Sono Saves

There it was I saw the streets full of people scurrying like mice, off in the distance a 20 meter high wave brinking over the flood walls of New Zakra.

I was just a boy alone for which my parents were stolen by the last wave, I don’t want to be next…I thought hopping on my bike.

There is a shelter two or three blocks from here, the wave devastating everything in its path as it crept closer.

My bike fighting to get traction as the water in the streets began overflowing from the drainage system, it must be blocked I’ve gotta do the right thing I thought taking a left instead of a right to the shelter.

At the water management plant my father once worked at, I’d remembered the layout as he directed. In the basement, should be 2 big floodgate switches, to my dismay — already 4 feet of water indicated by it coating the fourth step.

Removing my backpack and my shoe’s, I began descending playing a Montara of my fathers voice: be brave son inside my head.

At the big floodgate control panel, I hung all my body weight on the first switch, it’s fairly stiff from a good century of lying untouched, with a series of thuds, clicks and groans. I could see light peering into the cavernous water overflow pipes from the monitor above me. Noting: how the system resembled a car exhaust system.

Moving to the second one, it was a bit more stubborn than the last, with a thud samelike series of noises ensued.

On a secondary monitor displaying the water level, it was flashing red reading alert. As I anticipated the last few squeals from the alarm system subsided samelike with the buildings alarm.

The floor steadily emptied 4ft of water through holes in the floor, alowing me to exit though i was already soaked I needed a bath anyway I noted,shivering.

As I ascended the stairs a suited man halted me ordering an explanation before it dawned on him what I’d done.

His body language changed, more passive. Steeping aside allowing me to finish climbing the stairwell.

Escorting me towards a familiar employee break room close by gesturing me to a bench, fetching a blanket from the closet above, handing it to me. I wrapped myself in it finnaly the last few shivers subsided.

After I was plenty toasty, the man questioned as to the events. We went outside to check the carnage that wave was able to cuase before the outdated drainage system was manually activated by Sono the savior and he was forever comemeraded on a plaque in the town hall.