Short Story
The room was pitched black. She scrambled to find her baby.
Her one-bedroom apartment, on the ground floor of the three-storeyed building was a mess. The earthquake was swift and angry. She couldn't find her child's crib nor was there a cry from anywhere. Broken concrete scattered everywhere. A small light from a street lamp seeped through an opening in the wall.
The small but densely populated town lay on the edge of the Manchu river. The residents of this town were mostly farmers. Most eked out a living from the plots of land that were available in this mountainous region. Some counted on tourist who escaped there to view the majestic river and the cheap hotel fares. Tourists bought trinkets that some traders were able to extract from the mountains.
The young woman was alone. She lost her husband before her two-month-old child was born. The father had gone to the mountains but was found dead after a two-day search. Her hair had only concrete dust. Her eyes were blood red now from tears and fear. She managed to find a small space on the floor where she squatted and waited for help. She didn't know the time. She waited for what seemed like eternity. The building creaked. It was an aftershock. The little light that seeped through earlier was no longer there. The hole was blocked. More powdery, grey matter filled the room. Her hair was more disheveled.
A few more hours passed. Then a sudden knock on the wall was heard. One voice asked if anyone was there. She muttered in the affirmative. The knock and the enquiry became louder. She strained her acknowledgement of her presence. The gentle tap on the wall became louder as her rescuers sought to find a path to her. A small opening appeared. She realised it was daylight. The crew worked quickly to reach her. They pulled her lithe frame out of the small opening. She started crying. The crew tried to console her and advised she sit in a vehicle nearby. She refused. They were puzzled. She pointed to the wreck she had just emerged from. The rescuers asked her to explain. She shouted,"My baby!"
The team created a larger opening and plunged into the area. A few minutes later one member came out with the infant cuddled in his hand. She rushed and grabbed her child. She wiped the debris from its face and kissed her baby. The rescuers nervously looked on. One medic examined the child and realised he was dead.
They gave her the sad news. She wailed and wailed before collapsing on the ground. The medical team sped mother and deceased child away.
© Wallace Paul May, 2024.
The room was pitched black. She scrambled to find her baby.
Her one-bedroom apartment, on the ground floor of the three-storeyed building was a mess. The earthquake was swift and angry. She couldn't find her child's crib nor was there a cry from anywhere. Broken concrete scattered everywhere. A small light from a street lamp seeped through an opening in the wall.
The small but densely populated town lay on the edge of the Manchu river. The residents of this town were mostly farmers. Most eked out a living from the plots of land that were available in this mountainous region. Some counted on tourist who escaped there to view the majestic river and the cheap hotel fares. Tourists bought trinkets that some traders were able to extract from the mountains.
The young woman was alone. She lost her husband before her two-month-old child was born. The father had gone to the mountains but was found dead after a two-day search. Her hair had only concrete dust. Her eyes were blood red now from tears and fear. She managed to find a small space on the floor where she squatted and waited for help. She didn't know the time. She waited for what seemed like eternity. The building creaked. It was an aftershock. The little light that seeped through earlier was no longer there. The hole was blocked. More powdery, grey matter filled the room. Her hair was more disheveled.
A few more hours passed. Then a sudden knock on the wall was heard. One voice asked if anyone was there. She muttered in the affirmative. The knock and the enquiry became louder. She strained her acknowledgement of her presence. The gentle tap on the wall became louder as her rescuers sought to find a path to her. A small opening appeared. She realised it was daylight. The crew worked quickly to reach her. They pulled her lithe frame out of the small opening. She started crying. The crew tried to console her and advised she sit in a vehicle nearby. She refused. They were puzzled. She pointed to the wreck she had just emerged from. The rescuers asked her to explain. She shouted,"My baby!"
The team created a larger opening and plunged into the area. A few minutes later one member came out with the infant cuddled in his hand. She rushed and grabbed her child. She wiped the debris from its face and kissed her baby. The rescuers nervously looked on. One medic examined the child and realised he was dead.
They gave her the sad news. She wailed and wailed before collapsing on the ground. The medical team sped mother and deceased child away.
© Wallace Paul May, 2024.