It was a normal day. Until the volcano erupted. I woke up like normal and went to work. I live in Princeville, on Kauai, the beautiful northern Hawaiian island, in a sort of hut on the beach. I’ve got a good job, although I can’t really pay rent. At least I’m better off than I was last year. I work at the docks, herding people around and selling tickets to different boats. The docks are like a barren, artificial island used for tourism and transport. It’s a good life.

I heard a boom far offshore. The echo quieted and I heard people yelling. I didn’t know what it was, and frankly, I didn’t care. But I was about to. People screaming in terror ran to me. “Hey, what’s going on?” yelled a panicked man. “My family’s on that boat! The one that just left!”

I reached for my portable radio; I kept it on my belt. But then I realized I forgot it back in the entrance shack. I looked for anyone else that worked here. I saw no one. “Wait here.” 

I ran back to the small dilapidated shack. I could feel the people watching me like hawks. I grabbed the radio. “This is dock to mainland. What’s going on?”

“Mainland here. We copy. We have no idea, but boats are coming over, so get everyone lined up and ready to leave,” the radio crackled.

“Dock out,” I intoned.

I ran back to the shore. “Nobody panic,” I yelled. Nobody had heard me. I picked up the intercom system used to transmit messages. “NOBODY PANIC!”

That probably caused some panic. 

“Everyone, we will be okay. Find your way to the right side of the shore, there will be boats soon to pick us up.”

“It’s a volcano!” shrieked one girl. She was right. As soon as she said that, I saw it. A small mountain offshore, almost underwater. The red glow of magma bubbled and rocks flew into the air.  A chunk of rock flew into the air and destroyed my shack. I needed to get everyone off, and now.

“Dock to Mainland! Dock to Mainland! There appears to be a volcano! We have a code orange! Emergency evacuation! I repeat, Emergency evacuation!”

“Mainland here. Confirm there is a code orange?”

“Code orange! Get the boats here, now!”

“Boats here. We have capacity for absolute max 500 people. That includes people hanging over railings and on roofs. Emergency capacity: 500! Do you need more?”

“It’ll be close!” I yelled into the radio. “Send another boat. We’ve got just about 500,  but we can’t take any risks!”

“Understood. ETA: 3 minutes. The second boat will be here in 5.”

“Hurry! Dock out!”

This was impossible. Every volcano in Hawaii was constantly monitored. “PEOPLE! GET INTO A LINE! HELP WILL BE HERE SOON!”

Lava was pouring down a slope. I saw land forming. The volcano was so close! Only around one mile away, along the coast. Lava was speeding down the road. Debris was flying through the air. A huge fog was slipping down the hill. Buildings were swallowed and destroyed. Living in Hawaii, I knew it instantly. Pyroclastic flow.

The boats were here. Everyone hurried on. I saw a swarm of helicopters flying in, to recuse everyone on the mainland. The people up front were ushering everyone into the boats. We were so close. Suddenly, the line stopped moving. The boat was full. “Sorry! Two minutes and the boat will be here! We can’t fit another person on!” Were they kidding? There were only five of us! Me, and a small family, likely tourists. There had to be more room!

The father of the family felt the same way, but the boat was already gone. Only two minutes. “Dock to Boat 2, Dock to Boat 2!”

“Boat  2 here.”

“What’s your ETA?”

“10 minutes. We were held up.”

“Boat 2, we’ll be dead in 10 minutes. Help someone on the mainland.”

“Understood. Boat 2 out.”

The family looked at me with horror. “We’ll be dead?” asked a young boy.

“If we don’t get off this island in ten minutes, that’s a very real possibility,” I replied.

The man stepped up. “Then why did you tell the boat to leave?”

“It can’t help us. It’ll be too late.” I looked up at the volcano. Rocks and ash were flying out of it, while the smoke was sliding down the side. Lava sped along as the first wave.

“Then what will we do?” asked the mother.

“Follow me.” I knew of a spot on the side of the docks where we could get transport to the mainland. I sprinted across the sand.

“Slow down!” yelled the mother. I realized that she had a baby and the boy, around five years old. The boy was having trouble finding footing on the unstable sand.

“C’mon.” I heaved the boy onto my shoulders and continued the trek, slower this time. We got across the dunes, and the fog and lava were destroying what was behind us. We finally reached the end of the docks. They were essentially an artificial beach created off the coast, for tourists. We needed to get across before the lava. I was sweating, and my shoulders ached. 

I saw a shack, not unlike mine, another boathouse. It was in the water. Likely, there was a jetski.

The place was locked. No worries. I found a suitable stick and swung it hard at the lock. Clang! Clang! Only two. The newer ones are wimpy. The door fell open. I saw the man give me a disapproving glance, but said nothing.

I ran in and saw the jetski. The docks were slowly being swallowed up. I found a helmet. “I can get one or two people across. Who first?”

“Take the kids,” the mother said firmly. I nodded.

“Hold on tight, buddy.”

“My name’s Tyler,” the boy said. As the mom handed me her baby she looked into my eyes.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“It doesn't matter. I’ll keep them safe.” I placed the baby on my lap in front of the handlebars. She was softly crying. I sincerely hoped the ski had enough fuel.  I didn’t look. Ignorance is bliss. “I’ll be back!” I yelled as I got to full speed. Tyler was screaming behind me. I slowed down. “Are you alright?”

“Go faster! This is awesome!”

I smiled. At least someone was having fun. We reached the mainland, but we weren’t safe yet. I let Tyler onto the sand and let him gently hold the baby.

I skied back to the dock and got the woman on the back. She was more nervous than Tyler and jumped out as soon as we hit land. She hugged Tyler and took the baby. I went back for the dad. 

As I arrived, I could see the smoke and ash. I had to squint and my eyes were watering. I almost missed the father. We got on, and I floored it. As soon as we got halfway, the engine died. “No, no no!”

I jumped into the water, making sure my radio was in its water proof case. “Come on, sir. We can make it!”

A shadow passed over me. An evil, shadowed rock. was flying toward us. The man was gasping for air. I shoved him back away as the stone impaled me. I never knew how the story ended.

 

The man dived under the water, avoiding shards of rock. He scrabbled for the radio and emerged, gasping for breath. He swam back to the family heart heavy. “Where…” started the mom, but she trailed off as the man shook his head.

“Let’s go. We have to make it.” 

He turned the radio volume up. The announcer sounded tired, but the man was thankful that he was there. 

“It’s been 20 minutes since the eruption near Princetown, and if you’re just tuning in, there’s another round of choppers headed for the mainland. It appears to be a dormant volcano that wasn’t monitored, scientists not commenting on their error. Also, a rescue boat near the docks, ready to pick up any survivors. Head to the docks entrance for rescuing… so far the death count is…” 

He turned the volume down, not wanting to hear anymore. They slowly trekked to the entrance and the boat driver waved. “Hey, wasn’t there another person with you?”

The man slowly shook his head. “Not any more.”

As the boat sped away with Tyler laughing happily, the man looked back over the stretch of sea. 

And the volcano.