The Countdown!

Ayid barely makes it to the main city because of the chaos and the earthquakes which made it difficult for him to run without always falling to the ground.

"Come on kid, let's go", the stranger accompanying said each time he fell behind.

*Go where though? In all this commotion?* Ayid thought, wondering if finding a safe place to hide was the better option. Yet, he decided to put a little faith in the stranger, who had already proven helpful in avoiding the stampede.

"Where exactly are we going?!" Ayid yelled, his voice barely audible over the cries of the terrified civilians. The stranger didn't respond, just kept running. Ayid repeated the question, but the stranger's silence was deafening.

Ayid's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with questions. *What was the stranger hiding?* Why wouldn't he answer?

As they ran, Ayid glanced up at the sky and let out a gasp of pure terror. The vortex had intensified, its force so powerful it was lifting cars, chunks of buildings, and even people into the air. Ayid's heart raced as he watched, frozen in horror. The stranger yanked him forward, pulling him back into a run.

Ayid's phone buzzed in his pocket, a reminder of the call he'd missed earlier. But amidst the chaos, he doubted anyone would hear him even if he tried to answer. The desperation around him was palpable, and he felt a mixture of disgust and pity as he watched people trampled each other, their faces twisted in fear and panic in their bid for survival.

Ayid's gaze landed on a little girl, no older than six, wandering aimlessly through the crowd. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her small face etched with fear. Her parents must have abandoned her in their panic. He felt a surge of anger and frustration, his mind racing with questions. Why would anyone leave their child behind ? What kind of people were they?

"Hey, kid!" Ayid shouted, trying to get her attention. But she just kept walking, her eyes fixed on some point in the distance. Ayid tried to run up to her, but the stranger's grip held him back like a vice. "Let me go!" Ayid protested, struggling to break free. "I need to help her!"

The stranger's expression was unyielding, his voice cold. "Are you crazy, kid? What are you trying to do? Be a hero? You can't save anyone if you can't even save yourself."

Ayid's anger boiled over, and he glared at the stranger, his eyes blazing with fury. "How can you say that? She's just a little girl, and you're suggesting we leave her behind?" .

"You don't understand, we really need to...".

Yanking his hand free, Ayid yelled back, "Shut up! How can you be so cruel? You're supposed to be the adult here!"

Ayid wasn't going to back down, his eyes locked on the little girl, determined to save her.

The little girl's sobs echoed through the chaos as she wandered aimlessly, her tiny feet carrying her unknowingly into the path of destruction. She stumbled into the road, her gaze fixed on some distant point, oblivious to the danger hurtling towards her. A truck barreled down the street, its driver blinded by his own desperation to escape, unaware of the tiny figure in his path. Time seemed to slow as the driver's eyes met the little girl's, both pairs widening in horror as they realized the inevitable. "Momma..." she whispered, her tears streaming down her face.

Ayid sprinted into the road, his eyes fixed on the little girl. With a swift motion, he scooped her up in his arms, spinning her away from the truck's deadly path. Together, they dove towards the sidewalk, Ayid using his body to shield her as they fell to the ground. The truck sped by, its tires screeching in a blur, the driver never once slowing down.

Ayid cradled the little girl in his arms, ignoring the excruciating pain he felt as he landed roughly to the ground. His heart was racing with fear. "Hey, it's okay, you're safe now," he whispered, trying to comfort her. "Where are your parents? Are they around here somewhere?"

The little girl sniffled, her eyes wide with terror. "I...I don't know," she stammered. "I got lost...Momma was holding my hand, but then...then I couldn't find her..."

Ayid's expression softened, his eyes filled with empathy. "It's okay, we'll find her, I promise."

Just then, the stranger who had been with Ayid earlier appeared, his face etched with concern. "Hey, are you two okay?!"

Ayid nodded, still cradling the little girl. "Yeah, we're good. But we need to find her parents. She's lost."

The stranger's expression turned grim. "Let's keep moving. We need to get out of here before things get worse."

As they navigated the chaotic streets, a piercing alarm blared through the city, echoing off the skyscrapers. The billboards, usually displaying vibrant advertisements, flickered and malfunctioned, replaced by urgent messages scrolling across their screens. Ayid's eyes darted towards the nearest billboard, his pace slowing momentarily as he read the headline: "ALL CITIZENS, PROCEED TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY FOR SAFETY."

"What's going on?" Ayid asked the stranger, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why do we need to go to the east side?"

The stranger's expression turned grim. "I don't know, kid. But if it guarantees our safety, that's where we're heading."

Ayid's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with questions.

As they continued their journey, the alarm grew louder, and the billboards' messages became more insistent, urging citizens to seek refuge in the east. Ayid's sense of unease deepened as he noticed a timer appeared on the screen, counting down from 10 minutes.

"What's the timer for?" Ayid asked, his eyes fixed on the screen. "What will happen after ten minutes?"

The stranger's expression was tense. "I don't know, but we need to keep moving."

Ayid's eyes widened with each passing second. And then, it hit him. He came to a sudden stop, startling the little girl who was dozing off on his back.

"What is it this time?" the stranger inquired, irritation evident in his tone.

Ayid's voice was urgent. "I need to go back".

"What?!",

"I need to go back!", Ayid repeated, his firm gaze meeting the stranger's.