To Fly Free: Resolve

Chapter 27 - Earthquake

Notes:

Here it is! Sorry for the wait!

"Everyone take cover beneath the tables!" Coach Ukai's voice could be heard yelling even as everyone was already moving to do so. The tremors were picking up, rumbling violently though the earth and causing the building to creak dangerously.

Everyone squished together underneath the round cafeteria tables, hands holding each table leg to keep them in place as the earthquake threw the world around them off balance.

Shoyo pressed up against Oikawa and met his gaze briefly, their fingers intertwining and holding tight. Then Shoyo's eyes traveled across the room as their trays and plates began crashing to the ground, the sound of glass shattering, and pots and pans clanging came from the kitchen. It was getting worse by the second. Shoyo's heart thundered harshly in his chest like it was trying to break free and his head throbbed in pain at the shaking and the noise. The ground beneath them felt unstable as it shook, like it would give out any minute.

Shoyo jumped when the first light fixture fell from the ceiling crashing down onto the floor along with crumbling dust. He shut his eyes tight for a moment, trying to calm his breathing as he fought to ground himself somehow. His eyes shot open again when he heard another great rumble and part of the ceiling caved in near the door leading directly outdoors, blocking their immediate exit. He coughed and surveyed the rest of the room as the rumbling continued. It was hard to see much with all the dust flying about, and the constant vibrations from the ground, but he could just make out a few of the other tables. He would give anything to be able to fly above all this right now.

He squinted as he finally found the table he was looking for. Kindaichi Hana sat uncomfortably underneath the table with the coaches. She was clutching at her stomach and had squeezed her eyes shut. Her breathing was heavy and she looked to be in pain. Shoyo's eyes widened briefly at the sight, before squinting again as the dust dried out his eyes. He kept his gaze glued on her as the building shook and took note of every wince and flinch. He saw every time she clutched at her belly a little tighter, and how each second that passed, her expression became more and more panicked.

The earthquake couldn't have lasted longer than half a minute, but it felt like an hour. An hour of clutching on to each other and desperately trying to cough the dust out of their lungs, to no avail. When the tremors finally settled and they were left in silence, save for the coughing, Coach Irihata's voice called out. "Everyone stay where you are! We need to wait at least sixty seconds to make sure the earth and building have both settled!" He directed.

Shoyo kept his eyes on Kindaichi, watching as she startled, gasping a bit and clutched at her stomach again.

"Kindaichi-san?" Shoyo called out to her. Her wide eyes looked up into his own and he instantly understood. "Did your water just break?" He asked tentatively. A couple others in the room gasped at the question.

Kindaichi Hana nodded, panic in her eyes. The coaches around her looked completely frozen.

Shoyo quickly looked around. The dust was beginning to settle. He could see on the far wall that their immediate exit was completely blocked. "Has it been a minute yet Coach?" He asked urgently. He had to check their other exits.

Ukai shook his head to snap himself out of it and glanced down at his phone. He cleared his throat. "Uh. Yes, it has been a minute."

Shoyo launched into action, detaching himself from Oikawa to crawl from under the table, the others following at a slower pace. Not bothering to concern himself with anyone else, Shoyo made his way to check out the doorway to the rest of the building. He pushed the door open to find that they had access to one of the boys bathrooms, a storage closet, and the common room with the comfy couch, but beyond that, the ceiling had caved. No exit, and no windows, making the light in the rooms minimal. Turning, he rushed over to the kitchen and picked his way through the mess to try and push the door open into the other hallway. It only moved about a foot, just enough for him to see that the building had collapsed there as well. All three exits were blocked aside from the roof access stairway located in the corner on the same side of the cafeteria as the kitchen door. All the windows in the cafeteria were up too high, and too small for anyone to fit through, nevermind a pregnant woman. He turned around to find everyone watching him.