Ruin

March eleventh, 2011 marked the world turning upside down. It started out like a typical morning. Everyone got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and went to work or school. Suddenly, the earth gave way to the shakes. Usually, the people were used to things like this. However, this quake turned into a monster. The following tsunami made things worse.

Sakura dialed Syaoran’s cell number. Come on, Sweetheart! Please pick up! Sakura paced around in her spot in the shelter. She bit on her lower lip.

“We’re sorry,” the operation said. “This number is out of range or turned off.” Sakura hung up, trembling.

“Look, he’s not going to pick up any time soon,” Meilin said next to her. Sakura looked at her with big, worried eyes. Meilin sighed.

“Listen, there isn’t much we can do right now,” Meilin told her. “I’m sure he’s fine.” Sakura put her hand to her stomach.

It’s been busy in the shelters all over Japan. Sakura and Meilin were among the second batch of people to arrive. Some suffered from minor injuries. All either lost their homes or had them flooded out. Sakura looked around at the people in the shelter. So many questions filled the room.

“Where is my husband?”

“Did you find my wife?”

“Is Daddy going to be okay?”

“Where are my grandkids?”

“When can I eat?”

“Is my house still there?”

“What’s going to happen to us?”

“Is Fluffy going to be okay?”

“Mama, I’m hungry. When can we go home?”

Sakura looked down at her cell phone. She remembered this morning. Syaoran had just got promoted. They hoped to have moved to a new place soon before the baby was born. Now, she didn’t even know if he, her father, brother, and brother-in-law were still alive. Meilin held her hand. Sakura looked up at her. The other woman gave her a sympathetic smile.

“He will be fine,” she insisted. The Chinese woman happened to look down at Sakura’s phone. “Look, you have a new message.”

“Huh?” Sakura looked down at her phone screen. Two text messages had just arrived. She pushed the buttons to open them.

“It’s from Tomoyo,” she said.

“What does it say?” Meilin asked.

“I’m okay. I’m in a shelter across town.” Sakura scrolled down the message. “Look! She sent a picture.” She handed the phone to Meilin. Tomoyo grinned in the photo, giving them a V-sign.

“Well,” Meilin said. “Good to see her still alive.” Sakura hit reply.

“Meilin and I are in another shelter,” she typed. “Have you seen dad, Touya, and Yukito?” The woman hit send. She looked at the second message. Her heart flipped at what she read.

“It’s Syaoran!” she exclaimed. Meilin lifted her head.

“What?” she asked. Sakura’s hand shook as she read the message.

“He’s fine!” she said. “He only hurt his leg. The doctor will examine it soon.” No sooner had she said that, a medic walked up to the women.

“Hello ladies,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Meilin answered.

“I’m going to examine you both just in case, okay?”

“Oh, examine her first,” the Chinese woman said, nudging over at Sakura. “She’s pregnant.”

“How far along?” the medic asked.

“Three months,” Sakura replied.

“Any pains?”

“No.”

He flashed a light in her eyes. “I’ll have a nurse examine you shortly.”

Sakura held her arm, nodding. “Okay.” It would be days before she would see Syaoran or her family alive again.