The Despairing Tribulations of a Doomed Boy

Chapter 17

There was a rumble deep within the earth and a chorus of screams arose in the distance. Otto and the woman looked in their direction as the toddler giggled at their sound. Something was rising out of the ground, but at this distance, it was impossible to tell what. "Oh crap," the woman said.

"What did you do?" Otto asked the toddler. The toddler babbled incoherently and pointed towards the cries as if he could explain it all. What had been rising in the distance now loomed like a mountain. And in front of it, a tall, blue wall of water grew and sped towards them.

"Oh crap!" the woman said again and picked up the toddler. "We need to get inside."

Otto looked at the giant wave heading in their direction. It was already tumbling forward. He jumped to his feet and ran inside with the woman and toddler. They were joined by everyone else who had been milling around outside. Together, they crammed the tiny station so tight that it was impossible for anyone to move. The door was still cracked open with several bodies pressed against it.

The wave crashed to the ground on the far side of the fields, but the water kept rushing towards the station—mowing down the corn as it went. Cars and pieces of buildings were carried along with it. A large boat crowded with people slammed into the gas station windows, smashing the glass. The station flooded quickly with water spilling people out the front doors.

Then the water subsided until it was nothing more than a moving plain, ankle-deep and as wide-spread as anyone could see. Otto picked himself up from where he had been washed out the door, emptied his nose casing of water, and check himself over for injuries. Others around him moaned and pulled themselves up to do the same.

"Is everyone alright?" a man asked at the doorway. "Be careful of the glass. It's everywhere."

Otto looked around him to see if he could help. The shape-shifting woman was still clinging to the toddler who now looked more frightened than ever. They were curled up next to a gas pump. "Are you two alright?" Otto asked the woman.

"I hope so," she said. "I think he might need a change of diapers, though."

"I'm surprised he's not crying," Otto said. "I'll go see what I can find in the shop."

"I think we're all too stunned for crying," she said, "I'm just glad he's breathing."

Otto tiptoed into the gas station, picking his way over and around fallen goods and debris. He offered a hand up to everyone he passed. But it was impossible to find diapers in the cataclysmic mess.

The haul of the boat was jammed into what had once been a wall of glass. The group of previously snacking children were directly beneath it and buried in glass, machines, and shelving. The tsunami survivors picked themselves up and ran to help.

Survivors from the boat made their way into the gas station to help as well.

"Otto?" Mr. Detroy called out from the counter at the front of the gas station. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Otto said. He waved his hand at Mr. Detroy.

"Is your nose casing okay?"

"Yes, It's fine."

"Good."

But somewhere, somebody pushed their anomaly nose-button. And at the moment, the ground around the gas station split open. Deep fissures cut the land into island-like pieces, each moving and grinding against the others. The grinding shook the compromised structure of the gas station, causing more debris to fall.

"Why?" A woman moaned and sobbed as pieces of the ceiling hit her on the head. "Why has the world gone mad?"

"We need to get out of here," Otto said. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door.