The Unexpected Is Expected

• Ziva Grima, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

My sister Olivia and I always wondered what kind of exotic adventures might turn up in our lifetime. If only I knew what was about to happen…
It was our third day in Tol Edo, Spain, when I was awakened by loud crashes rolling like thunder. My sister was still asleep. I quickly got dressed, still defeaned by the noise. As I headed outside, the ground shook beneath my feet. One thought and one thought only entered my mind. ’Earthquake!’
Before my eyes, people were being crushed by the cascading buildings. Everything was suddenly hidden within the clouds of dust, including my thoughts. A boisterous roar grew behind me. I turned and looked, only to see the apartment I just left fall towards me. The next thing I knew I was crushed. I was trying so hard to breathe that I was gasping for breath, trying to get all of the oxygen I could get, but feeling like I couldn’t get any air. Fear was rushing through my body like rats running away from water. A repeating shiver would strike down my spine every few seconds.
As time continued in the dark dusty space, I wished that I had never come to this foreign country with my sister. And where was she? Olivia was still asleep when the building had collapsed. What had happened to her? Was she dead? Was she in the dark and suffocating like me? All of the unforgettable times that I had with her washed over me like huge waves at sea. Tears were sliding down my cheeks and neck and dropped on me one after the other. Echoing screams came from outside. More disaster had hit. I felt the jolt from more rubble and felt rocks cutting my deep through my skin and then again, complete silence. I started coughing from all of the dust that was smothering my lungs. It seemed my nightmare would not end.
I had lost track of time, when something warmed my stomach. I looked down, it was a slim piece of light reflecting on my body. There was something moving above me. It felt like hours passed and all I could hear was movement above me. My heart was pounding through my whole body, and my whole body tingled. Then suddenly there were hands appearing through the rubble. Help was here! I heard the most beautiful words to break through the cloud around me; “Are you okay in there?”
It was over, I was about to be rescued. I could be free. Four heads appeared above me, and they were a beautiful sight! They quickly moved the rubble away from me and arms reached in and pulled me up. My heart felt like it would explode with joy at my nightmare being over. They lifted me, and in that second, I froze. I quickly looked down and saw my legs, and my heart shattered as I realised I couldn’t feel them at all.