11. Flood.
MANDY MAHARI.
"George!" Mandy called.
"You yelled, miss?" George asked.
"Yes, and don't condescend."
"I would never." George said, planting the tray on the table before her. "You still haven't told me exactly what you will do."
"I don't know," she sighed. "I'm hoping we can find out together."
"When do the others arrive?" he asked, clearly impatient.
"Don't be excited, you won't be joining us.."
"But miss…"
"I'll call you when we're done." she finalised.
"I don't like the tone you're taking." he stood up tall. "I can still discipline you, you know."
She rolled her eyes as a response and he left. They would face off another time, currently, she had a lot on her mind. The book was locked safely within her house. The others trickled into the gazebo slowly. All remaining quiet and none touching the snacks that George had slaved over. Maybe they were unsure if it was even food or some fancy table dressing.
Last to arrive were Steve and Josh. Steve looked pale and the hand that Josh was offering seemed necessary. His under eyes were dark and sunken. She could hear his labored breathing from where she was. All the others were frozen in place. Paralyzed by questions. Mandy saw Adam scooch over and Steve sat next to him. She guessed Steve was too tired to remember their not so secret beef.
"You look like shit." Mia said.
"A...are you ok… kay?"
"Yes BB." Steve said softly.
"As you can see," she started, seeing that everyone was about to explode. "We need to talk. Yesterday, something happened..."
"You went back for the book." Adam interrupted.
"Yes." she said. "I couldn't just leave it there."
"I went there under different circumstances." Steve joined. Everyone around fell silent. "Something flew me to the library. A blue energy."
"Like the light from the book?" Adam asked.
"Yes and no. I don't know."
"Point is we both were there at the same time." Mandy said, stopping Steve.
"Just glossing over the flying bit? Okay." Lyricized Mia.
"We were in the car when I started feeling sick."
"Having taken the book." Adam interrupted.
"Yes Davis, we already established that." Josh snapped.
"Anyway," Steve continued. "I started feeling weird. I honestly thought I was dying. Everything around me disappeared: Mia, George, the car. All I could see was the book floating with me in nothing but empty black space. I could see faded images on it's pages. Some were so blurry I couldn't make it out. I felt my eyes burning just to see."
"What did you see?" Beth asked what they were all thinking.
"Bad things, Beth."
"Could you be more specific?" Mandy finally asked.
"Well the images that I could see were horrible. At first the pages flipped so quickly but it finally came to the later pages. I think it has to do with the missing ships." Steve paused.
"I k… knew it wasn't n..normal." BB said, upset.
"Well let's not get carried away." she interjected. She didn't want them messing up in all that weird shit. After seeing it for herself in that car, she knew Steve wasn't lying. She also knew that oftentimes, the truth wasn't worth knowing.
"You think I'm lying?" Steve asked, offended.
"No, I mean that we keep our heads straight."
"It wasn't a dream, Mandy! You were there. Unless we were all on crack!" was Steve's rebuttale. "I could see ships being dragged off-course and into the sea. Dead bodies washing up on shore…"
"Wait, did you say dead bodies?" Adam interrupted.
"Yes, why?"
"A few have been found washing up along the beach." Josh added.
"Well that's not the worst of it." Steve added, accompanied by a groan from Ben at Mandy's side. "In the vision, a huge tsunami hit the coastline."
"This is all too much, I don't know." she said, imagining the book in a safe at home. It was chilling to even imagine.
"Well the book also gave me a solution. We're the ones to stop these things from happening." Steve almost whispered.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she exclaimed.
"We're the solution. I saw it. The seven of us."
"Holy mother of…" Mia said, her eyes set to the sea. Mandy turned behind to see the worst sight she ever had.
A mountain of water rose a few scores out into the sea. It reached near heaven, rolling menacingly towards them. A top the giant wave, a cargo ship was being tossed like a paper boat. Other large vessels also tumbled in its wake. Screams erupted from beach goers around them. Scampering around like they could out run it. Mandy turned to hear Steve mumble something.
"Beware the signs."
"Come on everyone!" Mandy belted at the top of her lungs. Calling the sun-soakers' attention. "There is a tsunami room at the Cabana."
Everyone under her voice rushed into the building. Bodies piled against bodies. Stragglers were trampled and mothers were torn from their children. The crowd was a singular moving mass but beyond them, she could see a small group.
It was a young family of five. They were running to their jeep, a toddler in their arms. She knew they'd never drive fast enough. She ran through the sand like mad. Her slippers sank and she left them behind, yelling for them to turn around and go with her. They wouldn't listen.
"Please, you'll never make it. Just come with me!"
Her cries were ignored as the father turned on the engine. She yelled some more, the sound of the waters now somewhere behind her. Someone grabbed her from behind. It was George. He lifted her over his shoulder and ran towards the closing door. All she could look at was the small child's head as the jeep turned to leave. It was still a frenzy to get in. She had no idea if everyone would make it inside.