Anthony talked at me quietly, promising me everything was going to be okay. Meanwhile I, on the other hand, was starting to freak out even more. The ceiling was still intact, which meant the booming noise had been made by a bookshelf falling to the ground. That, in, turn meant the other bookcases could fall too.
And Anthony and I were right in the way of one.
“We need to move!” I shouted at him, squirming under his body.
“No, Ellie, stay still!” he replied, pressing his body into mine harder.
Shaking my head, I began to push on his chest. “Move, Anthony!”
He refused to move. “No!”
“Move!” I grunted, using all my strength to shove him off me. To my surprise, I managed to slide him off me. Before he had the chance to stop me, I sprung to my feet. The shaking of the ground nearly knocked me back down.
Anthony flipped onto his back, attempting to push himself off the ground. I clung to the couch to avoid falling over from the shaking as I watched him. As soon as he was on his feet, I reached out to him. His warm hand enveloped mine and started yanking me toward the door again. My left ankle gave out from under me and I stumbled toward him, almost knocking us over again. Anthony somehow managed to keep us both balanced. A shuddering crash came from a close proximity to my back. My breath caught in my throat and I glanced over my shoulder to see a black oak bookcase splayed out on the ground a few feet behind me.
“Ellie!” Anthony shouted impatiently.
I returned my attention to my front, staggering after him as we continued moving forward, toward the door. The quaking ground made it more difficult than believable. Every five seconds it felt like one of my ankles cracked, sending me teetering on my feet. Somehow Anthony managed to walk like God walking on water. Just as we reached the door, a very forceful tremble wracked the ground, effectively knocking me off my feet. Instead of dragging Anthony down with me, I let go of him.
He automatically turned to look at me.
A calamitous move.
“Anthony!” I cried out in horror, my eyes going past him, to where a colossal clock was wobbling on its legs in a very threatening manner. It was kind of amazing, in a way. The whole timekeeper was only balancing on two legs, definitely defying the laws of physics.
That awe was short lived as it finally tipped over. The scene that was displayed before me passed by my eyes like stop-motion photography. With each pound of my heart, a different image came up. The grandfather clock falling inch by inch. Anthony’s worried face— concern for me, not himself. His two steps toward me. My hand as it shot out to pull him out of harms ways. The clock appearing next to his head. His eyes widening millimeter by millimeter as he finally noticed it. The wooden structure’s edge smashing right into the back of his skull. His eyes squeezing shut in pain.
Then time sped up.
Anthony hit the floor before I could blink, the monster clock falling on top of him. The urge to be sick hit me within seconds as he didn’t move from his motionless position on the ground. No matter how many times I called his name, he wouldn’t reply. He wouldn’t even stir. My head was spinning. Bursts of white lights were appearing in front of my eyes. I felt sick. When I went to push myself off the ground, I found my arms had turned to jelly, and I hit the floor face first.
YOU ARE READING
Waist-Deep In Walmart
Humor"As I sat on the toilet, I realized how badass I was being. First of all, I (kind of) broke into Walmart; Second, I was (kind of) plotting to steal toilet paper; and third, I was doing all this while a hurricane was brewing outside." Ellie wanted a...
