Faulted Read online

  “Dad!” CJ yelled up. “Dad, find me something to break glass.”

  “I’ll look!” Guy replied.

  “Stay here with her,” Roger said, “I’m going to check the Humvee.”

  CJ nodded. He couldn’t clearly see the woman’s face, but he signaled her with his hand, palms up, conveying for her to hold on, he would do the best he could.

  The interior of the limo wasn’t like a lot of other Humvee limos. It didn’t just have two long bench seats, it also had two swiveling bucket seats. Ruben was able to grasp one for support as he figured out how to help Mindy right below him. He had to be careful. He was confident in the strength of the privacy glass, but still didn’t want to take a chance adding his weight to it. It seemed everything that wasn’t secure in the back of the limo had crashed forward onto Mindy. Slowly he allowed himself to drop forward, landing his feet on the section below the window.

  “Mindy,” he called to her. “Mindy.”

  She didn’t respond.

  He nudged his foot to her and she groaned.

  Ruben knew the limo was balancing. He didn’t know if it was steady or could topple over any minute.

  “Mindy,” he called her again.

  She partly rolled over, knocking bottles and glasses from her. Her forehead had a huge gash that bled badly.

  “Hey,” he said to her, slowly crouching down.

  She opened her eyes.

  Ruben smiled at her. “Don’t move. I’ll get you out.”

  He looked behind him and reached for the handle of the front rear driver’s door. The handle unlatched, but the door wouldn’t budge. Holding on to the rear seat, he slowly crept across to the passenger side door. Grabbing onto the handle, he pulled it, then pushed on the door. It moved four inches out and stopped.

  Ruben grunted in frustration and closed his eyes to think.

  “Ruben,” the voice called.

  His eyes popped open and widened. “Roger?”

  “Yeah, man, you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

  “Mindy?”

  “She has a head injury,” Ruben said. “I think she’ll be okay. Hard to tell.” He looked at her. “The door’s jammed.”

  “Yeah, you’re sandwiched in here.”

  “Are we gonna topple over?” Ruben asked.

  “I think you’re wedged pretty good.”

  “Any ideas?”

  “I’m going to find something to break a window,” Roger said. “We’ll get you out that way.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Just hang tight. Leave this open for some air.”

  “I will.” Ruben paused. “Roger, how bad is it?”

  “It’s bad, man. It’s bad. Hang tight.”

  Even though Roger couldn’t see him, Ruben nodded.

  Again, he crouched down and moved over to check on Mindy.

  “You’ll be okay,” he said to her.

  Another groan, then Mindy coughed. “Ruben.”

  “Yes.”

  She lifted her hand slowly toward him, in it, she still gripped her phone. “I can’t see …” she said. “Do I have a signal yet?”

  Ruben didn’t answer. He gently pushed her hand back down and inched his way back to the door opening to wait on Roger.

  FIVE

  People were abandoning their cars in exchange for getting to safe ground. Walking away in the direction of the airport, which was only about two thousand feet west. Not a far walk at all. But was there really any safe place to go? The street level was a hazard zone, it had happened so fast there were no sirens in the background. Just panicked cries for help and people calling out names, looking for loved ones. Guy supposed the airport could be a safe place, a gathering place, a shelter for those who weren’t from the area, and would suggest that to CJ after his son helped those in the trapped cars.

  While Guy did see the arm or leg protruding from the wreckage that had dropped from the overpass, he imagined many people were stuck in their cars, injured and unable to get out. They were pieced together tightly.

  Carter was a heavy boy and it was hard carrying him around, Guy did his best, he only set him down when he checked out the cars.

  “Stay close. Hold on to my belt loop,” Guy told him.

  Carter did. The headphones were still draped on his neck, his backpack on his back.

  The best tool needed to break a window and accessible was a tire iron. Now Roger had yelled up that he needed one, too.

  Guy popped the trunk of a Subaru with the keys that were left in the ignition. He was able to find the spare tire kit and grabbed the iron from there.

  He walked over to the edge and tossed it to CJ, yelling to Roger, “I’ll grab another.” He turned around again, walking back to the abandoned cars, looking for a newer model, knowing that tools were standard in the trucks. It wasn’t hard to find another tire iron, this one a little sturdier.

  He brought it to the edge and dropped it down to Roger who was by the Humvee Limo. Guy wasn’t sure if the tire iron would break the windows of the Humvee.

  After that, he lifted Carter who had been anxious. His back pained some from the boy’s weight.

  “Would you be okay if I set you down and held your hand real tight?” Guy asked him.

  “I guess.”

  “You guess no or yes?”

  “Okay.”

  He slid the boy down to the ground and just as he took Carter’s hand, he heard a massive amount of screaming coming from behind him. He turned to face the highway.

  The screams grew louder and closer. Guy saw them. People. They ran fast and furious his way. Then he saw why. Behind them, in pursuit, was a wall of water.

  <><><><>

  How tough is this glass? CJ wondered as he struck the window a second time.

  “Stay back!” he yelled to the woman.

  On the third attempt the window finally shattered.

  He smiled in his victory, then the smile dropped at the same time he released the tire iron.

  Loud, horrifying screams carried to him. When he looked up he had to duck. People were running full speed, and with nowhere to go, they dropped off the ledge. Bodies rained down around him, and CJ scooted back out of the way. They landed with thumps and cracks as their bones snapped upon impact.

  “What the hell?” CJ spoke aloud.

  There were two drink tables center of the limo interior. Both of them bolted strong to the floor. Like a scene from the Poseidon Adventure, Ruben had to nearly lift Mindy to the first table. So she could sit on the edge and be away from the broken glass and bottles.

  A woman who had long since given up alcohol smelled like a local bar, every type of liquor had spilled on her.

  “You got it?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She struggled, pulling herself up.

  “Maybe if you put down the phone.” He felt the weight lift.

  “Made it.”

  No sooner was she up there, Ruben heard the sound of muffled screams coming from outside.

  “What is that?” she asked. “What is happening? Is there a monster?”

  Ruben would have labeled that comment ridiculous, until the limo jolted with loud thumps and bangs against it.

  He believed debris was falling on them, little did he know it was actually people.

  He hurriedly scooted to the slightly open door.

  “Roger!” he screamed out. “Roger. What’s going on?”

  Roger placed his face close to the crack. “Oh my God, Ruben. Oh my God.”

  There was nowhere to run. He couldn’t go back, he couldn’t go forward. Guy clutched as tight as he could to Carter, taking refuge by a car to avoid the mob that rushed by them. Had he not moved he would have been caught in a stampede.

  The time was near and he knew it.

  A cool mist was in a wind that whipped his way, and the roar of water buried the screams. It didn’t look that big in the distance. Maybe ten feet. But Guy knew two feet of rushing water could topple a man.

&
nbsp; There was no escape.

  He held on to Carter as he spun through a wheel of emotions. From scared to resolved.

  “I love you so much, Little Man, I love you.”

  Carter moaned out a frightened, “Pap.”

  “Don’t look. Don’t look” Guy buried Carter’s face to his chest. He looked once more than closed his eyes just before the wave arrived and blasted into them.

  The question of what was causing the commotion, came to CJ before he could register.

  First the people fell and then the water rushed forth.

  It carried him only a few feet where he slammed into the underbelly of an upright truck that was wedged in the wreckage. Trying to catch his breath, his body caught up in the current, CJ lucked out.

  Using the force of the water, he pivoted in toward the bed of the truck. As long as the truck didn’t get swept away, the bed acted as some sort of shield.

  The limo jolted hard, causing Mindy to tumble from her safe seat on the table. Just before she fell off completely, she caught herself.

  “What’s going on?”

  Ruben grabbed for her legs to give her a boost when he saw the water rushing in.

  “Oh my God!” Mindy screamed.

  “Get up there.” While pushing her, Ruben saw. The hand … it had to belong to Roger. He was desperately gripped to the edge of the door.

  He wouldn’t hold on for long and Ruben knew it.

  “Try to make the next table,” Ruben yelled as he dove for the door.

  He reached through grabbing Roger’s wrist and Roger grabbed his hand.

  The pressure of the water pushed his arm against the door and Ruben knew it wouldn’t take much more and his arm would break.

  The water began at his ankles, filling up quickly, making it to his waist.

  Mindy screamed, and Ruben took a deep breath just as the water crept from his chest to his chin, eventually burying him. But he still held on to Roger.

  No amount of human strength could compare to the force of a raging wave of water, but Guy tried. He knew the second he was hit by the blast of water, it was game over.

  He thought of the best way to angle his body when it hit him. If the water hit him in the back, surely it would cause his arms to release. He couldn’t chance the force of it hitting Carter, so he turned slightly when it arrived and it slammed into his side.

  As he feared, no matter how hard he tried to clutch his grandson, the water was more powerful. His arms released as the water took hold and he felt Carter slip from his embrace.

  He was fast, faster than he believed he could be.

  He reached out, grabbing Carter by the shirt and purchased a grip, on the fabric.

  The water carried them fast and furiously. He pulled the shirt, bringing himself closer to Carter and was able to swing his other hand around, grabbing the boy’s wrist.

  He had him.

  His fingers cramped as he held on tightly.

  It seemed like forever. The water bringing both of them down, then back up. It probably was less than a minute, but underwater, with no warning to hold his breath, it felt like an eternity.

  They moved with the current that was filled with debris. Even if he was able to call to Carter, there was no way the child would hear him.

  Guy couldn’t see enough to keep checking on Carter to see if he was alright.

  All he could do was pray.

  “God please, give me strength. Don’t let me let go. Please let me hold on,” he begged. “Please.”

  SIX

  With a loud heaving breath, Ruben’s head emerged from the water. He cleared the wetness from his eyes. Mindy was safely above the water line. Ruben estimated about six feet of water made its way in. But in order to hold onto Roger, he had to be submerged.

  His arm thumped and a constant pain radiated through him. He was certain he had fractured it. Even broken, he held on to Roger as much as he could, but then he lost Roger’s hand.

  He was certain though, Roger made it. At the point he had to release, the water stopped rushing madly.

  It was still in the Humvee, whether or not it moved outside.

  “Give me your hand,” Mindy reached down to him.

  Ruben shook his head. “I’m good.” He was at the point now that he could stand, the water came to his waist. He looked up toward the rear end. Why was it so dark in the vehicle? Surely one of the windows would have let some sunlight in tinted or not. He was trying to figure out how he was going to get up to the second set of rear doors. The bench seating made it impossible to get a footing.

  There was no way he was going to be able to climb up to the hatch, especially with his arm.

  “Are you alright?” Mindy asked.

  “Yes.” Reuben nodded. “My arm. It’s broke.”

  “We have to get you to a hospital.”

  “You, too.”

  She looked at him curiously.

  Ruben pointed to his own head.

  She lifted her fingers to her forehead. “Ow.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Feels like a gash.”

  “Looks it, too,” Ruben said, then exhaled. “We have to get out of here.” To him, it was easier said than done. Plus, he didn’t know what was outside the vehicle. The partially cracked door was completely submerged, so it was useless to yell out of that.

  “Hey, Ruben?” Mindy called. She sat on the edge of the table staring forward. “Is there anything here we can use to open this sun roof? I can see straight out. Maybe if we open it I can climb out and get help.”

  Ruben’s eyes widened. The sunroof. He didn’t even think of it. He didn’t need to find anything, it was a possible way out.

  “Was that too many words?” she asked. “Did you understand what I said?”

  “Yes,” he said frustrated then smiled, speaking through his pain. “Mindy. There’s … there’s an emergency latch.”

  “This red thing here?” She asked.

  Ruben nodded.

  Mindy pulled the lever and the window popped.

  “Push it out,” Ruben told her.

  Mindy shoved on the square window and it lifted and popped out. “I did it!” she excitedly yelled. “I’ll go get help.’’ She grabbed on to the window and hoisted herself up, then stopped. “Uh oh.”

  “Uh oh … what?”

  She peered down to him. “I don’t think there’s going to be any hospital to go to.”

  Ruben was fearful of what she meant, but she braved the window and climbed out.

  CJ had found protection, nestled securely in the bed of the truck, the water rushed by him and he felt safe. Until he realized the water brought debris with it.

  The truck was a like a large rock in a stream, the water moved around it, then something slammed into the truck and it collapsed, sending CJ back into the wreckage beneath him, hitting his head.

  He could feel the blood pouring out, there was nothing he could do.

  There was space between him, the truck and the rushing water, but if he moved, it would be deadly. He knew he was fortunate enough to have air and he wasn’t completely submerged. Trying to keep his wits about him, CJ realized his best bet was to stay put.

  Stay until the loud sound of water had subsided.

  And that was what he did.

  It felt like forever, but CJ was certain it was not.

  When he felt the pressure subside and the sound of the water quiet, he slipped between the edge of the truck and debris, squeezing through.

  Once out he rolled to his hands and knees, his head pounded and as he looked down, he saw drops of blood fall into the water.

  It was his blood.

  He stumbled to a stand, and everything spun around him. Trying to catch his balance, he grabbed onto the truck to steady himself, that was when he got a good look.

  More cars had piled up on top of the already smashed cars, the water moved steadily but slow, and had to be at least three or four feet deep.

  When he had his wits about him, it hi
t him.

  The woman in the car.

  He made his way over, remembering well where he was when the water hit. He was just below the broken roadway.

  He found the car, nothing had fallen on top of it, but that didn’t matter.

  CJ had broken the window to free the woman, but before he could do that, the water came. That broken window was an opening for the water to enter.

  She didn’t make it.

  CJ could see her in the car. It was full of water.

  The woman had drown. He turned away, when he did he saw Mindy hang drop from the Humvee SUV.

  “CJ!” he heard his name called.

  He looked around.

  Roger was waving. “I need help with Ruben. He’s still stuck.”

  CJ nodded. “Let me get my …” He paused. He hadn’t even considered the fact that something had happened to his father and son. Why would it? They were safe on the road above. Surely the water was beneath them.

  Before he finished his sentence, CJ spiraled into a state of panic. Suddenly that ledge above him seemed so far away and unattainable. He raced about the wreckage, his feet splashing in the water until he could find a way to climb up.

  He found a way, using the cars that had tumbled. CJ made his way back up to the roadway.

  The entire climb he begged in his mind that they’d be standing there.

  When he reached the road … he saw nothing.

  Not a person stood there.

  It was empty.

  Wet and empty.

  Feeling as if his chest collapsed, CJ grabbed onto his knees and tried to catch his breath and slow his heart.

  “Please, no. Please no,” he said, then inhaled deeply and hollered as loud as he could. “Carter! Dad!”

  Frantically he raced about looking over the road to the water below. He yelled and yelled, calling their names in complete desperation.

  There was no reply.

  His father and Carter were gone.

  <><><><>

  They had been pulled by the current for some time.