The Earthquake
I had found a cave to live in and had spent three or
four months building a wall around its entrance. It meant
that I had to enter my home by using a ladder, but at
least I would be safe from the wild animals and any other
creatures which may live on the island.
when I had finally finished building, I pitched my tent
in the space between the cave mouth and the wall and
felt very comfortable and content. However, this feeling
did not last long. The very next day, when I was busy in
my new home, just inside the entrance to the cave, I saw
some earth falling from the roof of my cave, and I heard
two of the supporting posts, which I had put up, make a
frightening, cracking noise. I was afraid that the roof of the
cave was about to fall in and bury me alive, so I ran to my
ladder and climbed over the wall to get clear of any falling
rocks which might roll down the hill.
The moment I stepped down onto the ground, I realised
that a terrible earthquake was taking place. The ground I
was standing on shook three times, with a pause of about
eight minutes between each tremor. The shaking was so
strong that it would have brought down the strongest
building in the world. Huge waves were crashing on the
shore and making a terrible noise as the earthquake shook
the water. I think that the shocks must have been stronger
under the water than they were on land.
The experience frightened me so much that I was stunned,
and could do nothing but stare around me. I felt sick from
the shaking of the earth, as if I was in a boat on a rough sea.
Then, suddenly, I heard a crash as rocks fell from the hill, and
I was filled with fear, I was worried that my months of work
would have been destroyed in a few minuted and that my
few belongings would be destroyed. This thought made me
so sad that I felt my heart sink in my chest.