Tsunami

by Benton, W. R.

  “They have so many volunteers now they are turning people away and keeping many from working. They are working them in one hour shifts. They are sending volunteers downtown to help them police the mess and pull people from the rubble. No, they don't need help.” pulling the chain from his van he moved to Dan's RV and connected to the frame of the heavy vehicle. He then placed the chain on the ground and backed his van close enough to hook the chain onto his tow bar.

  “I need you to watch the chain and when it is tight, let me know. Then, I'll need you to place your RV in neutral, so I can pull it forward. Once the chain is tight, you'll not roll back into the hole.”

  Five minutes later, the RV was sitting on the parking lot and Dan was breathing a whole lot better. He knew without the RV times would turn especially rough.

  Suddenly the ground felt like it fell and the movement was followed by the fierce hard rocking of an aftershock as it moved through the area. The earth’s movement brought many screams of panic. Dan moved quickly to his family and held them close until the movement stopped, about five minutes later.

  As soon as the movement quit, Dan turned toward the newsman and yelled out, “Thank you for your help. I'm getting out of here and finding us a field to sleep in.”

  The newsman waved and then made his way toward the collapsed store.

  “Where to?” June said as she started the RV.

  “Head south on highway 63 for about eight miles. Then we'll take a right in Vida. I want us away from everyone. Once in Vida, I'll drive to our new location. Will you take over driving? I'm very tired. I haven't been to sleep in almost 48 hours. I no sooner got home after a long flight and then this happened. To be honest, I'm too scared to be too sleepy, maybe.”

  “I can drive, while you can rest or sleep. I know you've been awake a long time and I think your last sleep was probably on an Air Force aircraft.”

  Grinning, Dan asked, “Do you know where Vida is?”

  “I've never been there, or seen it as far as I know.”

  “Remember the old store I point out every time we drive back home to visit? It's the old feedlot and grocery store.”

  “Sure, I remember it. I never saw a sign with a name on it though. That's Vida? Not much there is there? I remember, maybe, six houses.”

  “Right there, just after the store, you turn right. Then stay on the road for about six miles maybe and we'll come to a river and on the other side is a big field. I hauled a lot of freshly bailed hay out of there with my Uncle Bill. We will park the RV in the center of that huge field.”

  “Does it have a gate?” June asked as she began pulled out of the parking lot and onto highway 63 south. As she was driving she found the road was in terrible shape, with potholes, and high ridges where the asphalt had been pushed together. She passed businesses and homes in flames and knew much of Rolla would be gone by dawn.

  “No, no gate, and his barn is within the fence. I have bolt cutters with us, so I can cut the fence and then pull the RV in. Once inside the place, I'll repair the fence.”

  “Lot of cows there?”

  “Not the last time I was there, but that must have been five years ago, when we came here for mom's funeral. Dave and I went trout fishing near the bridge.”

  “Do you think the bridge is safe to drive over, since the quakes are so forceful and hard?”

  “I will decide that once we are there and I look things over, but I'll drive over it, not you.”

  “Oh? Why not me? Is it because I'm a woman?”

  “No, it's because you are the woman I love. Men are to take the risks and the woman is to help him as needed. I really don't expect the bridge to be totally safe, even if it looks safe. I'm sure the quakes have caused some cracks and shifting, so I don't want to risk you, okay?”

  “I will drive over the bridge and you can stay near the water, to pull me from the RV if the bridge collapses as I move.” She met his eyes for a second and added, “See, I love you too and don't want you taking the risk alone either.”

  “Deal, I guess. If you change your mind, just let me know.”

  She was driving slowly on the road and at times had to swerve to avoid holes, asphalt ridges or fallen trees. In one case a power line was across the road and she gathered up speed and was over it in a split second. Then she discovered the road twisted with the asphalt turned high to the left and then the right. “This reminds me of wringing out a wash cloth, all the twists.”

  “See the gaps in the dirt beside the road? It may be the ground under the macadam surface is missing and we'll find holes. Pick up your speed a little bit and try to charge through. I am hoping nothing tries to swallows us.”

  “I don't like this!” Carol said. She was in the back, sitting at dining table. Dave was opposite her and while he didn't look nervous, Dan knew he was.

  “We have little choice. If we're around others, with all the weapons and food we have, sooner or later, once the stores close or empty of goods, someone will try take what is ours. By being alone out here, well, we might live longer.”

  Carol asked, “Do you really think things will get that bad, Dad?”

  “Yes, I do. I think the asteroid changed this nation in ways we cannot imagine right now. California is gone, along with all the weird people that lived there.”

  “Honey, not all of them were strange. Alice, you know her, lives in California, or did. I'm not sure what has happened to her now. She was a down to earth woman, married, three kids and her husband was an engineer with the state. I need to try and call her in a day or so.”

  “I suspect the only calls you'll be able to make are to people who have suffered little damage. You can be sure anyone within 200 or 300 miles of the ocean won't answer. I also suspect the towers may be down, a great deal of static electricity was generated by the impact of the asteroid on solid ground, and a storm will form, but not bringing rain, but dense dust. It’ll take time for us to get there, but once in place, it'll shut down whatever we have working at the time.”

  “Wow, dust, I never thought of that. Okay, we're through that stretch of twisted road. The road it turning to gravel, is that normal?”

  “Yep, the last mile or so is on a dirt road.”

  “Dad,” Dave said from the bedroom of the RV, “the sky behind us is turning brown.”

  “Brown?”

  “Dark brown.”

  “June, at the next road, turn left and on top of the hill turn right. Pull into some trees there and we'll wait out the storm.”

  June looked at him quickly and then asked, “Storm? A brown storm?”

  “I think Missouri is about to have it's first heavy dust storm in history. Once you stop, close everything in the RV, as I cover the engine and front of us with a tarp. If dust enters the engine, we'll go nowhere and fast.”

  “Is this the road coming up?” June asked and Dan noticed her voice was a little higher.

  “Yep turn here. Then a right at the top of the hill.”

  “Dave, has the storm changed any?”

  “Nope still the same. You sure it’s dust?”

  “I'd bet my life on it. See, that asteroid struck all of the state of California and part of other states too. It struck so hard that it's likely the asteroid broke up on impact.”

  Dave blinked rapidly and then said, “So, I would expect that to happen.”

  “Son, remember that is the same rock that two atomic bombs could not destroy.”

  “Crap, man. We're in some serious trouble then.”

  “Yes, son, we are.” Dan said and then continued, “This dust storm may last a day or a week. We need to camp in the trees, just to keep the wind off us.”

  June asked, “What wind?”

  The winds with this storm, I suspect, will be gale storm type winds. I also suspect they'll be between 40 and 80 miles an hour. I just hope this asteroid didn't cause a lot of weather changes like it did when an asteroid struck during the dinosaur period or we're in big trouble.”

  “Why?” Mary
asked.

  David replied, “The last big asteroid to strike the earth killed off most of the Dinosaurs and only left a few alive, like gators and some snakes and birds. Everything else died. The clouds and dust storms blotted out the sun and things started to die.”

  Dave asked, “What about the people then?”

  “Science has no proof humans walked on the earth at that time.” June said.

  “I'm getting scared. Humans are here now, so what do we do?”

  “We fight for our lives if we have to do the job. I'm not a quitter.” Dan said.

  “Did you feel that?” June asked.

  “No, I guess not. What did you feel?”

  “The winds made the RV rock a little.” June stood, walked the window and looking out she spotted the tree limbs rocking. “I think the winds you spoke of are here.”

  There came a sound like small pebbles striking the RV and Dan said, “The dust and debris is here. Close the curtains on all the windows and lower the blinds. Son, help me use duct tape on all the windows and doors. If we don't, sand will be in everything.”

  About ten minutes later, done with the tape, there was a loud crash, followed by a bang, and a tree fell behind the RV. Dan noticed it was blocking their main way out, and once the storm was over, he'd be forced to exit using an emergency window.

  I'll worry about getting out after the storm passes and that could be days, he thought.

  June made use of their time and made everyone sandwiches, with potato chips, and leftover baked beans. They had cold root beer to wash it all down. Dan refused to eat, because he wanted to search for openings that allowed the wind blown sand to enter the RV.

  June then put a movie on that came from a collection of about 150 movies she had in the RV. Most were old movies they'd taped in happier times. As the kids ate, Dan walked around the inside looking for leaks around windows and doors. He found none, but he'd learned during his first tour in Iraq that a sandstorm was serious business. He noticed after every storm, sand and dirt would be found in clothing, food, and even areas supposedly safe from all kinds of storms. He hated it in his food and if anything was left uncovered, even for just a minute or so, sand would find a way to ruin his meal. That was the real reason he was not eating lunch with everyone else.

  Dan turned the TV on but all he got was snow and he knew the storm was blocking his television reception. Sand storms were hard on communications. He remembered during the war they were often out of touch with other units, and even headquarters because of the blowing sand. I'll give the radio a check and see if we can pick up an AM or FM station, he thought.

  “June, see if you can pickup a radio station in this storm. I know there is one less than 10 miles from here and we should be able to pick it up. I think it's at 1439.2 AM.”

  He sat beside Mary and put his left arm around her neck. He knew she was terrified and there was nothing he could do, except what he was doing, keeping his family together and alive. She was pretending to read a book, but she would remember little of her reading in an hour or so.

  Voices and music was heard in short spurts as June twisted the dial on her radio to find the station. Finally, she stopped at 1439.2 and a voice said, “And now for the local weather report, I take you to Bill Williams downtown Rolla, Bill?”

  “Good day, Harry. I'm standing here on the granite and marble stone in front of the city library and looking at what is left of the town. It no longer looks as it did just three days ago. The town has been savagely struck with one horrifying emergency after another. Earlier today we experienced a series of severe earthquakes that were around 8.7 on a Richter scale, the strongest quakes in Missouri history. The first quake destroyed many homes and business in the Rolla area. The interstate highway and secondary roads rolled and folded like hot taffy, leaving many a motorist stranded.

  Harry, we had four quakes, not just one today. But few, if any, noticed the separation or beginning and ending of the individual quakes. Many people were killed when buildings collapsed and others died in the fires that immediately followed, caused by leaking gas. Emergency Response Teams, sent here by order of FEMA and the Governor, have estimated at least half of the city’s population died earlier today with the first quake. As many as two or three thousand may have died in the resulting fires, which usually started with an explosion, which killed most of the fatalities. Escaping city gas was often ignited by something as simple as a pilot light on a stove or water heater. Everyone is working feverishly to pull wounded and dead people from destroyed buildings and homes.”

  “Bill, do they have a central location for separated folks to meet or leave notes for loved ones?”

  “Harry, Bubba McLauran, Sheriff of Phelps County, told me not an hour ago, that all survivors need to contact or go to the Rolla High School gym as soon as they are able. They have a bulletin board up where people can leave messages for friends and loved ones. He has made the gym his operations center and the floor of the gym is being used by many to sleep. The newly built gym was constructed earlier this year and incorporated the latest structural features to survive earthquakes, up to 10.0 or so. I got that information from Sheriff 'Bubba' McLauran. Bubba stated they are not equipped to handle survivors in large numbers, but he's been in contact with FEMA and they have food and beds coming. The problem is they'll need to get all supplies for us by air and not by road.”

  “How bad are our roads, Bill?”

  “Local and state authorities estimate at least 350,000 roads are not usable, 28,000 bridges are not serviceable and are considered unsafe. Those figures are for Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Iowa and Oklahoma. The bridges crossing the Mississippi near Memphis have all been closed and declared unsafe for even light human traffic. The numbers and statistics from Kansas and Tennessee are not available yet. Now, add to those figures ruptured gas and oil pipelines through the state and you have an idea of how much work needs to be done. I was told 3,500 FEMA teams are now on scene or inbound to cities and towns damaged. Of course, big cites, like Saint Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Jefferson City, are many time worst than Rolla. Saint Louis alone is reporting over a million deaths from the quakes and the surge of water from the Mississippi. The river surged with 100 foot waves, something we've never seen before and some residents have reported the river ran backward for almost 30 minutes following the surge. Authorities promise to keep me updated and when I get more information, I will report it to you.

  This is Bill Williams, bringing the hottest news to your living room, from Rolla's favorite radio station, 1439.2 AM. Now, back to you, Harry.”

  “In other news, DOW Jones hit rock bottom today as the news of the asteroid striking California was made public. Experts claim we are facing another depression, perhaps rougher than the one experienced in the 1930s. One expert, who requests to remain anonymous, told us that it was just a matter of time before the stock exchange closed for good. Folks are no longer interested in stocks when their very lives are in danger. Scientists give a bleak future for all of us and some have predicted that our nation, the United States of America will collapse, within six months.”

  “Not good at all.” Dan said and shook his head.

  “In other news today, authorities are reporting worldwide damages and deaths from the Tsunami and it may never be known exactly how many people perished in this disaster. The reports I have seen stated that land masses on all coasts world over have been swept away and for a good 200 to 300 miles inland. A report from Florida indicated most of the state is now underwater, deep water. England is in dire need of assistance, with over 80% of the nation’s land gone, and 90% of the population killed or missing. Authorities there blame the tsunami for most of the deaths, with severe earthquakes killing the remainder.

  Be sure to join us at 1439.2 AM for our hourly news reports, which during the current emergency we will now report twice an hour, and we'll keep you updated by news breaks, if needed. We are committed to getting the word out to you and assisting FEMA by passing
on important information to you and your family.

  This is Harry Wilson and we now return to our normally scheduled music with Randy Moss and his daily hits from the fifties. Randy?”

  “Harry, right now I have a song that topped the billboard in 1956, 'The End of the Story,' by the Cardinals. Be sure to tune in to 1439.2 AM to catch my Groovy Fifties music for two hours daily. Now relax and let's listen to the Cardinals.”

  June turned the radio off.

  “Dad, the sand storm seems to be losing some of it's force.” Mary said from the rear bedroom window. Dan noticed she still had the book in her hand.

  “Dan, you need to eat something. How about at least a sandwich?” June asked.

  “Yeah, I guess I should. I've been considering moving into a cave, which I like the idea of, but I fear it collapsing on us in another hard earthquake.”

  “Oh, I don't like that idea at all. I don't trust anything over my head, except this RV right now. Maybe later after the quakes stop or at least aren't as bad as they are now. I can't believe most of Rolla is gone.”

  “They can build the town back, but the loss of life will cut into my family line at some point. It seems I'm kin to most of the town.”

  “I've thought of that too.” she handed him a ham sandwich and then said, “Here, eat this and there is more if you want some.”

  “This is fine.”

  “Dad, come quick, the sand storm has stopped.” Dave yelled from the bedroom window. Dan saw Mary sleeping on the bed beside him.

  Making his way to the window, he asked, “Is the sky clear, Dave?”

  “Nothing in the sky, except blue. I see sand on everything out there now. It must be two inches thick. Brown snow is what it looks like, Dad.”

  “Okay, son. Grab your ski goggles and let's go take a look.”

  Chapter 5

  The winds had blown the sand into everything and the sky was still slightly dark brown due to trapped dust, smoke from fires, and the sand storm. Both put their ski goggles on and looked the camper over first. There was sand 3 or 4 feet high blown against the back of the vehicle, and Dan knew it would have to be cleared before they could leave. Sand was in the grasses and even the leaves of trees.