Hold tight

The world shattered. I remember hearing a roaring… and then nothing, just a soft ringing as I was jolted upwards. The room seemed to move around me, floorboards splintering as the walls shook and burst. I flailed for a moment, my fingers locking around mother’s wrist.

I must not let go. I must not let go.

Before gravity realised I was still afloat, the walls had alrady tilted - cracking and splitting as the room spun sideways and fell. Tumbling blindly, still grasping my mother, I felt us beginning to fall, following the room downwards. The floor had split in the middle and through the splintered wood and rubble I could see the dark shape of the river looming below. I span once more before landing - hard - on a broken panel of wood, water splashing up as my head thudded into the thick boards. Mother was sprawled, half on the platform beside me - safe. Safe. I smiled, I could pass out in peace.

The last thing I saw as blackness crowded my vision was the ceiling crashing into the water, the beams catching in mother’s nightdress, her legs being dragged under. Her hand slipping from my loose grip.

I let go.