Tides of Survival: A Journey Through the Storm

I was on a beach in the United States, alone, even though there had been warnings about dangerous weather. I didn’t worry about it much. The air was warm, and the sound of the ocean usually made me feel peaceful, but something felt different this time. There was a sense of unease in the air, as if the wind carried a warning. Suddenly, I noticed a change in the horizon. The sky turned dark quickly, and far out in the ocean, I could see huge whirlpools forming. Hurricanes started appearing like shadows on the water, and before I knew it, the waves were growing fast and getting bigger.

I felt my first wave of panic, but luckily, I reacted quickly and ran inland. My heart was racing as I moved away from the shore. Not far away, there were mountains that looked like a safe place to go. I climbed the steep hill, struggling as I went, and there I met a friend who lived nearby. Her house was strong, built on top of a hill, and it seemed like a safe place to face the storm. The house was small but cozy, surrounded by thick plants that gave some protection from the wind, or so we thought.

For a while, I felt calm, thinking that even if the water rose, we were in a higher place. I was ready to stay and help take out the water if needed. Meanwhile, I checked the news on my phone, though the signal was getting weaker. The reports were chaotic and confusing. The images of destruction along the coast made me think of my family. I knew they lived far from the beach, but the uncertainty was eating me up. I sent them a message with a picture of my friend and me, trying to show them I was okay, but the message never went through.

The sound of the ocean hitting the mountain was deafening. A loud roar filled the air as a giant wave crashed against the cliff. The ground beneath my feet shook, and suddenly, the entire house started to collapse. I felt the floor disappear under me as the whole place fell into the abyss. The sensation of falling was slow, almost unreal, as if time had stopped. My heart was pounding, but in the chaos, I managed to stay calm. I tried to control my fall, pushing with all my strength to aim for the water, hoping it would be deep enough to avoid serious injury. When I finally hit the water, the cold surrounded me like a dark blanket.

While underwater, I tried to avoid the debris falling around me. I stayed submerged for as long as I could, knowing it was the only way to protect myself from the pieces of the house crashing down like missiles. When I came up to the surface, gasping for air, I saw another massive wave forming in the distance. I knew I wasn’t ready to face it, but I had no choice. I promised myself I would survive. The ocean was full of boats and rafts, floating out of control. When the wave came closer, I took a deep breath and dove under again, watching the boats float wildly above me. It felt like an upside-down world, where the boats were like leaves blown by the wind.

Finally, when the sea calmed, I swam back to shore. Exhausted, still catching my breath, I felt a brief sense of relief. I walked along the beach, looking at the chaos around me. People were panicking, and the roads were blocked with cars trying to escape the disaster. That’s when I found my sister and my cousin, and together we tried to understand what was happening. There was no way to leave the area; the roads were jammed, and the prices of everything were outrageous. Water and food had become luxuries. A bottle of Coca-Cola cost $70.

Desperate but determined, I realized that it wasn’t about money anymore. It was about survival. With that in mind, I went back to the sea, which had calmed down for the moment. The boats were still there, floating quietly. I knew that if I wanted to survive, I had to find a way to use the situation. I went from boat to boat, asking if anyone needed help. Since I spoke English, it was easier to communicate with the people on board. Many had problems because the boats were bumping into each other, so I offered my help to push them apart. In return, they gave me food, drinks, and sometimes even a place to rest.

Even though the tsunamis still came from time to time, I was no longer afraid of them. I had learned how to survive in the chaos, how to move through the waves and stay strong. I knew how to handle the situation, and that gave me an unexpected strength. Now, it was all about adapting, finding a way to move forward in a world that seemed to have turned against us.