The surrounding buildings, already teetering on the brink of collapse, instantly crumbled. The building where Jessica and Damien were located was no exception. It was completely collapsing into rubble.
I found an iron rod to lean on and headed toward the city hospital. As I passed by, I heard hysterical screams coming from the rubble.
“Help! Someone, please save us! Help us!”
It was Jessica's voice. I pretended not to hear and hummed a song as I walked toward the evacuation site in a good mood.
“If you like to be together, then stay together.”
As soon as I arrived, I ran into my parents-in-law who were arguing.
My mom-in-law, Anselma Webster, was acting like a shrew. She grabbed Lorenzo by the collar and shouted, “Why didn't you persuade them to leave together? My son, give me back my son!”
Lorenzo had a bad temper. I could see his face turn red with anger. But since the other party was an elderly woman, he had to hold back his anger.
“They refused to leave. What does that have to do with us? If it weren't for Damien, we wouldn't have been stuck upstairs for so long!”
As the argument grew more intense, my dad-in-law, Boniface Arrowsmith, caught a glimpse of me, who had just finished treating my wounds.
“My daughter, where is Damien?”
I stumbled as I was pulled. For a moment, everyone's eyes were focused on me.
“He and Jessica are trapped under the building.”
I said calmly, “They must be dead by now.”
“What are you talking about?”
Anselma glared at me angrily and said, “We didn't look down on you for being an orphan. We raised you and even gave our son to you as a husband. Now my son is in danger, how could you run away first?”
“He insisted on going back with Jessica, Mom.”
I took a step back to create some distance between myself and my in-laws. Anselma was about to scold me further when a commotion erupted outside.
A group of people soon gathered. Two naked bodies were carried onto a stretcher by a group of people. Because of the poor conditions, they were only covered with coats. It couldn't hide their exposed bodies at all.
“Oh my God! It looks like Jessica and Damien!”
Someone in the crowd shouted. The remark was like dropping an atomic bomb into a pond of arguing fish. Everything fell silent for a moment.
“My son!”
Anselma grabbed Boniface’s hand and hurried after them. And I lagged behind by a few steps.