Zarall was surprised at the enormous power punching his back. But no sooner had it started, than the pounding dissipated, the sea moved on, and finally quieted into a swish and gurgle.
Turning, he and Arithem gripped each other’s forearm in victory.
“Well done, my friend,” Arithem said.
Zarall wiped water from his face and glanced upward. “She noticed. She sensed the evil.”
“Aye. She is learning. This is good.”
Zarall drew a deep breath and frowned. “But she still does not sense the beast.”
“Never fear, my friend.” Arithem squeezed water from his tunic and nodded for them to join the others. “She will.”
Zarall followed him upward, hoping beyond hope he was right.
???
After making sure Aaron was settled, Tori raced for the window where everyone else was standing. She had no idea how she’d made it up the stairs so fast. One minute she was on the first flight, knowing she probably wouldn’t make it, and the next, she was in an apartment on the twelfth floor.
A massive flood of water, filled with broken pieces of furniture, mud, and all manner of plastic and sharp utensils raced toward them. They were out of its reach, but Tori had no idea if the building would hold.
“Oh my God,” Thomas said, clinging to the window ledge. “What is that?”
Brianna clung to Callie. Tori picked up Carla and held her close.
Sara began to weep.
The water struck them with the force of a racing semi-truck.
“Hang on!” Thomas shouted, reaching out to draw Tori close.
The building shook. Steel and iron screamed in defiance. Stone cracked and crushed. The floor beneath them shifted.
Closing her eyes, Tori lifted another prayer.
The thunderous roar of the water softened. The building stopped quaking. Thomas's grip around her shoulder loosened.
She glanced out the window. The sea bubbled and churned beneath them, reaching past the second floor, but the tsunami had passed.
Brianna blew out a sigh. “Praise the Lord!”
“Amen!” Tori added.
Carla giggled and pointed at something in the vacant apartment, but when Tori looked, nothing was there. “What’s so funny, sweetheart?”
“They are celebrating and dancing.” She smiled.
Thomas continued to stare out the window. Poor guy. Without the Lord and the comfort of His presence, how could anyone endure these times?
Pain radiated up her right arm, and lowering Carla to the floor, Tori noticed red blisters had formed along the underside of her arm. Strange.
She glanced at Aaron, sitting in a chair where she’d left him, completely unfazed, it would seem, by the tsunami. He smiled her way.
She smiled back, but her attention returned to her arm. Odd. Wasn’t that exactly where she’d touched the old man as she helped him up the stairs?
???
Thomas had never been happier to finally sit down and remove his shoes. After the waters subsided, leaving behind piles of scattered debris, they’d emerged from the high-rise unscathed in body, but unnerved in spirit. Anxious to get away from the sea, Tori led them inland toward Atlanta, keeping to small towns, and even then, to alleyways, parking lots, and fields.
