Cindy guided Mary and her daughter over several city blocks. The rubble was so high in places they had to climb up or walk around areas which were too difficult to traverse. Cindy saw the strain she was placing on her small trio when they stopped at mid-afternoon at an area clear of debris. They were all huffing and puffing from the last mountain of rubble they climbed. Nobody was saying much.

Rochelle was looking down at the street and Mary sat against a giant concrete broken base. Her eyes were closed and she was panting. Cindy's feet hurt in the tennis shoes she had found a half a block away in a gathering of broken buildings. They fit but were a little too tight around her toes. She was light headed, since she hadn’t had much to eat. They finished off the last of Mary's snacks from her purse.

Rochelle said, "Mom, this reminds me of September eleven. I don't like this."

She sniffled a little and kept looking at the ground.

Mary said, "I didn't think you were old enough to remember." She looked around the broken buildings and rubble. "Yet this is much worse. I don't think a terrorist could have created this earthquake. This is natural."

Rochelle said, "Mom, I don't think so. It’s not fair. How come the other cops are not here to help us?"

"I don't know." She stared fixedly at a broken lamp post, now hanging at an odd angle a few feet away.

Cindy said, "That noise. Do you hear that?"

It was a soft sound. So low that Cindy barely heard it.

Rochelle cocked her head to the left. "I think it is the sound of animals."

"Animals?" Cindy said.

Mary looked around. "I think we are close to Central Park Zoo. It should be around here, somewhere. But I can’t tell."

They looked for some type of sign, but the broken, dilapidated buildings destroyed the street signs. Then Cindy heard it. A sound like something rustling, and a large growl pierced the air.

Mary grabbed onto her daughter. "I don't like the sound of that."

They all stood, Cindy scanning the street. The creature roared again and she tried to figure out where the sound was coming from.

Mary said, "Let's go this way."

She pointed to a pathway that was clear of wreckage and junk. They ran forward, picking their way through the rocks and asphalt. A large fissure appeared on their right and they moved around it. Cindy looked into the hole, seeing pipes and sewer water in the crack. And also a pungent smell that pervaded her senses. She felt as if she was falling into the darkness below.

Mary grabbed her arm. "What's wrong?"

Cindy found herself staring at the fissure. She shook her head. "What?" She was groggy, as if she was coming out of deep sleep. The roar pierced the litter strewn and ruined street again.

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Cindy snapped out of her trance and started to climb a large mound of white concrete and red bricks. She saw an opening at a synagogue. Colored glass was all over the ground and the interior of a temple with pews now moved all around as if a giant pushed them into the center of the structure, where a large hole opened up swallowing most of the interior. They ran inside and saw several dead bodies inside. A man with graying skin was behind the pulpit. A large stone had completely buried the man save his head and his right hand.

Mary said, "Rochelle, don't look."

Another body was buried under the destruction of the walls. Outside, the sound of a creature scrabbling up the mountain of stones was heard. The creature sounded very close. A sniffing and a scratching noise was audible to Cindy's ears. A growl and a snarl and then the scrabbling sound again. The beast was large. Mary pointed to a large pile of stone and a hiding place behind it. The sun poked from the fissure through the roof top.

They ran and stooped below the large awning, going inside the hiding hole. Rochelle and Mary went in first. There was no room for Cindy to get inside. She turned and stayed in the shadows, staring at the area they had come from. Her mind was racing. Fear gripped her and she wanted to run and flee, but she stayed rooted to her spot.

The creature growled, a low guttural sound that sounded like grunting, almost a yelping sound. The creature's head came through the opening of the temple, a long snout and tiny beady eyes scanning the interior. It was a brown bear, but it was changed. It had brown scales like an alligator. The claws were as long and thick as daggers. It could easily rip her apart in one swipe.

Cindy was frozen with fear. She saw the bear's muzzle was coated with red blood. She held her breath as the creature kept looking inside, sniffing. Her breath left her lungs in a rush and she nearly screamed. The beast’s ears perked up.

Cindy tried to conjure some type of magic like she had with the roaches. But nothing came forth. Her mind was too focused on the death stare of the creature. The bear turned to look behind it. It growled and started lumber away with a waggling motion of its scaled haunches. The scrabbling noise of the creature’s claws striking the stone was heard again while it climbed up and out into the street.

She waited in the darkness, it seemed like forever, and finally took in a long breath. Her body trembling, Cindy turned and saw Mary and Rochelle climbing out of the small hiding place. They didn't speak for a few seconds. They merely looked at the opening where the creature stood.

Mary spoke first. "What was that thing?"

"Mom, I think it was a bear," Rochelle said.

"Yes," Cindy said. "I think you are right. But it didn’t look like a bear."

Mary said, "Has the world gone crazy?"

Nobody said anything at her outburst. In fact, her daughter came closer to her mom and placed her arm around her shoulder.

Cindy, who didn't have any kids and who thought parenthood was nonsense, saw how the daughter gave comfort to her mom where Cindy thought Mary should give strength to Rochelle.

Cindy shook her head. "New York doesn’t get earthquakes like Los Angeles. Something has happened." She sighed and then said without thinking, "Magic."

Mary looked at her. "What did you say?"

"Did I say something?" she said.

"Yes," Rochelle said. "You said magic."

"I don't understand why I said that. But it makes sense. Magic, like the tales of Merlin and in Lord of the Rings could do this."

Mary had a wild look in her eyes. "No, I don't think so. This must be some kind of government experiment that has gone wrong. Or maybe a virus?"

Cindy said, "Maybe you’re right. We need to find some place to stay. Where should we go?"

Rochelle said, "we should go to the police Precinct Officer Dan was talking about."

Cindy agreed. "Yes, I think we are heading that way."

Mary studied the dilapidated temple. "I think we are on 65th street. This is the Jewish temple there. I had a friend who came here."

She paused and stifled a cry welling up from her throat.

Rochelle said, "It’s ok, Mom. Maybe, your friend is still alive."