By Mikey Vasquez
Galveston is an unforgiving city. Not unlike others, but it’s got the best of the best and the worst of the worst. My mom says we live here because of “culture” and “opportunities,” but I really just love the beach. We lived pretty far from it, but the walk was always worth the scars on my feet and the cuts on my legs that my mom would tend to. My name is John Doe, and I live in Galveston, Texas. My parents always told me I was like an old man in a child’s body. They said I had such an analytical perspective of life but all I did was think about why things went wrong and didn’t do them so I could get to the beach that night, and I tried to explain that to my schoolmates but they didn’t care to listen. As I awoke, I was giddy to get to the beach with my schoolmates later that day. My mom asked me to stay home to help her sew for the upcoming pageant. I was very angry, but I knew if I played my cards right, I could still get to the beach. My friends were going to get there at 7 at night. I could at least arrive by 8. I rushed the sewing. Did I feel bad? Yes, but I really wanted to get to the beach. As I stepped out, I felt this uneasiness. The neighbors down the street were fighting; they seemed to want to get out of there, but I saw my close friend thrashing to try to stay home. The air was especially strong, dogs were fighting each other, and this man was running with food in his shirt. I didn’t like it, but I continued towards the beach
Screaming. I heard bloodcurdling screaming. As I turn around, I feel a gust of wind hit me and push me. I see the neighbors running, i turn around and i see a hurricane. Oh well, it’s just a hurricane, might get messy at the beach but that just means all the more fun. But a siren blasts my eardrums; Im so confused, it’s just a hurricane. But I see the darkness approaching, almost as if the sun is running away from us. It’s not sunsetting time, it’s hurricane time, it’s approaching fast, hard, and deadly. I gotta run. Im bolting, at maximum speeds, faster than I thought I could. I see hands reaching for me in the side, its the family from before. Their child is crying, it looks like he’s stuck. His parents are calling him to run, but he’s just crying. I pushed him and he started running, in doing so i lost my balance and tripped. My ankle’s seriously hurt now. No matter, I gotta run. I cannot run anymore. The kid is laughing, I ask him what’s so funny, he said he was just messing around. He helps me up but keeps running. Of course though, how could he carry me? It’s at this moment, I won’t make it, I can’t make it. The storms very far away but at this rate it’s going to hit me soon. Running wont help, in fact, running would make it worse. Im at a dense housing area with lots of ground to climb on for safety. I stay here, climb the nearby house.
My right ankle is killing me. I can barley move and the pain is excruciating. As I’m climbing the trellis, my other foot slips and I feel a sharp pain; it’s cut, badly. This is serious one ankle’s sprained and the others bleeding out. No matter, I climb with my arms. As I reach the top I go to the highest point and scout for my parents. I see them shouting for me, they notice me and they start running. This isn’t smart, they’re going to kill themselves, they’ve got to run. I shout to them and tell them to keep going. I’ve got to survive on my own here and wait it out. Im here for at least 20 minutes, hopes are high and then a rumble… a shake, followed by a jolt in my body. The house is being moved. A large tree cracks in the distance and it’s heading toward the main stream in the streets. The tree hits the house the it starts crumbling down, I’m now very close to the stream, I try to climb up but it’s extremely difficult with my ankles. Another tree, this time on the same side of the street as me, crumbles, it falls over and the branches land on me. Miraculously, im unharmed. But an even bigger problem arises. I’m stuck. I can’t move, my ankles will be cut up and the tree is too heavy for me to lift up. I start panicking. I’ve never felt this fear before. Im not sure what it is, something comes over me. I start screaming for help. Then the worst thing that could happen happens, I see my mothers dress floating in the water; the shock causes me to faint. I awake then I see the hurricane is closer than ever. Suddenly, my heart rate drops, my breathe slows. Im not sure what it was but I felt so calm and at peace. I accepted my fate, I lie down on the slanted roof, and stare at the hurricane as it approaches. Maybe if I didn’t help that child my ankles would’ve been good to go, I could’ve ran with my family and survived. No I have to stop overanalyzing. No amount of intelligence can compete with mother nature. I let go; all goes black as I feel a rush of water hit me.
Author’s Note:
I’m proud of this because I got a good grade in my ELA class. I hope to express melancholy and a sort of dramatic-ness. Im most proud of the opening which I thought was the best part.
