Quake Read Online Free PDF

right?'
        'Doesn't mean you're right.'
        'Shut up.'
        Barbara released her grip on the dashboard, snapped the passenger seat harness, swept its belts across her lap, and felt for the buckle slot. Felt for it because she didn't dare look away from the destruction all around. The whole world's falling down! But not on us, she told herself. Not so far, anyway. As long as nothing falls on us, we'll be okay. And she heard her father. Kidding around, as earthquake never hurt anyone. An earthquake's ham. It's the shit that falls on your head that will kill you. Or your driver's ed teacher freaking out and careering in a head-on… She thrust the metal tongue into the buckle's slot and felt it lock into place. If he crashes now…A bowling ball sailed down from high on the right and landed on the hood. Can't be, Barbara thought. Not a bowling ball. But it is. She saw its finger holes, its pretty purple marbling… It bounced, leaving a big dent in the hood, and the speeding car rushed at the airborne ball. In front of Wellen's face, the windshield dissolved into frosty chunks. Bits of it flew at him. Barbara expected the ball to come in. But it bounced off and flew away, leaving a hole no larger than an orange in the safety glass. Wellen kept on driving.
        'You okay?' Barbara yelled. And realized that her voice seemed strangely loud, that it seemed so loud because the roar was gone. Not only the roar, but the rough shudders too.
        'I think it's stopped,' Pete said.
        'Yes!' Earl blurted. 'All right, sports fans.'
        Heather was crying. Barbara looked back at her. The girl seemed very small and fragile between Earl and Pete. She was hunched over, hugging her belly, head down, the sides of her face draped by long brown hair. Her shoulders hitched up and down as she sobbed.
        'You okay?' Barbara asked.
        Heather shook her head. The shrouds of hair swayed.
        'We're all right,' Barbara told her. 'We made it. The quake's over.'
        The car swung hard to the right. Barbara was thrust sideways toward Wellen, but the chest belt stopped her. In the rear, Pete caught hold of the door handle to keep himself upright. Heather fell across Earl's lap. He cast his eyes down at her. Wrinkled his nose. Said, 'Hey, get off the merchandise,' and shoved her away with a forearm.
        'Take it easy,' Pete said. 'Gettin' her cooties on me.'
        'I'm sorry,' Heather murmured.
        'Everybody knock it off back there,' Wellen 'Just knock it off'
        Heather, sitting up straight, leaned away from Earl. pressed her right side against Pete. She glanced at Pete as if asking permission. He nodded. Then he took her shoulders. His hand cupped her left shoulder, gave it squeeze. And Barbara felt an ache deep inside her. Something like longing or regret. Which made no sense. She didn't Pete, just from driver's ed. No sense at all. But it hurt a little, anyway, to see him holding Heather. So Barbara turned forward. She into her seat. What's wrong with Wellen? she wondered. Hunched over the wheel, he was peering at the hole in the windshield. Barbara could only see his right eye. But it looked bulgy and wild. His red face sweated. He was gasping for breath. His lips were skinned baring his teeth. It scared her to look at him. So she looked forward. Beyond the windshield, a wide road.
        Filled by stopped cars. Bordered not by apartment houses but parking meters, shops, banks, businesses of all sorts in shambles. People stumbling about as if dazed. We're sure not on Bedford anymore, Barbara thought.
        No, of course not. That right turn we made…
        She spotted the Shell station. Our Shell station? she wondered. The one with Heinz who called the Granada 'your junk'? Must be. So we're on Pico, Barbara thought. And this is La Cienega just ahead. Familiar territory. At least it would have been familiar if so much of it didn't look as if it had been leveled by bombs.