Tori smiled. Whoever this imaginary friend was, he seemed to know what he was doing. With Thomas pulling on one arm and Carla on the other, they finally got Sara to stand and grab her things.
Swinging her backpack over her shoulder, Tori gestured for them all to hurry.
Aaron remained at the window.
“Aaron, come on!” she shouted, but he wouldn’t move.
Darting to the window, she grabbed his arm, but not before she glanced outside. The beach had grown. No, not grown. The tide had gone out, exposing yards and yards of wet sand full of seaweed, shells, and a few flopping fish. No normal tide did that.
“Come on!” She took Aaron’s cane and handed it to him. “We don’t have much time.”
Nodding, he finally hobbled after her.
Out the door they dashed, down the sandy pathway to the street—well, as fast as any of them could dash. A hazy glow from the morning sun settled over them as they waded through puddles and slogged through mud left by last night’s rain, past homes, electric car stations, and restaurants long since abandoned. Homeless littered the street. Drug addicts wandered about in a daze. A chill etched up her legs from her soaked shoes and jeans, even as they weighed down her every step.
Shadows encompassed them. Where were the rays from the rising sun? Something was blocking them.
Faster! Tori sensed the Spirit say.Higher!
“What’s goin’ on?” Thomas huffed beside her.
“Tsunami,” was all she had time to say before they approached a high-rise apartment building, at least twelve stories tall.
A sound filled the air, an eerie sound, a powerful sound—the sound of rushing water, combined with thumping and crashing, and muffled screams.
Halting, she glanced over her shoulder. And wished she hadn’t. A foamy wall of debris-laden water at least ten feet high reached for them around buildings and trees like the hungry claws of an ancient dragon.
“Take Sara and get to the top floor!” Tori ordered Thomas, and after casting a look behind him, he complied without saying a word.
“Brianna, take the girls.”—Tori all but pushed them through the door—“and follow Thomas as fast as you can.”
Halting, Aaron stared up at the tall building. “I’m not so good on stairs. You go ahead.”
“If you stay here, you’ll die!” Was he so deaf, he couldn’t hear the water? Yet still he remained in place, a strange…almost sinister…look on his face.
“Come on!” Taking his arm, she swung it over her shoulder, bearing the bulk of his weight, and charged into the building and up the stairs.
The man was dead weight, dragging his feet up each tread, hanging onto her like he had no strength at all.
They weren’t going to make it.
Heart thumping so loud, she could hear it over the roar of the water, Tori did all she could do. She prayed. “Lord Almighty. I need Your strength. And Your speed, now more than ever.”
???
“There! Finally, she prays!” Zarall shouted, thrilled that his ward called out to the Father for the help she needed. “Can I save her?” He glanced up at Arithem, who had ensured Thomas was out of danger and was now descending the stairs.
The mighty warrior nodded. “Aye, ’tis the Commander’s will this time. You aid them, and I shall delay the sea.”
Zarall shoved his ax back into this belt and spread his arms over Tori’s back, lifting her off the ground and taking the weight of her body onto himself. Rushing up the many flights of stairs, he ignored the beast beside her who turned slit-like eyes toward him and hissed out a series of foul curses and blasphemies.
“Be muzzled, you viper of hell!” Zarall commanded and the creature instantly silenced.
Zarall deposited the daughter of Eve on the twelfth floor, where Onafiel, Anahel, and Tagas remained on guard. Nodding, he went to help Arithem.
The mighty commander angel stood before the wall of the sea, arms spread wide across the advancing water, face pinched, muscles bulging from the strain. Upon seeing Zarall, he released the flood and flew into the air to join him.
The sea struck the building with such force, it shook and began to crumble at the base. Zarall and Arithem plunged into the water and wrapped their arms around the structure, using their bodies as shields against the force of the sea.
