Earthquake!!!!!!

Undulating fear awoke me. Having the whole ground shift beneath you is not a normal 4.30am morning wake up call. Scrambling for the safety of my door frame, I stumble as if intoxicated. Struggling to open my door for the forces jolting this way and that, I manage to balance myself against the frame. Aware of the lack of safety this provides in a earth shattering movement, I focus on steadying myself, staying safe.

What feels like hours later, though really over a minute, it stops. The deafening roar of the earthquake subsides, though rattles on in my mind, refusing to let me forget.

Aware disaster has arrived, it presence ever present, we scour the house for signs of damage. We are lucky.

Some are not. The city is in ruins. Buildings gallore have collapsed, completely crumpled. Central city is a war torn disaster zone. State of emergency declared.

The city stumbles into activity, people beginning to respond to what was the worst earthquake in decades. Almost a century.

Sleepily coming to grips with the event,people flock into the streets in pyjamas, draped in blankets, assesing their houses and others, checking everyone is okay. Offering help, assistance, company.

This disaster has changed the city. Completely.

It's no longer my Christchurch.

It's Mother Nature's.