“Warning! Warning! All people please get to higher ground. Warning! Warning!” A loudspeaker booms. I fall out of my bed from hearing this loud sound. Tori, my older sister is on the floor with me. I guess it scared her too. I think. We walk out of our room. What is going on? What did that lady say?  I see my dad running around the house. He pulls family heirlooms off of the shelves and a picture of my mom. He looks scared.
“Dad? Whats going on?” I ask my dad. He doesn’t reply. “Dad?” I ask tugging on his shirt. He runs out to the car. “DAAAAD!” I yell. Why isn’t he listening to me? Doesn’t he know I am talking to him? What’s going on? I think. He turns around to look at me in the eye. He looks mad at me.
“Mackenzie, I don’t have a lot of time, it’s dangerous. I need to do this, please don’t distract me, now get in the car. NOW.” He says sternly. He grabs our dog Marshmallow and puts the golden retriever into our car. Are we moving? Where are we going? Why do we have to leave, did I do something? Is it my fault? As I am standing there, Tori grabs my hand.
“Mack, come on. We need to hurry!” she says pulling me to the car. She puts me into the car and buckles my seat belt.
“I can do it, I’m not incapable of buckling my seat.” I say annoyed. She has to set an example, because she’s 2 years older than me.
“I’m just making sure you're safe, what if you forgot to buckle your seat?” She says giving me an annoyed sigh.
“Ugh. I’m not a baby, i’m 10 years old, I can take care of myself! I wouldn’t have forgotten my seatbelt.” I tell her.  
“Stay here, I’ll be right back.” She closes the door and runs in the house to help my dad. She may not know what’s going on, but she always helps dad. Marshmallow goes into my lap. I push him away, Ugh! Who does she think she is? I can help too! I am going to go out there and prove it.  I think as I struggle to break free of the buckle which has somehow gotten stuck. Dad and Tori get in the car. SNAP! It opened! Yes! I open the car door and go out to help them. It takes me a moment to realize that they are already in the car. I turn around just in time to see it drive away.
“Wait! Wait! Come back! Come back! You forgot me! Wait! Come, Woah!” I yell as I run after the car. I trip and tumble onto the driveway. A small cut is on my leg. It starts to bleed. “Ouch! I got a scrape! Please come back! Dad! Come help me please!” I cry, looking at the scrape on my knee. I watch as my family leaves me. I sit there and cry. I cry for a while. Why did we leave so much behind? Why so quick? Who was that lady on the loudspeaker? Whats going on? I limp into my house to avoid the rain that is pouring down, also to get a band-aid. I walk into me and Tori’s light blue room. I look out my window. I see the ocean. Wow! What a big storm! I hope it doesn’t flood! I look at the raging sea. I run over to the coat rack and get a hoodie. I shiver even when I wrap myself have the hoodie on. I want my to be with dad and Tori. I stand up to get a blanket. “Woah, woah.” I say as I fall down once again. The ground is shaking. All of my books fall off the shelves. Other things in the house break. I lie on the floor crying and screaming. What’s happening? I’m scared. This is the end of the world. This is the end of the world. I wish my dad was here. I wish Tori was here!  Then, it all stops. Everything's okay, everything's okay, everything's okay, everything's okay. The world hasn’t exploded. I slowly get up. What just happened? I wipe the tears from my eyes. I walk around the house finding broken plates and cups. Everything is destroyed. I feel the tears come back. I go back into my room. I look out the window again. What!? The ocean is gone! How? Why? I run outside with Sprinkles in my hand. The ocean is gone. I run closer and notice a small line of white in the distance. What is that? I walk a bit closer. I wait a little bit. After a while I realize what it is. Yay! The ocean is coming back! I jump up for joy. I run down to the beach. “Wohoo!” I yell! I knew it would! Its coming back! I jump up and down. The water is really close. Woah! It’s really big. I walk even closer. Wait, it’s not stopping! Go back! Go back! Go back! I start to run away. Screaming, I make it up to the edge of the boardwalk. I trip. “Oof.” I say as I hit the ground. I turn around. I look up, there is a huge wave about to crash down on me. I start to cry, “Dad! Tori! I need you!” but, they weren't there. The wave starts to crash down. I look up with fear in my eyes. I close my eyes just before the wave hits me. “Ahhhhhhhh!” I wake up with a start.
“Mack? Whats wrong? What happened?” Tori says falling off of her bed. “Warning! Warning! All people please get to higher ground. Warning! Warning!” The same loudspeaker booms.
“Wait what? But I, Wave, and you, left, and now you are here, and-” I start. Tori hugs me.
“Shhh, you just had a bad dream, I’m here for you.” She says ruffling my blonde hair.
“Tori! I need your help!” yells our dad. I run to help as well. We put all the important things into our car. We are all ready to leave.
“Wait! Marshmallow!” I yell and run out of the car. I pick him up but he jumps out of my arms. “No! Marshmallow! Come back!” I yell as I chase him down to the beach. Tori and dad run out of the car as well.
“Mackenzie! Get back here right now! It’s not safe! Please! Come back. A tsunami could hit at any ti-” My dad yells chasing me. We feel the earth shake. We all fall to the ground. Marshmallow gets back up and runs over to the water barking. We all look over. The water is disappearing. It is going backwards, way past the normal amount.
“We have to get out of here, NOW.” Dad yells. He picks us up and starts towards the car.
“But, Marshmallow!” I yell, looking at the golden retriever. I know that a wave will soon come and end his life. I can’t let that happen. I break free from my dad’s grip and run towards Marshmallow.
“Mackenzie! No!” I hear him yell. I run over as fast as I can. I see a line of white coming towards us. Marshmallow is frozen with fear. I pick him up and start running. Dad and Tori come and help me. I trip and fall into the sand.
“We won’t make it. I know we won’t. Trust me. I know.” I say tears welling up in my eyes. I look at the ocean. It is coming closer. I hug my dad and sister. “I love you guys!” I say. I look up at a wall of water. It is about to hit us. I close my eyes. “Ahhhhhhhh!” I wake up with a start.
“Warning! Warning! All people please get to higher ground. Warning! Warning!”
The loudspeaker booms. I was right! It’s all back to normal! Wait, maybe we have a chance to get out of here.
“Tori! Wake up!” I yell.
“Ahhh!” She yells as she falls out of her bed. I pull her up.
“Come on, we don’t have much time.” I say pulling her hand. She gets up confused.
“Tori! I need-” Dad starts.
“No Dad, we have to leave now. Just take Marshmallow and get in the car, we have to go, now.” I say looking into his confused eyes. He follows me and Tori to the car, after we pick up Marshmallow. The only thing my dad grabs is a photo of our mom. We get into the car and strap our seatbelts. We drive away as quickly as we can. We are almost to higher ground when the earthquake starts. The car flips over and we turn upside down. I am okay, I crawl out of the car, with Marshmallow close behind he has hurt his paw. I look inside the car. Tori is trying to pull Dad out of the driver’s seat but he appears to not be able to. They both are bleeding and I think they are stuck. “Tori! Dad! Let me help you!” I yell as I run over to the car. I can’t open it. My heart sinks. I can’t save them. No there must be another way! There has to be! I try and try, but I can’t do anything. Through the broken glass I hear Tori say,
“Just go on without us.”
“No! I won’t ever leave you! You are my family.” I say. Tori looks at me.
“I love you Mack. Please, survive for me.” She says tears trickling down her face. I look into the distance, I see the wave coming. We are too close to it. We won’t make it. I close my eyes. I wake up. I hear the loudspeaker. I try to save my family. I fail. This happens countless times. I wake up and start to yell. I throw my pillow across the room! “Ugg! Why! Why can’t I save them?” I collapse on the floor crying.
“Mack? Whats wrong? What happened?” Tori says falling off of her bed. “Warning! Warning! All people please get to higher ground. Warning! Warning!”
“This has already happened. So. Many. Times. I scream, you fall off your bed, the loudspeaker booms, dad asks for our help.” I say.
“Tori! I need your help!” Dad hollers.
“See, it has all happened before. I don’t understand it. And in the end, there is a title wave.” I say looking at Tori’s confused face.
“Are you feeling alright? Tori asks looking at me with the strangest look.
“Tori?” My dad yells again. Oh my god. What is happening! Why is this happening? How do they not remember it? How do I make it stop? Will this be my life forever? Why me? I think.
“Seriously, Mack, are you okay?” Tori asks, looking very concerned.
“NO! I am not okay! I have tried so hard to save us but no matter what happens, I can’t do it. Do you know how many times I have been in that bed today? Do you know how many times you have fallen out of your bed? Do you know how many times I have tried to save you but failed? Do you know how many times I was so close? Huh!? Does it sound like I am okay!?” I yell, tears dripping down my face. Tori just stares at me.
“Victoria! Please! I need your help!” Yells our dad opening the door to our room. I feel the earth start to shake. Tori turns at this. Dad never uses her full name unless it’s important
“It’s happening!” I yell as we fall onto the floor. “Why, why, why, why, why, why.” I start to say. Dad and Tori both look at me strange.
“Girls, we need to leave right now!” Dad says.
“What's the point? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter! Ha! It doesn't matter! Nothing matters! It will all reset anyway when I close my eyes. Ha, ha, ha. NOTHING MATTERS!” I yell I look into my sister big green eyes. They look terrified. They are looking at me like I am insane. I’m not insane. Right?...CRASH! Water starts flooding the house. “I told you it would happen I knew it would happen!” I yell as I am swept up by the water. I close my eyes. I sit up in my bed. “Warning! Warning! All people please get to higher ground. Warning! Warning!”
The loudspeaker booms. I am sick of hearing that! So sick! Then a thought. A single thought. What if… It is strange but what if? What if, I killed her. Would it change anything? If I regret it, I can always go back, she won’t remember it. No matter what I do, she will die anyway. This wave will kill her. Maybe if I kill her, it will be less painful. Better to die like that than to be drowned. Yes. What if. what. If. I think. As the earthquake starts, I smile. I knew it would happen. When I fall down, I laugh. On the ground next to me, Tori looks like I am crazy.  When the water hits the house I close my eyes smiling. I wake up. I am too occupied by thinking about what I am about to do, to realize there is no loudspeaker. No one is awake. Perfect. I think. I slip out of our room. I walk into the kitchen. I grab a knife. This suffering will almost end. I think. I step into our room. I look at her, sleeping. I grip the knife in my hand. I raise the knife above my head. Tori opens her eyes.
“Mack!? What are you? AHHH-” She yells as the knife slices into her skin, blood pouring out of the wound I have made. She falls off of her bed one last time. I did it... I did it… I DID it! I think looking at the knife in my hand. I see the blood on it. What did I do? I wonder. I, I, I killed her. Wait, I killed her. I have become a monster. I killed my own sister. Why? Why would I do that? That was not a peaceful way to die. She saw me. She saw me murder her. Her last living moments were filled with fear. NO! I can’t believe I did that. No, I need to go back! I must fix it! I think, realizing the horrible mistake I have made. I close my eyes. I open them. I am still here, holding the knife that ended my sister’s life. Her dead body is still on the floor. Her blood is stained on my clothes. NO! No! No, no, no, no, no, no no no! This can’t be! It’s not working. I think.
“Tori? Mack? Are you girls okay? I heard a yell...” My dad asks. He walks in. He opens the door and his mouth drops open at the sight of what is inside. “M-M-Mackenzie? Wh-what did you do to your sister!?” he asked looking at the bloody knife in my hand, and my bloodstained clothes. He looks down at Tori’s dead body. “What did you…” He steps toward me. “Now Mack, just put the knife down, it’s all right…” he says slowly.
“Stop! Leave me alone! I already killed Tori! I’ll just hurt you. Just leave me alone.” I say backing away. I hit the wall.
“Please, just put the knife down.” He says stepping closer, too close.
“Leave. Me. ALONE!” I yell. Without thinking, I slash the knife across his chest.
“M-m-ack.” He says, falling onto the floor dead. I step back and look at my sister and dad, lying on the floor, dead. I look at the blood on my hands. I sink to my knees. What. have. I. done?