Chapter 0 -A Terrible Attraction-
-A Terrible Attraction-
Photo’esque Frame steeped over the edge of his rowboat to get a clear view of Trot Millenia City, with its many adjacent piers attached its front and sides. “How colossal can a estuary-based settlement get than Trot Millenia. Truly marvelous did Sir Wells-Trough had done to make it as prosperous as is today!” A snicker came from behind, the row-pony it came “You think everything around sprung about when the mayor came?”
“Of course not, I’m implying his contribution to the city’s present outlook” Frame supplemented. The row-pony abject by whistling away the thought, previously the city had barges then there were piers and same was buildings as then were foundations made of stilts, columns. Now concrete foundations and expanded neighborhoods.
This was partly contributed by the enormous super-structure that is the Trot Brine Barrage, 6 identically-linked columns interconnected in-between hoof-shaped gates. They rise and fall according to the tide afront and lagoon water levels behind, to level the inflow and outflow of water, thus preventing any major flooding or tidal waves from encroaching the levees banks.
“Say, why have you chosen this zone in particular for sightseeing? There’s not much to see out here.” Inquired row-pony, “Simple, because the shadow and mechanical work make for a more serene experience”, the row-pony decided on keeping to himself as Frame further admonished himself whilst taking pictures for his travel album.
Then the boat began to gradually travel back to shore. Frame grunted from the inertia of the boat, near capsizes when approaching pier docks, before Frame could utter a single sentence to the row-pony to his reasons why the sudden withdrawal.
“Excuse me-” a large bellowing sound is made at Trot Brine Barrage, followed by a very concerning squealing cry and a visible crack forming at the center of the structure. “Everypony Evacuate Immediately!” a loud blaring announcement echoes the pier; Frame frantically tries to hop off the boat, disturbed water lowers that chance considerably. The rocking boat causes Frame to fall back.
“Some-pony Help!” Frame yelled towards the retreating masses, the stampede muffles Frame’s cries. Strenuous creaks of metal locks squirming from the pressure from tidal feedback, till all at once the gates broke free of its locks and chains. The seawater gushes through the unrestrained openings in a full-blown spree to fill the lagoon water up to sea level depth.
As the waves were upon reach. Frame braces by ducking underneath the bench, the added obstacle providing some solid barrier and preventing the waves from swooping him off the boat into the depths of the azure lagoon’s waters.
Impact.
The boat topples over and capsizes. The pier’s restraints that fasten the boat in place ruptured apart followed by a clamor of shaking rocks pelting the boat capsized underside. Swirling currents and pelted stones, Frame loses himself among the ever-increasing noise and disturbance.
As his last remaining act, he knotted himself into the boat’s weakening structure in hopes it would provide some float if he finds himself to survive the ordeal.
"Come on, come on, come on. It's has to be here somewhere... Aha! There it is!" exclaimed Dwell Fest, located her cache. Finding her bought goods was a relieved, which meant she hadn't lost her bits worth of supplies, the momentary ease broke from another series of quakes. Dwell Fest opt to canter at full speed towards the train station.
The sun was about to enter its afternoon phase when Fest was having a banter with the shop's owner regarding their shared interest, the duo was interrupted by a scuttle of hysteria-driven ponies fleeing from one direction. The action was viewed with disinterest, then came the following tremors.
Several watchtowers issued mass communication announcements, "Civilians of Trot Millenia. Please head to your closest evacuation corridor" several individuals abruptly stopped their activities to listen in. "Several tremors have been detected and some show signs in wearing the city's barrage."
Then all Tartarus broke loose.
A stampede of all races raced towards their closest evac route, several of whom airborne to flee the oncoming disaster. The streets were in disorderly conduct, its railing and stop signs aid none in funneling the foot marathon that is presently happening. A column of metropolitan police personnel converge on the closest group beside the evac route, "Halt! gather in a one-sided manner for iden- Aack!" the griffin officer buckled under the immense speeds the crowd had barreled onto the wall of police personnel.
Several more fell upon contact with the panic-driven crowd. The current circumstance warrant some to remain still in their places from shock, a few reasoned height mattered for safety, that was till the ground began to shake and some unfortunate souls were crushed from the falling debris. During the chaos, she hadn't noticed the empty cashier counter, it seemed the owner had left without mentioning to herself, which is warranted given the situation.
As tremors quicken in scale of magnitude, the goods purchased were misplaced and fell among the many other rubble within the store front. She dived in to look for her loss goods.
As Fest kept dodging falling material from surrounding buildings, she accidently misstep across a spilled layer of cooking oil from an adjacent cooking oil warehouse, slipping helplessly across the glazed surface. Latching upon an exposed rebar pole, she calibrated her trajectory towards the train station and promptly let go.
"Hngh...ahh!" Stopped at the edge of the trainyard, shook her body from the exasperated situation she had anxiously escaped from. Fest made her way to the nearest platform when everywhere began to jostle uncontrollably till cracks appeared dotted across the gravel field she stood at, fearing the worst, she leapt at the nearest carriage with her belongings abandoned.
"I'd rather be in one piece, than risk taking injury from things costing a few measly bits. ahh", exhausted from the spent energy took from canter to jumping onboard a steel drum carriage. Circumjacent, bolts sprawled about from the pressure incurred immensely upon the entire trainyard. gauge-rails twists, moaning heavily from oncoming departure of two plains.
A rupture.
"ah...I nee-...to...gh..." Her mind succumbs to sleep as exhausted muscles and aching limbs overwhelmed her. As she drifts from reality, the drum compartment tilted and swept away by the ever-expanding crevasse that swallowed the trainyard in its entirety.
All she could dream was the waves crashing upon the beachhead, the water carrying away the float towards open sea.
Author's Note
What survives injury but not survival of living, is a struggle all those that receive when comes to whom experiences unnoticed.
