Tide

Chapter 5

Later, Isaac and I left together to visit a hospital that wasn't too far away. He'd suggested we'd help each other find our families, and as much as I wasn't in the mood to be hanging out with him at such a time, I eventually came to the conclusion that it wasn't such a bad idea.

As we walked towards it, I saw a woman leaning against a wall, weeping against the poster of a missing child. I saw a man with a face mask, observing the bodies that were on the ground. I saw a kid sitting in a corner, tears streaming down his face as he whispered to himself. I saw people hugging each other, crying and holding each other close.

"Do you have a cell phone?" a woman asked me. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her skin - a mess of scratches and dirt.

I hesitated, wishing I did. "No, I'm sorry, I don't."

For a moment, she stared at me with an empty and vacant look. Finally, she blinked, and reality revived her eyes. She muttered something under her breath and then slowly walked away.

I glanced at Isaac and he just shrugged, then continued walking. I followed. We spoke for a while, telling each other about our families and the names of our loved ones before he asked, "Where were you when the water hit?"

The question caught me off guard. "Huh?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Oh no, no." I took a deep breath. "It's fine. I was um, on the beach, with my little brother and my friend Piper. My parents were there too." I paused before building up the courage to ask, "You?"

"I was in a hotel with my parents and younger sister. After the first wave had hit, I went out to explore the wreckage and stuff. Then I got caught in the second wave. After a while someone spotted me and took me to the hospital."

"Oh, I clung onto a palm tree. Then I got this." I said, showing him the cast around my arm.

"Looks painful."

"Yeah," I said. "How about you? Did you get that cut from the wave?" I asked, referring to the wound that ran along his cheek. It was deep and stitched up, and then I realized that he must have gotten it from the wave. Suddenly I felt bad for asking.

"Yeah," was all he said.

Then he didn't say anything until we made it to the hospital.

--

Entering the hospital, I was swamped with noise. People were screaming, crying, and yelling things in different languages. I caught a glimpse at woman, doubled over and coughing up blood into her hands, while a man was getting operated on a table in front of everyone. It was incredibly crowded - so crowded I felt the temptation to leave. But instead, I suppressed the urge to storm out of there and began looking around in hopes that I could find someone I recognized.

"What's your surname, princess?" Isaac asked, grabbing onto my hand and dragging me through the large crowd of people.

"Huh?"

"What's your surname?"

"Wait no, what you said before. Don't call me that."

"Call you what?"

"Princess."

"Why not?"

"Don't."

He shot me a grin. "If you say so, princess."

I frowned at him. "How can you joke right now?"

He shrugged. "There's no hurt in being positive, is there?"

I breathed out a sigh and kept walking.

"So, I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch your name," he said.

"It's Kato,"

"Mason Kato?" he shouted.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled at me. "Helping you find your family."