Above the sirens came a low roar that increased in volume.
Shit.
She placed the woman on the bike, stuck the key in the ignition and turned.
Nothing.
She tried again and again.
The woman pointed at a wire sticking out.“It’s come out.”
Mila would bet Agus had done it to stop her leaving.
“Wait!”The desperate cry of a child made Mila turn.
The old woman tugged on her arm.“I fix.You go!”
Mila scanned the darkness and spotted a small child who was maybe five hobbling towards them.She left the woman on the bike and ran over.“Cepat-cepat.”
She lifted the child into her arms as the moped roared to life.Mila spun to find the old woman at the handlebars, looking over her shoulder.Mila followed her gaze.A black wave bore down on them.
She sprinted to the bike as the old woman accelerated.“Wait!”She shoved the child on the seat behind the woman, but before Mila could get on behind her, the woman took off.
Leaving Mila behind.
Fuck.
She spun.The wave kept coming, moving houses along with it in a wall of debris, mud and foam, far faster than Mila had anticipated.Fear jump-started her heart in a frenetic beat and she sprinted after the moped which was almost out of sight.
The roar of the water increased until she heard nothing else.The ground sloped upwards and her thighs burned as she reached the edge of town.At the intersection ahead of her a black four-wheel drive peeled around the corner, full of black-clothed men, one of whom was hanging on the back.
Suddenly the man on the back fell, landing hard against the road.
The car didn’t stop.
The man rolled to his feet and glanced back at her.
“Run!”she screamed.
The water pushed at Mila’s feet, overtaking her, and the force of it swept her off her feet and she fell as the swirling surge of sludge surrounded her.
She sucked in a breath before she was dragged under.The power was immense.She felt like a leaf in rapids as she was battered on every side by unseen debris.She tumbled over and over losing track of which way was up.
Her lungs burned and suddenly the water forced her mouth open and she swallowed the muddy, salty liquid.
Mila’s stomach revolted, and she gagged, desperately clawing her way to the surface.Her feet hit something hard, and she pushed off it.Finally air touched her face, and she choked in a breath, struggling to stay above the water.
Palm trees flashed by her as the wave hit the jungle and the screech and swoosh of breaking trunks added to the cacophony.
By some act of fate, she was being pushed up the road.
Something grabbed her arm, and she turned to find the soldier right next to her, clinging to a door.
Their eyes met.Rather than fear, she saw determination.
It gave her hope.She grabbed onto the door to stay afloat though the water dragged at her body.
He yelled something, but she caught only a few words.“Turn soon….grab tree.”
