//------------------------------// // Chapter 26: Quake // Story: Scars of Our Past // by JWolfSilver //------------------------------// Come Friday, the five girls were becoming concerned as to why Sunset had skipped the rest of the week of school. They weren’t stupid, they knew it had something to do with Rainbow Dash growing wings and a tail. Sunset had message the entirety of the group, assuring them she was alright and just needed time to clear her head. They knew Sunset would have told Principal Celestia what was actually going on but when they asked, like any good counselor, she was sworn to secrecy but assured them that Sunset would be returning on Monday. Celestia however, was growing concerned as well. Other than the phone call she’d had with her on Wednesday, a text on Thursday and the absence notices that passed through the office, she hadn’t heard from her. Principal Celestia was now unsure that she’d done a good job at consoling Sunset about her fears about magic. To make matters worse, she couldn’t just go to where she lived to talk to her, not yet. Nor could she give her friends any information without breaching Sunset’s trust. Right before Lunch, however, the ground shook for a moment. Not enough to cause any real damage but just enough to make people stumble in order to regain their footing. Just as sudden as it had come, it dissipated. “Freaky deaky.” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced up to her friends and sat in her usual seat, “We haven’t had an earthquake here since we were all in diapers. Though I guess that was more of a minor tremor.” “I was so scared.” Fluttershy shrunk in seat. “I’m glad it was just a small one.” “I dunno about that.” Applejack said, “Granny Smith says that last time there was an earthquake, there was a few small ones and one huge one.” Fluttershy shrunk farther in her chair, fear in her eyes. “It’s true!” Pinkie said, “My mom and dad said that the last one split the ground, damaged and knocked down buildings, even started fires!” Rainbow frowned, looking at Fluttershy cower next to her. She was about to say something before the intercom came on. “Will all staff and students please report to the cafeteria immediately for next class.” Celestia’s voice sounded, “I repeat, this is a school emergency. All staff and students report to the cafeteria.” “Well.” Rainbow said, “We got here pretty fast.” Rainbow and Pinkie snickered but Applejack and Rarity groaned. Fluttershy, however, continued to cower, only now she was significantly closer to Rainbow Dash. More students shuffled into the cafeteria and took any seat available while the staff lined the walls. Soon, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna walked in, the latter carrying a bull horn. “Attention students and faculty.” Luna spoke through the bull horn, “I am sure you all experienced a small tremor earlier and for safety reasons, we are all going to remain here until we are sure they passed. However,” Her voice turned grim for a moment. “There is a chance of a bigger quake. So, in the event that the situation escalated, everyone is to get underneath the table they are at immediately.” At the sound of that, Fluttershy clung desperately to Rainbow Dash who looked at the equally concerned faces of her friends. Rarity was the first to say what they were all thinking, “Does Sunset know what to do in the event of an earthquake.” After seeing more nervous looks, she furrowed her brows. “I do hope she’s alright.” When Vice-Principal Luna was walking past their table, Fluttershy quickly grabbed her arm, startling the older woman. Though she didn’t let it show. “Vice-Principal Luna,” Fluttershy said, “We are really worried about Sunset. We don’t even know if she knows what to do in an earthquake. Can’t someone go check on her?” Luna furrowed her borrows and glanced over to her sister who kept looking from the students in the cafeteria, to the exit. Clearly contemplating doing that very thing. The Vice-Principal looked back at the five girls, Fluttershy having sat back down, gripping Rainbow’s arm. She leaned down to the table and spoke just loud enough for the five girls to hear, “When this is over or it gets worse; Principal Celestia will be going to check on her.” She looked back to Celestia who was now pacing nervously at the exit. She pointed to her with her thumb, “If she even lasts that long.” At that point, Luna had forgone her usual, disciplinary façade, but only for the other five girls. She was just as worried about Sunset as they were, but Celestia was definitely going to have a panic attack soon if she kept this up. Just then, the ground shook. *** The first tremor woke her but she didn’t really think anything of it. However, she knew better than to just brush it off. When the second hit, it was extremely violent. Car alarms started to go off all around her and she could hear the ground trying to tear itself apart. She fell to the ground trying to get out of the building. It didn’t end there though. No, it got worse. Much worse. The more time that passed the more intense the quake became. Sunset tried to get up, hoping to get to the stairs but it was too intense, she struggled to rise to her feet. Damn it! Sunset thought, I don’t think I can get out. By this time, she was in the hallway, only a few feet from the stairs. I have to try. Just as she was about to make for the stairs, she heard a sickening crack, like old metal and brick giving way. She instinctively leaped backwards, avoiding half of the building falling sideways, destroying her only escape. She was trapped now and knew it. Sunset was taken over with an overwhelming sense of fear, and there was nothing she could do. The earthquake was too intense, she couldn’t move now, even if she wanted to. Sunset gritted her teeth. Another crack and loud bang. The rest of the first floor caved in, then the second, and finally, Sunset’s floor, followed by the roof. *** Finally, the quake ended, but it was followed by the aftershock, not nearly as intense or long as the main quake. Fluttershy ended up cowering in Rainbow’s arms and she was more than happy to comfort her friend. The students and faculty remained silent, on the ground, for another ten minutes before picking themselves up. “Is everyone OK?” Principal Celestia asked. There were various murmurs from around the cafeteria but no one called out any injuries, so that was a positive. The cafeteria, however, was a mess. Food was strewn everywhere, having been jostled violently throughout the earthquake. Some of the lights had fallen from the ceiling and glass shards were scattered by the few missing windows but the majority of the glass was outside. Students made their way to the windows, carefully avoiding the glass. Vice-Principal Luna and the five girls could see it form where they were, being some one of the tables closest to the windows. “You girls alright?” Luna asked. They all silently nodded. “I have to go find Principal Celestia.” She said then yelled so she could be heard, “Please find your home room teacher and proceed to the soccer field. Your parent’s will be contacted to come pick you up. Please sign out with your teacher before you leave.” Everyone started to file out, guided by the other staff members. Luna saw Celestia staring in awe out one of the intact windows. The damage seemed horrific. From what they could see, trees had fallen over onto roads and parked cars, as was telephone poles that seemed to have already had the power cut to. From in town, they could see smoke and fires billowing from various buildings. They were sure some of the older ones had collapsed as well. “Go,” Luna said to her sister, “Now!” She didn’t need to told twice. She ran from the building to the staff parking lot and hopped in her car. Thankfully, that side of the school was generally undamaged. Celestia didn’t have a choice but to drive slowly and carefully as the roads had new dangers around every corner. There was everything from car accidents to fallen trees and, as she neared the older part of town, small to moderately sized fissures. Finally, she reached the block where Sunset’s building was. Or what was left of it. On one side of the block, the pizza place was burning along with a couple buildings. The laundromat was relatively alright but the apartment buildings were almost leveled. The building that Sunset stayed in…it was just a pile of rubble. Tears fell from her eyes as she rushed over to the paramedics.