Tremor: If your world was falling apart, how far would you go to save it? (The Tremor Cycle) (23 page)

William moved towards Ori just as Igraine and Althea entered the chamber, but before he could get to him the ground began to shake intensely. He looked up to the ceiling just as a large segment fell away. He jumped forward, teetering on the edge of the crack as it smashed into the space between him and Althea.

‘William, don’t let him die!’ Althea screamed as more large rocks crashed into the room.

Althea knelt on the floor helping a badly injured Igraine to her feet. Another pillar fell into the hall, but William jumped to the side, avoiding the fallout once again.

Then something grabbed at his throat, and held fast.

‘You die for your insolence,’ said Erisia, a long-nailed hand increasing the pressure on his neck.

William looked right at her, feeling the poison she radiated. This monster killed his father. Her face was locked in a demonic glare, her bloodshot eyes digging deep, the skin surrounding them covered in angry burns. No lips remained, partially revealing the black teeth within her mouth.

He dropped the crossbow and used both hands to try and wriggle away, but even when he was free of her, he discovered Erisia blocked one route, the crack the other. He looked up to see slithers of sky as more and more of the roof descended. She quickly regained her hold on his throat.

‘Are you ready to die like your father?’ Erisia hissed hot breath into his ear.

William’s eyes closed tightly. He was determined not to cry.

‘You’re my final sacrifice,’ she cried, pushing him towards the crack.

‘And you’re my first!’ screamed Ori, jumping off the altar and pushing Erisia off William. ‘This is for my Mum and Dad!’ He plunged a knife into her back and she fell backwards, screaming.

Erisia skidded away and toppled into the gaping crack, her screams heard repeating throughout the rapidly crumbling monastery.

William took a quick breath then reached out for Ori.

‘Well done, mate. Thanks.’

An archway fell from the balcony before William could grab Ori’s hand, and he felt his feet slipping downwards.

Before he fell, he managed to look into Ori’s eyes and shouted, ‘Run!’

Everything happened so fast. He slipped into the crack, which had grown in size as the tremor’s power increased. He found himself balancing on a ledge over the huge, ominous hole. He tried to scramble upwards, but the more he tried, the smaller the ledge became.

The tremor intensified, the sound was like a gigantic roar. Were they really gods, calling to him? William wondered. He was in the heart of it now. He looked over the edge. Just a dark pit, that’s all it was… not a god.

He tried reaching up, and as if by some sort of heavenly miracle, his hands were able to take hold. But it wasn’t rock face; it was someone’s hands. No, not Ori. He should’ve been on his way to safety now. ‘I thought I told you to go!’ he screamed.

‘Go? But I just got here,’ said Ichabod, hands closing around his wrists.

William felt himself rise out of the crack, and before he knew it, he was being pulled through the great hall as more rocks and shards of building material plummeted into the new cracks forming in the floor.

They raced into the corridor, and William noticed Ichabod’s solemn disposition as they ran towards the exit.

‘You didn’t find her…’ he puffed.

Ichabod said, ‘She is with my children now. They are together.’

‘I’m sorry,’ William told him, quickly ducking under a doorway before it collapsed.

Ichabod’s blue eyes glossed over. ‘Let’s just focus on getting you back to your mother. This building isn’t going to last for much longer, and this tremor is one of the strongest yet. The whole cliff face might fall into the sea.’

They reached the entrance within a matter of minutes, but only a small hole remained, held open by an almost-snapped wooden bough. The light was weak, and only lit a section of the vestibule they stood in. Would it be the last bit of light William saw? The tears stung, carving scars out of the layers of grime on his face.

‘What’re we going to do?’ he asked Ichabod, yet more sweat collecting in his palms. ‘It’ll collapse before we’re through.’

‘You’ll get through it,’ said Ichabod, expression grim. ‘Come on!’

Ichabod stepped into the hole, placed his cane in, but it was too short to hold the opening effectively. He then lifted up the flimsy wooden plank and balanced it on his broad shoulders. There was a pause, as if time was standing still. The minute Ichabod moved, William knew, the doorway would collapse on him.

‘Come on,’ Ichabod said again.

William looked into his friend’s pale face. ‘You’ve got to jump as soon as I’m out. Please,’ he pleaded, standing close to Ichabod’s chest.

‘Just go, make this your world, make it Earth again,’ said Ichabod, using a leg to push William through. ‘Live, for me.’

William was barely out before the plank snapped and the final fragments of the wall above fell into the gap. He held out his hand, but it was all too quick. Ichabod was gone. Trying to scramble away from the falling rubble, his knees gave way. He landed in a pile of collapsing rock, an enormous stone bar hanging ominously over him. Was this it? Was he to die now, after achieving all they’d set out to accomplish?

He almost gave up hope, but heard a faint voice, so familiar, on his eardrums.

‘Grab my hand, don’t just lie there.’ Althea reached for his arm and pulled him out of harm’s way, dragging him towards the barn.

‘He’s gone, Bod’s gone,’ he sobbed, staring back at the monastery as its north face began to sink into the sea.

‘William, we’ve got to go, we’ve got to go,’ cried Althea, pulling him harder. ‘This valley’s going to be swamped by a wave of water. Bran said a tremor of this size will cause a huge wave; a tsunami. Come on, there’s not much time left! We’ve got to get to higher ground!’

Chapter 21

Life and Death

William climbed onto the bus, damp eyes bolted to the floor as he tried to tell everyone what had happened. The words wouldn’t come. Branimir bowed his head sadly and quickly started the engine.

His mother reached out and embraced him and many others began to pat his back. He stayed with his mother for a few moments, but noticed she was uncomfortable at his touch and told her to rest. Besides, he didn’t want any attention. It just reminded him of what he’d lost: a brilliant and trustworthy friend, a person he’d loved. He tried to avoid the collective gaze as he found a free seat.

It felt like half of his body had been ripped away and shredded into thousands of parts that would never piece together perfectly again. William was broken. But he knew he had the strength to pull these pieces back together, eventually. He would still be William… he’d still be himself, even if the cracks ran deep. And now, his mother, Althea and Ori were with him, together.

Ichabod had lost everything.

‘Bran, we need to make it to higher ground. The wave is powerful but I don’t think it will reach Haven,’ said Igraine as the bus smashed out of the barn, followed by the other vehicles.

‘Haven is miles away,’ said Ori. ‘How could a wave reach there?’

‘Shhh,’ Althea told him, messing his hair up fondly.

‘We are Haven. We are the hope, the future. So we must survive. Haven will live,’ Igraine said loudly, ‘for Ichabod.’

Every passenger repeated: ‘For Ichabod!’ and the bus thundered forward.

William nodded, sniffling.

A sheet of rubble shot over the bus, shattering the front windshield and denting the roof. A few people screamed, but they soon fell silent, realising nothing much could be done. The tremors were certainly cross at having to absorb Erisia, William thought dryly.

‘I thought I’d lost you, I thought you’d–’ sobbed Ori, burying his face into William’s chest. ‘You saved me. You didn’t let me…’

‘But Bod didn’t make it,’ whispered William, looking at Branimir driving the bus. He stumbled out of his chair, took Ichabod’s coat off the driver’s seat and put it on. A testament to the man who’d helped him through all of this. He would use the coat to create a memorial in his honour. Ichabod deserved that much.

‘We can grieve for him when we get out of this,’ said Judy, pulling William into her seat once more and kissing his forehead. ‘His wife got her husband back. If we have faith, we can take some comfort in that. He’s with her now, so in a way he achieved what he set out to do.’

William finally allowed himself to break down. He cried and cried, tears helping to push the pain out of his system.

Through the tears, he looked at his mother, who was regaining some colour, even though they were now outrunning a giant wave. Despite losing Bod, all the rest was worth it. Every step, and he’d do it all again if he had to. He’d got his mother back. Exactly what he’d set out to achieve.

The bus’s back wheels lurched in the air. Most of its passengers had scrambled to the front, trying to escape the oncoming flood. William looked at the empty back seat. He stood and staggered to it, embracing his mother and telling her it was OK. He had to see this up close.

Rocks were launched into the sky, like birds disturbed from their nests by gunshot, the ground behind the bus disappearing into a cloud of mist and foaming waters. William thought he saw an angry face rise out of the volatile wave, Erisia’s final attempt to consume them, but he blinked it away.

‘We’ll take the road we were supposed to take when we travelled here, the one that the bandits caused us to miss. It’s a much shorter journey, and might just get us back to Hardknott Fort. It hangs over this valley from a height so we may be safe there,’ said Branimir, jerking forwards and back in his seat as he swung the bus up onto a narrow road. ‘It’s going to be a steep climb. Fingers crossed the bus makes it.’

‘You’d better step on it, because there’s only a few miles between it and us!’ shouted William, gripping the back seat.

Althea joined him. ‘This might be it,’ she said. ‘I’m scared Will. I really am.’

‘At least we’re with the people we love,’ said William, placing his hand on hers. ‘At least I’m with my family.’

A tear left Althea’s eye. ‘Together.’

‘Always,’ said William, leaning in and kissing Althea on the cheek.

The bus lurched again and the back window cracked. William didn’t care, though. This moment was perfect. He looked at his mother who was resting in the seat in front, and he looked at Ori, who now sat next to her. He was with his family, and if they didn’t make it at least he wouldn’t be alone.

‘I think I can get us there, but we’re going to hit some rough terrain,’ said Branimir, stepping down even harder. The veins in his neck began to bulge, like earthworms wiggling through compacted soil. ‘Hold on!’

They bulldozed on, ricocheting across bumpy ground, gaining height quickly. William stared at the water racing up behind them. Any remaining trees and buildings didn’t stand a chance. Had Kentvale already succumbed to a watery grave, taking with it the remaining management of Terrafall?

His mother joined him now and grabbed his free hand. ‘You’re my hero, and I know Dad would be so proud of you,’ she said, looking at the rapidly approaching wall of water. ‘I can’t lose you again, not like this.’

‘Whatever happens, you know I love you,’ replied William, passing her the green leaf he’d picked earlier. ‘This is our sign of the future.’

‘I love you too, more than you can imagine.’ She stroked his cheek with the leaf.

They were reaching the summit of the hill now, and William watched nervously to see if the water would continue to rise. Mud and uprooted trees flew up behind them, tossed through the turbulent current. William could feel the salty water; could taste it on his lips. He looked ahead.

The fort popped into view, and what a great sight it was. The bus skidded to a stop as the massive wave suddenly lost velocity. A swathe of water scattered the plain below the fort, but the power of the wave had succumbed to the height of the hill they had just climbed and began to calm.

‘Come on!’ shouted Branimir. ‘Off the bus.’

William grabbed his mother’s hand, and following Althea and Ori, they raced into Hardknott Fort. The plateau shook for a few moments, but the rumbling soon stopped. He stepped to the edge and looked into the frothing water as it lapped the cliff face. After a few minutes it was still, and the tremor finally subsided.

For the first time in over a year William’s feet felt firm. Something had changed. Something was missing. Terrafall, Erisia? He shrugged. Whatever it was, he was glad it’d gone. Good riddance.

Branimir and Igraine walked towards him. ‘We’ve made it,’ Branimir said, displaying a newfound playfulness as he slapped his knee. ‘My beard lives to see another day!’

‘It’s a great blessing,’ said Igraine, pointing to the bright sun slowly drifting beneath the clouds. ‘From the looks of the way the water is calming, we can be certain that Haven’s Hollow will still be intact. It won’t have made it too far into the mountains.’

Marcus and Ernest joined them at the edge of the cliff. ‘Looks like I’m stuck with you then,’ said Marcus.

‘Yes, it seems you are,’ replied Ernest, putting his arm around Marcus and looking to the sky.

William laughed and looked at his mother, Althea and Ori. The people he loved most in this world, all with him. This was the perfect moment. God, he’d been waiting for this for so long. ‘We made it. We’re alive.’

‘Alive together,’ added Althea, pulling them all into a hug.

William closed his eyes and breathed in. He inched a hand over and covered his father’s ring. Dad was looking down on them, and he knew Ichabod and his family were too. So many people had died to achieve this moment, and now it was time to live for them.

Branimir provided just the right words, ‘Predictions aren’t always true, science and religions aren’t always right; but maybe, just maybe, the future will be bright.’

‘It’s a new world, let’s make it Earth again,’ whispered William.

The Cleric stood on the ruins of the severed clock tower, overlooking the flooded remains of Kentvale. Bodies floated in the current, faces bloated and horror-filled. Other than the few ruined buildings that had survived the tremor, the hill in the centre of town was the only bit of dry land still visible in the raging waters.

‘Erisia has fallen,’ said a voice, rough from the bitterness of seawater.

‘Then it’s all left to me. I must take the helm,’ the Cleric replied, gripping the iron bars in front of him.

‘But what of her sister? She must be told. She may be able to send aid,’ said the voice. ‘She’s in the highlands, so the water wouldn’t have reached her settlement.’

‘No,’ whispered the Cleric through tight lips. ‘I am in charge now. Bringing her into this will only lead to more strife and a fight for power.’ He paused, gazing off to the north. She would never dare to take this opportunity from him. ‘What of the power plant? Has the building survived?’

‘Yes, it was protected by its reinforced walls and the mountains that surround it.’

‘Gather all the survivors and remaining resources from Kentvale and bring them to the plant. We shall regroup and establish ourselves there. Terrafall is not defeated, and we will reclaim our seat of power. There is still one more soul left to sacrifice.’

‘Who, my Cleric?’

‘A boy. A boy whose blood will flow into this Earth and give Terrafall the power to rise against its enemies.’ The Cleric closed a fist and held it over the water. His sharp nails drew blood, dripping into the swirling abyss. ‘Revenge.’