it. Tristan's isn't here. I bite my lip and hand it back, grabbing her hand. "Is Tristan- Tristan Maddox here?" She goes through the pages silently and then looks up, shaking her head. I nod as she turns making her way to the couple next to me. I stare, unable to turn away, as a group of people hold down a man, screaming. His bone is sticking out of his leg. It's a long process as they pick him up and set him on a plank, taking him to a vehicle which I'm guessing will take him to a hospital. I feel a droplet of sweat fall down my forehead and quickly raise my hand to swipe it away. Red liquid covers my fingers and scared, I wipe the blood on the bottom of my dress. I watch people for hours, wondering silently what happened to them. Where they were when the tsunami arrived. There are others like me who I can tell are searching for someone but they don't come. The men begin returning with bodies, having not found anyone alive. I watch as a woman stands shakily from the ground, recognizing one man they bring in. He's dead. I look away, throat tight as she begins to scream, falling down next to his body. A young boy comes by with water, which I drink within seconds, never knowing water to taste this good. Everything happens in a blur. I lose track of how long I sit, completely unmoving. It becomes dark. Fires are lit so they can see the people that are sick and injured. They've stopped looking for now, unable to see in the dark so I come to terms with the fact that Tristan is out somewhere and I hope- I just have to hope he isn't alive because I don't want to think of him suffering all night with no one. I pray to god that isn't the case. I picture him in my mind, his smile as he pushed my hair from my face, his bare body settled on mine in the twisted sheets. The room smelled musky and sweet, do to the lavender incense lit. I can still feel his hair beneath my fingers, soft and wavy. I've never had a man effect me so passionately and now he's gone... I wish I had told him how beautiful he was. I wish I hadn't pushed him away this morning. My body sways, exhausted but I don't want to lay down. I don't want to sleep. My sore bones win in the end and I settle myself down against the wood, leaning my head against the hard log. My hair, now one large mass of knots, crinkles as I try to lift my cheek to relieve the uncomforting nerve pain in my skull. I don't resurface until I feel a hand on my shoulder. Opening my eyes, I look up at the woman who took my name before. The sun is rising, lighting up the trees around the farm. She bends down, looking at my stomach. I gasp slightly as she presses her hand lightly to my abdomen, nodding. "Broken?" "Y-Yes." My voice is hoarse. "We- will move you to truck now." "Where- Where am I going?" "Hospital." "Oh." She reaches down, grabbing my hand. "Oh, now. Okay." I rise up onto my feet, hearing my bones crack in resistance. I smile softly to her as we walk slowly to the truck. There are probably fifteen other people on the back of it, huddled closely. I settle myself down next to a little dark-haired boy and watch as they close the trunk next to my knee. I rub my eyes, feeling as though I didn't sleep at all. The truck starts, creaking forward due to the massive weight of bodies holding down the back of the pickup. As we move down the road, I stare out behind me, unsure of what happens now. I don't have a license, an id... my passport- everything is gone. I haven't been able to call my brother. He's probably thinking I'm dead... my boss too. How do I get out of here? How do I get back to the United States? I'm completely alone. I feel my split lip beneath my fingers, shaking my head. The land is thick with green, as far as my eyes can see. I gasp each time we go over a bump, clutching my stomach. People are sitting on the side of the road,waiting for something- I don't know what. Some are walking- I don't know where.I grasp the side of the van, squinting in disbelief as my eyes catch a hint of blue fabric a waysdown in the forest of trees.