Part 6 to 10

His mouth involuntarily dropped open in shock, hanging agape as if frozen in place. His eyes seemed ready to pop out of their sockets, and his mind had gone blank, incapable of forming a single coherent thought. Was this a dream, or was it reality? He couldn't tell. Could so many misfortunes really pile up in a single day?

Taking a few hesitant steps toward the crevice, he tried to peer inside, but the darkness of the night made it impossible to see anything. He didn't want to drain his phone's battery, but this was an extraordinary situation. Reluctantly, he turned on the flashlight on his phone, directing it into the gap, straining to make out what lay within.

The car's glossy purple coating faintly shimmered inside the crevice, but it was clear that climbing down without assistance would be impossible. He glanced around, hoping to find someone to help, but the area was deserted. The thought of calling the police crossed his mind, but he hesitated, worrying for a moment that he might look suspicious. Shaking off the irrational idea, he decided that helping was more important and quickly dialed the police on his phone. However, there was no signal where he stood.

Frustrated, he ended the call and considered flagging down drivers from passing cars for help. Just as he was about to act, the ground began to shake again. Panic overtook him as he backed away from the crack and vaulted over the guardrails, heading toward the forest lining the roadside. The tremors grew stronger, and the ground beneath him began to crackle ominously. Walking became nearly impossible.

For some reason, climbing a tree seemed like a good idea. He scrambled up the nearest one, barely managing to ascend a few inches, and clung to it tightly with his arms and legs. The shaking showed no sign of stopping-if anything, it seemed to intensify. Every passing second stretched into an eternity as fear gripped him tighter.

Then, amidst the chaos, he felt the unwelcome and absurd urge to relieve himself. In the middle of all this turmoil, the irony of the situation was almost too much to bear. Normally, he could hold it in for hours, but now it felt impossible.

After a while, he noticed the crevice in the road widening, splitting it apart entirely. His fear deepened, and the cold air seeped through the tear in his sweater, making him shiver. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the tremors stopped.

Even then, he didn't climb down immediately. He waited, scanning his surroundings cautiously. Slowly, he descended the tree-though he hadn't climbed very far to begin with.

But now, a new problem presented itself. He desperately needed to find a bathroom.

He couldn't hold it any longer. Trembling from both the cold and the adrenaline, he realized he wasn't in any condition to walk much farther. Scanning his surroundings, he stepped a bit deeper into the trees and relieved himself there.

Zipping up, a ridiculous smile spread across his face. "God," he muttered, "I'm sorry for harming nature, but I feel so much better."

Suddenly, he let out an unexpected, short laugh. A moment later, he hiccupped and began sobbing for a few seconds before bursting into laughter again, this time sounding almost unhinged. Then, just as abruptly, his face turned serious.

He slapped himself lightly across the cheek and shook his head as if trying to snap out of it. "Okay, I'm fine," he said to himself before starting to walk in the direction his car was supposed to be.

- end of Part 6 -

He turned on the GPS on his phone and opened the maps application, trying to locate the nearest hotels. After browsing for a while, he found one nearby and started walking toward it. It had been an exhausting day, and he was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open.

After walking for about 10-15 minutes, he arrived at a motel with no lights on. It was past midnight, and everything was pitch black. He glanced at his phone battery-it was down to 5%. With a resigned sigh, he turned on his phone's flashlight and scanned the surroundings. The beam of light landed on a sign displaying the name of the motel: "Motel Bear Inn."

"I hope it bears," he thought anxiously, noticing how old and rundown the motel looked. "But not bears in," he added with a hint of fear, his unease growing.

Pointing the flashlight toward the door, he stepped inside cautiously, glancing around. He sneezed. The air was dusty-so dusty, in fact, that he could almost feel a thin layer of it on his tongue. He made his way to what looked like the reception desk.

"Hello?" he called out. "Anyone here? There's a customer inside," he added, mockingly, trying to lighten the unsettling silence. But there were no lights, no sounds-nothing.

"Whatever," he muttered. "I just need a bed as soon as possible."

He walked down the hallway on the ground floor. Some of the doors were ajar. Peeking into one of the rooms, he found a bed, complete with a blanket and a pillow on top. Shining his flashlight carefully over it, he concluded that it seemed clean enough. Without a second thought, he threw himself onto the bed. He was so exhausted that he didn't even bother to take off his boots. Pulling the blanket over himself, he fell asleep within seconds.

---

"No!" he screamed, jolting awake.

He looked around, disoriented. The first light of dawn was creeping in.

"What a nightmare," he muttered to himself. "It felt like a real earthquake."

But then he noticed something unsettling-the bed was still shaking. For a moment, he froze, trying to figure out whether it was his mind playing tricks on him or if it was really happening. He lay still for a few seconds, and sure enough, the ground beneath him felt like it was bouncing him ever so slightly.

Even this small tremor had been enough to invade his dreams and wake him up. But as the shaking intensified and dust began to fall from the ceiling onto his face, panic surged through him. Grabbing his phone, he stumbled out of the room, steadying himself against the walls as he made his way toward the exit.

Once outside, he moved a safe distance away from the building and turned to look back. What he saw left him in shock. He finally understood why the motel had been abandoned. Cracks riddled the already dilapidated structure, and balconies from the upper floors had collapsed onto the ground.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "What have I done? I could've died."

He looked up and murmured, "Thank you, God, for giving me another day to live."

Just then, the building began to creak and groan, the sounds growing louder and more ominous. Instinctively, he started taking slow, hesitant steps backward, his eyes glued to the motel. He was still trying to process the fact that he had survived by sheer chance when the building suddenly began to collapse.

The entire structure tilted to one side before crumbling in on itself, sending a massive cloud of dust into the air. Frozen in shock, he couldn't move as the dust engulfed him. It was so thick that he couldn't breathe or see, forcing him to crouch down and shut his eyes tightly.

He felt like crying, but no tears would come. His emotions were spiraling out of control. Was he even awake? He wasn't sure anymore. Moments ago, he had been asleep in a bed that was now buried under the rubble of the collapsed motel.

- End of Part 7 -

He had been sitting there, motionless, for what felt like an eternity. Minutes might have passed, or maybe hours-he had no idea. Then, the sound of a motorcycle broke through the silence, growing louder until it stopped nearby. He heard footsteps, the crunch of small pebbles under boots, signaling that the rider was approaching.

"Excuse me," said a muffled voice, accompanied by a gentle tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me, sir?" the rider repeated.

The man slowly turned his head towards the voice. Standing before him was a figure clad entirely in black motorcycle gear, dusted with debris, the silhouette thin and indistinct. It was impossible to tell if the person was a man or a woman; even the muffled voice, distorted by the helmet, gave no clue.

"Sir, do you need help?" the rider asked. The man's shoulders began to shake, and tears silently streamed down his face. The rider couldn't see his expression but knew something was wrong from the trembling.

"I'm the daughter of this hotel's owner," the rider said, her voice cautious. "I came to check on the property, but I see I'm too late."

The man raised his head to look at her. "I... I was in this hotel last night. I woke up just as it started collapsing and barely escaped in time," he confessed, unsure why he was sharing this with a complete stranger. Perhaps he was desperate for someone, anyone, to help him.

"Oh, my God," the rider whispered. She slowly removed her helmet, revealing long hair that tumbled free as she crouched beside the distraught man. "Come on. Let me take you somewhere," she said softly.

Guy, simply nodded. The woman put her helmet back on, started her motorcycle, and gestured for him to climb on. He obeyed, sitting behind her. Through the partially open visor, she said, "I can't lend you my jacket-it won't fit-but if you stay close to me, the wind won't hit you as hard. Keep your head near my helmet and hold onto my waist."

Guy complied, but his grip was weak from exhaustion. Sensing this, the rider took his arms and pulled them tighter around her waist. "Can you hold on?" she asked. Guy gave her a thumbs-up.

Once he was secure, she revved the engine and took off. The ride was brief, and soon they arrived at a parking garage. She parked the motorcycle and climbed off.

"This is my apartment," she said, turning to him. "If you want, you can come inside and take a shower."

Guy hesitated, his expression uncertain. Sensing his reluctance, she added, "Don't worry-you won't be disturbing anyone."

She took a few steps toward the building and glanced back, relieved to see him following her at a slow pace. Together, they entered the apartment.

Inside, she set her helmet and keys on a table near the door, hung her jacket on a hook, and said, "I'll prepare the bathroom for you."

"There's no need to go to any trouble," Guy said quietly.

"It's no trouble at all," she assured him. "A shower will help you feel better."

She led him to the bathroom, showed him how to use everything, and handed him a fresh towel. He thanked her several times before she smiled and said, "Take your time. I'll run to the store and pick up a few things while you're in there."

She left the apartment, and Guy, moving slowly, began to shower.

When Guy opened the bathroom door and stepped out, he noticed new, unfamiliar clothes instead of his own. Confused, he called out, "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" came the response from the other room.

"I think my clothes aren't here. Could you bring them?"

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed. "They were too dusty, so I bought you new ones. I didn't know your size, but I guessed and picked a few things. If they don't fit, you can exchange them later."

Guy was stunned. He hadn't expected such kindness. "But..." he managed to say, though the rest of his sentence didn't come out.

"Please," she said gently. "I just wanted to help. It's no trouble."

He was still in disbelief. Meeting someone this considerate was beyond what he had imagined. "I don't even know how to thank you, but... thank you so much," he said earnestly.

"It's nothing, really," she replied with a smile. "By the way, I made some coffee," she added with a laugh. "But seriously, stop thanking me. It's starting to feel awkward."

Alright, but one last question-why are you doing this? I'm just a Random Guy," he said.

The woman smiled softly. "If I were in the same situation, wouldn't you do the same for me?"

"Yeah, I see now," Guy replied. You should be an angel," he added.

"Angela, actually," she said with a chuckle. "Good guess."

"And I'm Guy. Or you can call me Random Guy if you prefer," he said, smiling for the first time in a long while.

"Nice to meet you," Angela said.

"Nice to meet you too," Guy replied.

By the way, I'm sorry about your hotel," Guy said.

"Don't worry about it," Angela replied. "I kept telling my dad it was too old and that one day it would collapse in a storm. It wasn't a storm, but it happened during the earthquake, just as I said."

"Still, losing your source of income must be tough. If there's anything I can do to help..."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you," Angela said with a warm smile. She then asked when Guy had gone to the hotel and what had happened to him.

Guy recounted his story, and after that, he asked her some questions. Angela shared her own experiences, and they chatted for a while.

Finally, after taking the last sip of his coffee, Guy said, "I should get going now. All my belongings are in my hotel room in the city, and I really need to retrieve them."

"Well then, are you ready for another ride?" Angela asked.

Guy smiled and said, "Of course, but first, there's something I need to do," he added.

"Sure," Angela replied.

They got ready and stepped out of the apartment together.

- End of Part 8 -

"First, I need to get myself a jacket. I lost mine on the train, and ever since then, I've been thinking about how important a jacket really is," Guy said.

"There's a good place nearby," Angela replied.

They went to a store and picked out a thick, black leather jacket similar to Angela's biker gear. Afterward, they returned to the motorcycle.

"So, where to?" Angela asked, as if eagerly awaiting their next adventure.

Guy told her the name of the hotel where his room was. Angela typed the address into her phone's maps app, mounted the phone on the front of her motorcycle, and followed the directions. The app estimated the journey would take 44 minutes.

Five or ten minutes into the ride, Angela shouted, "Hey, everything okay back there?"

There was no response.

Guy had turned his head to the side, but he wasn't looking at the road. Instead, he seemed lost in his thoughts, examining them like one might study a distant horizon.

Angela tried again. "Is everything okay back there?"

But between the wind's roar and Guy's deep contemplation, she received no reply. She glanced between the road ahead and Guy's expression. She didn't ask a third time. Watching the man behind her smile faintly, then grow serious, then smile again as he drifted through his thoughts was somehow more enjoyable.

Guy seemed to be watching the trees along the roadside, but in truth, he was lost in memories. A road trip with his parents when he was twelve had come to mind. He'd been sitting in the back seat, his hand stretched out the car window, playing with the wind as it rushed past, an unconscious smile on his face.

It might have been the first time he realized he could lose himself in his thoughts-or at least, it was the first time he could remember. He'd thought about life, about what he was doing, and what he wanted to do. Then he'd asked his father, "Dad, when you were a kid, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up?" He couldn't recall exactly what his father had said, but the memory itself made him happy.

That memory, though, brought him back to the present. He started thinking about where he was, what he was doing, and what he had wanted to be when he was a kid. A tinge of sadness crept in; the thought unsettled him.

But then he realized something: he was still able to lose himself in his thoughts, just like he had back then. He smiled again at that realization. He leaned closer to Angela and hugged her tightly, as if embracing all the people he wished he could hold close. It felt good.

At the same time, Angela smiled too, sensing that Guy had returned to the moment. She repeated her question, "Everything okay back there?"

Though the wind muffled his voice, Guy laughed out loud in response and gave her a thumbs-up.

And so, the two continued their journey, silent but content, enjoying the simple joy of traveling together.

And then, through the Bluetooth headset, Angela heard the "you've reached your destination" notification. She stopped the bike in a suitable spot. Guy was still holding on to her. Angela turned her head back, and before a few seconds passed, Guy said, "Oh, so sorry."

"No problem," Angela replied. "I enjoyed it too."

Guy got off the bike. "It was nice meeting you, Angela. Thank you for everything," he said.

Angela responded, "What do you mean? Aren't you going to tell me what our next adventure is?"

At that very moment, Guy thought of his girlfriend. He became serious, lowered his head, and wasn't sure what to say. It could have been fun to do something with this girl, but at the same time, if she had other intentions, it might have upset her.

"Look," Guy said, "I'd love to, really, but there's something you should know."

"Hey, I'm not stupid, I get it," Angela said. "I mean, when are we going to reunite you with the one you love? Tell me that."

These words made Guy feel flattered, but at the same time, he found himself starting to warm up to the girl.

- End of Part 9 - (31.12.24)

For a moment, they looked at each other, and both felt the same spark. But at the same time, they both realized that getting closer would not be the right thing to do, so they just Said "allright then" and turned their heads away.

"Let me show you the address," Guy said, trying to find something to say.

Angela responded, "Yeah, let me see," curious if it was a place she might recognize.

Guy's phone had already run out of battery, so he took Angela's phone and entered the address. When Angela looked at it, her expression shifted from confusion to surprise. She held the phone up to Guy and asked, "This place? Really?"

Guy, not understanding her reaction, double-checked the address before replying hesitantly, "Uh, yeah?"

Angela laughed. "This is where my dad lives. What are the odds of that?" she said with a chuckle.

Guy was equally surprised. "Wow, what are the chances?" he replied.

"One second," Angela said. "Since we're going there, maybe I'll see my dad too. Let me call him."

She took her phone, dialed her father's number, and waited as it rang. A moment later, he picked up, and they began chatting. After a brief conversation, she hung up with a smile. "All right, I'll meet you in about half an hour," she said.

Then, turning to Guy, she asked, "Are you going to call your girlfriend ahead too?"

Guy hesitated for a moment before replying, "No, I think, I'd rather surprise her."

"Sure," Angela said with a nod. "So, let's get going."

After a while, Angela parked her motorcycle by the curb. As Guy looked up at the building, for a brief moment, the image of the hotel collapsing flashed through his mind, and he felt a wave of unease. He hadn't expected to feel this anxious.

"You okay?" Angela asked, noticing his hesitation.

"Yeah, yeah," Guy said, trying to brush it off. "Let's go."

They entered the building. Guy led the way, Angela started to mention that her father's place was on the third floor. Since the building didn't have an elevator, they began climbing the stairs.

As they approached the second floor, Guy was about to say, " and Lucy's apartment is right on this floor," when a door opened on the left side. A man stepped out facing the apartment, and Guy instinctively raised his hand to stop Angela.

Sensing something was wrong, Angela fell silent and leaned her head forward, trying to understand what was happening.

"Wait, let me see you off," said a woman's voice. She approached the man, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and rose up on her toes to kiss him on the lips.

Guy stood frozen, silently watching. Slowly, he stepped back, his eyes locked on the scene. Turning around, he motioned for Angela to go back. Angela gestured as if to ask, "What's wrong?" but Guy insisted with hand signals for her to retreat.

Together, they began tiptoeing down the stairs to avoid being seen. But just as they reached the landing, the ground began to shake.

"Run!" Guy shouted.

They rushed down the stairs, bolted out of the building, and crossed the street to where Angela's motorcycle was parked. From there, they waited for the tremors to subside.

Angela placed her hand on Guy's shoulder. "Relax, nothing's going to happen. It'll stop soon," she said.

But before she could finish her sentence, creaking sounds echoed from the building. First, the building to the right collapsed, then the one to the left, and finally, the very building they had just exited crumbled into a cloud of dust and debris.

"Dad!" Angela screamed.

"Nooo!" Guy yelled, their cries of despair overlapping.

- End of part 10 -