‘Darkest Days’-Rhiannon, 11, Kaiapoi Borough School
It was February 22nd, My morning at school was going perfectly fine until that after noon, Everything changed in everyones life. I was sitting on the couch in the corridor in my syndicate block. There was a very loud rumble, It sounded like the 7.1, in fact worse. Every one was screaming trying to get out of the block. For the first second I was shocked I thought I was literally going to die. Screaming kids were running and holding onto things.As it finally stopped I ran out of the door to my best friend, I was in floods of tears. The phones were not working, So at first I could not ring my family asking if they were ok. We were told to sit,stand or lay on the ground but then there was another shake it was really bad. No one knew about what the damage was in the city, After getting home to my parents, Being caring I gave both my parents a massive hug because they were both crying. They told me that there had been multipile deaths and the Cathedral has fallen.That was probably more of a shock to me than the actual Earthquake knowing that people had died in something I had experienced. Because I was in the 7.1 in September 2010, I knew that we will get after shocks for months even years. But now there Is a man ( Moon Man ) , he is saying on March 20th-25th we are going to get another big one that could effect Wellington. I honestly do not know what to believe after experiencing two major earthquakes and a few Tsunami warnings.Though this man did predict the 7.1. So far there have been 163 deaths but that number is expected to rise I know two people who had lost there lives due to this earthquake. My dad now might not have a job. Which is pretty bad 750,000 have left Christchurch either to stay with family or to get out of the ‘Earthquake Zone.’ We are unsure If we will move back to England but if this March 20th is true we will leave. But through floods of tears and our aching hearts we can get through this because we are Christchurch a community that cares about their people. We will get through this for we are Cantabrians.
Dear Rhiannon
What a story! What an experience! It has been such a horrible time for people in Canterbury and your time sounds awful.
I am pleased that you are safe now and with your family.
Tears are very cleansing and hearts ache not just with pain but with love too and that has been so true for many.
This experience will give you the knowledge of empathy which is according to a report I read recently was one of the greatest resources in the world.
Take care of yourself champion of Canterbury!
From Ella in Auckland.