I'm not too sure about what I've written over the past couple of days. It seems a bit insensitive, and will perhaps come across as cashing in on other peoples misery, coming as it does hot on the heels of the Christchurch and Sendai earthquakes. But I've found myself boxed in somewhat. For context: in the story one of the protagonists has found herself in Christchurch tending to her father who has just had a heart attack. Documented are the emails sent back and forth between her and her boyfriend in Perth. I must stress that the story had reached this point well before even the first earthquake to hit the area back in September. To compound the awkwardness, that portion of the story unfolds in the height of summer. So it seems that the natural direction should be to incorporate the earthquake into the story. However I really am unsure as to whether the story should go down this direction. It's a bit of a diversion away from where I envisaged it going. I have to decide whether this segment actually serves the story in a positive manner. If I decide that it doesn't- that it's only there as an unnecessary conflict cashing in on a terrible event- then I will scrap it. If however it serves and adds to the overall themes of the novel, then it will stay, but believe me when I say it'll only be after a lot of soul-searching. The last thing I want is to be one of these leaches sucking the blood out of other peoples misfortune. So anyway, preamble over. On to the text:
Marshall, [Tues Feb 22]
All types of shit are going down here. I don’t know if it’s made it to the news over there yet, but there was a massive earthquake here at lunchtime. Apparently the CBD is in ruins and there are a lot of people trapped. The house is still standing, but there are some cracks in the walls. There are ongoing aftershocks so we’re hanging out in the park and staying away from any large or sharp objects. It’s truly terrifying. I tried calling you but couldn’t get through. I guess mobile networks are jammed. I’ll keep trying throughout the day, but for now this is the best conduit. The wi-fi is really slow, and I’m kinda surprised it’s still working at all. If it stops working, just know that everyone here is OK, just shaken (sorry, bad coping-mechanism pun). I’ll be in email contact until my laptop runs out of power and/or the connection fails.
Hazel
Hazel, [Tues 22 Feb]
Holy Shit! I hadn’t heard. I don’t know what to say. Thanks for letting me know you’re all OK. Just take care and stay safe. Let’s hope for the best of possible outcomes. Keep me updated, and I’ll keep you updated with what the news is saying. Again, stay safe and out in the open.
Love you.
Marshall
Hazel, [Tues 22 Feb]
The earthquake is all over the news now. We’ve got the lab radio tuned in to ABC radio and it’s keeping us up to date with what’s going on. Apparently is was 6.3 on the Richter scale, so not as strong as the one late last year, but its epicentre was much closer to Chch and it would have exacerbated any faults in buildings caused by the last one. The cathedral has apparently collapsed, as have several other buildings. I shudder to think what the casualty list will be like. Thanks for letting me know you’re all safe. I’ve settled down a little and am no longer running around frantically trying to find out information. I’m glad I wasn’t there. If I’m freaking out over here, I shudder to think how useless I would have been to anyone over there.
The radio is now saying that the hospital has to be evacuated as it’s threatening to fall down. Yikes! That’s fucked up.
Marshall
Marshall, [Tues Feb 22]
I don’t know what to do. Everyone is running around not knowing what to do. There are sirens going off all around us, and smoke rising from neighbouring suburbs. It’s like some disaster movie, but in slow-motion real life. People are crying and visibly shaking. I feel completely powerless and useless. I want to help somehow; to get into the city and help in the rescue effort, but I don’t know what good I’d be, and know it’s best left to the experts. Having amateurs messing around amongst the chaos wouldn’t help anyone and would probably just cause more problems. I’m trying to stay calm and keep everyone else calm, but by god it’s proving tough. Everything is from some ghoulish nightmare.
I wish you were here, if for no other reason than to hold me and reassure me that everything will be alright. I’m missing you terribly. I love you.
Hazel XXX
Hazel, [Tues 22 Feb]
It all sounds horrific. I wish everyone there the best, whether you know them or not. It is a massive tragedy. Apparently several hotels and office buildings in the city have collapsed. I can’t fathom the devastation. Let’s hope for many miraculous stories of survival. The airport has also been closed, so I guess your return flight will be delayed….
Again, stay safe and keep your family safe. Just hold tight and everything will be OK. I’ll keep you updated from this end if you keep me updated from that end.
Love you.
Marshall XX
Marshall, [Tues 22 Feb]
Dad has set into getting-shit-done mode. He wanted to go to the shops and buy candles and torches and blankets and tinned food. Given his health we’ve managed to talk him around to letting the neighbours go scavenging for supplies. No-one here wants to go back inside their houses. We’re all too frightened that they’ll collapse while we sleep. We’re planning on camping out in the park with our neighbours. It’s drizzling at the moment so the conditions aren’t the best, but the threat of rain is certainly outweighed by the threat of flattened houses. Authorities have come by and suggested we head to the emergency evacuation shelter at the local primary school, but we distrust any and all buildings right now. I’m going to go with Anne and check it out in a minute and make a decision from there. There’s a lot of fear (justified IMHO) and chaos around here right now. I’m trying to stay calm, but it’s bloody tough.
Thinking of you.
Hazel XX
Hazel, [Tues 22 Feb]
I think being wary of buildings is a perfectly valid reaction. Still, if the school is still standing strong, and the authorities are happy with its structural integrity, then it’s probably safe. I imagine they build schools to pretty high design standards, what with the lives of children at stake and all. And stocking up on supplies is probably a good idea, too. Just don’t resort to looting. That’s really not a good look.
Worrying about you. Stay safe.
Marshall XXX
Marshall, [Tues 22 Feb]
We’ve decided to move camp to the evacuation centre, so we’re in the process of packing up. All the stores in the neighbourhood were closed and damaged, so the search party didn’t come back with anything. I volunteered to dash into Anne’s house and grab whatever tins I could, and candles if I could find them (I did). It was such an eerie feeling going into the empty house under those circumstances. I kept unnerving myself; imagining groaning and cracking noises coming from the walls and roof. Did.not.like.
I’ll leave it there and pitch in and help. I think I’ll keep incommunicado tonight and focus on the family. I feel like I’ve neglected them a bit today. Hence why I volunteered to do the mad dash into the house. I felt like I owed them somehow.
Anyway, I’d better help out. I’ll try to call tomorrow. Love you so much.
Hazel XXXXXXXXXXXX
Hazel, [Tues 22 Feb]
Stop talking crazy talk. You haven’t let your family down in any way. The fact you are there in the first place is proof of that. I think you were very brave to volunteer to collect supplies from inside the house, but I’m not a fan of your motives. Still, you survived and you are all OK.
I’ve stopped following the live coverage of the quake. It’s getting me too excited and scared, so I’ve cut myself off. I’ll just have to convince myself that everything is alright. Obviously it’s not, but I won’t be able to sleep if I think about it too much.
Best of luck for the night. If I were a believer I would be praying for everyone. Stay safe and don’t do anything stupid.
Love and miss you. Marshall. xx
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