Tap. Tap. Tap.
Carter Clove woke to the sound of water dripping from rusty pipes snaking across the ceiling.
A wave of dread washed over Carter as he listened to the dripping. It wasn't as sporadic as usual; it had become consistent, the water flowing faster and in greater volume. Immediate worry seized him, and he ran to his sister Natalie's room in the middle of the night to check on her.
When Carter arrived in Natalie's room, he immediately heard the sound of water dripping: "Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap," the sound rapidly grew faster and faster.
Carter quickly picked up Natalie, swaddled her in a blanket, and rushed her outside to the car, placing her in the backseat. He then ran back onto the old steamboat they called home to gather the necessities they couldn't leave behind, such as clothes and food.
Soon after collecting their things, they headed for the Wallflower Hotel, where they planned to stay temporarily while searching for a new place.
Upon their arrival at the Wallflower, Carter used the money he had barely scraped together from his part-time jobs over the past week to pay for a two-bedroom for a week.
Carter carried Natalie to her room, and soon after, she woke up. Disoriented and unaware of her surroundings, she screamed for Carter, fearing the worst.
Carter rushed to Natalie from the bathroom, finding her crying in the unfamiliar environment. Wanting to comfort her, he said in a soft, calming voice, "I'll go get you some snacks from the local gas station."
Soon after arriving at the gas station, Carter grabbed Natalie's favorite snack: donuts. He went to the counter to pay but noticed it was empty and no one was around. Deciding not to wait, he left some money on the counter with a note that read, "I had to get back to my sister soon, so I couldn't wait for you to return. I've left the money here for the donut I bought."
Carter quickly left the gas station and headed back to the car. Suddenly, he heard a crushing and splashing noise behind him. He quickly turned towards the sound, wondering what could possibly be causing it.
To his terror, he saw a giant wave, a tsunami. He frantically began running towards the car, but it was no use. The tsunami crashed into him, throwing him against the vehicle. Water filled his lungs, and Carter gasped for air…
Then
everything went blank.