© 1993

Mekhit, Turkey May 9, 1983

The darkness was absolute, pressing down on her, taking away her breath.

Her hands clawed weakly at the block of concrete barring the entrance, but it was too heavy to shift. Why did she keep trying? She was going to die. Her throat was raw with screaming, but no one had heard her.

"Are you there? Dammit, answer me. Talk to me." A man's voice shouting, strong and angry.

"Here." It came out a hoarse croak. "Help me……"

"I'm trying to help. I've been trying since I heard you two hours ago." She could hear the shifting of concrete slabs. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't think so." It was difficult to tell. At first, she had been aware of pain, but time and terror had blurred sensation. "Arm hurts… a little. Why did the… parking garage blow up?"

"The entire world blew up," he said. "It was a seven-point-five earthquake on the Richter scale. The hotel collapsed. We've been trying to dig survivors out for the last eight hours."

Was that how long it had been? It had seemed forever, an eternity of forevers. An earthquake. Why hadn't that possibility occurred to her? Her first thought had been a missile.

"Is there anyone else there with you?"

"No." It was always her job to make sure the rendezvous was deserted. Evan said no one ever suspected kids. "I'm alone."

"You're fading away. Keep talking. What's your name?"

What was the name on her passport this time? she wondered hazily. Anita… Anita something. "Anita."

That seemed enough for him. "I'm Gabe. Can you tell me how close you were to the door when the quake hit?"

She tried to remember. "Close. I started running… I didn't reach it in time."