ALLUSIVE AFTERSHOCK by Susan Griscom

on the news. The idea seemed so surreal; this
couldn’t have actually happened here.
    After standing around
alone and half dazed for what seemed like an eternity, my heart skipped a beat
or two as huge flames billowed from the area where Max had just gone and I
found it impossible to make my legs move. A crouched figure to my right caught
my eye and I stared motionless as Courtland Reese clutched Shiloh to his chest,
his head buried against her fur, gently rocking her back and forth. I couldn’t
tell if the dog was dead or not. For Court’s sake, I hoped she was only injured.
Shiloh had waited outside in the same spot for him every day since I could remember.
Stroking her fur, he looked up at me. Dirt filled-tears streaked down his
cheeks as we held each other’s gaze.
    A jerk on my arm jolted
my attention and drew me away.
    “Come on, Adela. I
nearly got my ass toasted over there when something in the cafeteria exploded. We
need to get out of here and go home.” Max tugged, clutching my arm tightly in
his hand, pulling me along with him, his grip so tight I couldn’t break loose.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to go with him and leave Courtland there, but I didn’t
seem to have much control over my own legs or the ability to tell Max to wait. I
ran but my eyes remain fixed on Courtland until I could no longer make out his
face.

Chapter
5
 
~~
Courtland ~~
     
    As I stumbled out of
the collapsed building, I stood outside looking for Adela to make sure she was
safe. That damned Max tugged her away while I’d been preoccupied searching for
survivors. Typical. Just like the freakin’ fourth grade.
    At almost the same time
I spotted Adela standing in the middle of the courtyard, my eyes settled on dark
fur. Shiloh’s black-brown body lay on its side surrounded by shattered glass. A
large shard of glass stuck deep in her neck and blood pooled around her as I
rushed to her side. She didn’t move, but stared at me with glassy eyes.
    “Ahhh, Shiloh. I’m so
sorry. You’re gonna be okay, girl, hang in there.”
    I stroked her head and
then pulled the glass from her neck. I tore off my sweatshirt, pressing it on
the wound to stop the flow of blood. Her chest heaved up and down for a few
seconds and then stopped. I was too late. Shiloh was gone. I hugged her limp
body to my chest, crushing my face in her fur, and wept, rocking her body with
mine. Oblivious to all the shouts and screams around me, I held her, breathing
in her scent. I wanted to yell, “Why my dog? Why take my dog?” I stopped
rocking when I sensed the sympathetic presence close by and looked up. Adela
stood no more than ten feet away; our eyes locked.
    The sight of Adela
brought a small twinge of ease to my broken heart. She almost hadn’t survived
the quake. If I hadn’t pulled her to the wall with me … well, I hated to think
what would have happened. The vision of her momentarily lulled me from my grief
as I watched her standing stiffly, eyes wide and her hand fisted around her
sweater as part of it hung on the ground. She took a step toward me, her mouth
open as if she were about to speak when Maxen Wendell grabbed her arm and
tugged her along with him—again—shouting that they needed to get home. It was
clear she was in shock. Her eyes remained fixated on mine and her body appeared
numb as she placed one leg in front of the other, dragging her sweater along in
the dirt and swaying her arms like an old rag doll. I wanted to chase after
them, to yank her from Max’s grasp and take possession, protect her. Instead, I
released a sigh and stared after her.
    At least she was alive.
    Her eyes held mine
while Max pulled her toward the parking lot until I could no longer make out
her beautiful but frightened face.
    I looked down at
Shiloh. I needed to get going, check if anyone needed help, but not one muscle
in my body would move. As if frozen, my eyes stayed fixed on my dead best
friend.
     

~~ Adela ~~
     
    Haunted by the vision
of Courtland crouched