https://everythingspeakstome.com/files/original/8ae8ca021496ebd6ff4bfccb686a3d6a.png 0faf4cb39d8ec38a46f3df763ef8dbb6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource After The Rise ... Description An account of the resource Using elevations and water level projected on EyesOnTheRise.com, these speculative fictions explore the world that was Miami after sea levels rise 6 or more feet. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Administrator Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Please post your written submission in this field. The images you would like to include should be posted as attachments below. Beside You There he lies. My hands struggle to pick up the epitaph, fallen over from the storm that had crossed land’s path earlier this week. Bracing the stone against the tree shading his resting place, I pick up the scattered branches around me and replace the old flowers with new ones. Carnations, both he and I’s favorite. I sat down, staring at his name on the engraved stone: Tobias. Behind us, stood the sea, with its waves crashing gently onto the shore nearby. ………. Three months before… “Are you ready?” He looked at me hopeful, waiting for a response. I turned and looked into his deep brown eyes, with a smile. “Yes.” He met me with the same smile as I returned to the window to snatch one last look of our life before leaving. There stood the city, with empty buildings of lives and stories it once held. We were surrounded by other apartments, but many had emptied out in the years behind us. There were very few of us left here. The road below us had met with twenty inches of murky water, while the power lines hung low from the strong winds that hit us last week. I watched the pieces of debris shining below a clear sky. I felt Toby’s arms wrap around me with warmth and comfort, in an attempt to wash my anxiousness away. “I feel so relieved yet afraid for what we may face.” I said, holding onto my tears. He gently turned me towards him, still holding onto me. “We’re going to be okay.” I nodded against his chest, for fear that my words would cause me to break into tears. We stood there for a moment, soaking in the silence and last moments we would have in our home, until we found a new one. He then let go of me to reach for our tickets. “The boat boards at 12 noon.” I rubbed my eyes and let my hair go from the back of my ear. Our backpacks, holding the most sacred objects in our lives, are leaned against the wall. The ship wouldn’t let us board with anything more than 20lbs, all inside a backpack which they provided the exact dimensions for. This voyage would be to somewhere along the East coast, wherever they could find safe, dry land. The most important items in that bag were the remains of Toby’s medication. He needed it to ensure he could breathe properly and to avoid blockages in his airways. The climate crisis had brought about more irritants and air pollutants, which detrimentally affected Toby’s health. We had to ensure our windows were airtight and that our air was filtered, ridding pollutants and anything that could affect him. But the crisis also brought about the lack of healthcare and medication. With very few people waiting to leave, shipments stopped and so did health aid. From our apartment, it was virtually impossible to reach a functioning hospital or pharmacy without encountering heavy flooding and pollutants that caused Toby to have attacks. I had tried several times in the last month to reach for his medication, but failed as pharmacies had been raided and stripped of the very last supplies. People did what they needed and more in order to survive, regardless of who else was left in the city. Miami was nearly entirely desolate; once a thriving city, now a town of ghosts and chaos. Slinging our backpacks over our shoulders, Toby helps tighten mine to my back. In our ways of thanks, I leaned my head against his shoulder. “All set.” I gripped his medication bag and ensured he put on his mask. Holding one another’s hands, we take one final glance at the life we once had. All of the colorful furniture and decorations we put our hearts into, lied still and abandoned. The memories we had in our home would last forever and we would make new ones soon. Leaving is for the betterment of us- it’s either leave or die. We slowly take the flight of stairs down, careful not to irritate Toby’s illness. Once we reached the first floor, the tall boots we had on were nearly flooded. I could feel the water starting to pool around us, meaning we would have to trudge until we reached the dock. Hand in hand, we work towards the main road. There was not a soul in sight. The direction we were walking in drew us into the depth of Miami’s city, where the flooding had been extensive. It was always strange to hear how empty it was- I remember stories of Miami always being a place of noise, city life, cars, bustling people. There was often never a moment of silence. Toby points to an object in the near distance. “We’re almost there.” He announced, as I finally realized it was the ship in the distance. “It looks so small. Hard to imagine the hundreds of lives it is taking to a new place.” I can feel Toby make note of my observation, knowing both of us wish it was different. Within twenty minutes, we reached the dock. There was a line of about fifty people ready to board. None of the passengers spoke to one another, besides their affiliated parties. The crewmen, a couple feet away, were working at a fast pace to board everyone on. I peered down at the watch on my wrist, reading the date and time: 11:55am, August 3rd, 2060. I realized that Toby was gripping my hand tighter than he was before. I looked up at him and saw his face drained and pale. My heart sank and I quickly reached into the medical bag. “Don’t.” He cautioned me under his breath. I questioned him with an expression, until I realized. If the people around us saw that he was ill- we would be sent off the ship. During this time, we had all worn masks and protected ourselves from viruses. Toby used this in particular to protect himself from anything that may irritate his asthma. We were facing an all time high of pathogens, viruses, and diseases. Any sign of illness, people would fear that they would become sick too, regardless of what it was. Toby’s condition was not viral or contagious, but no one trusted one another regardless of the circumstances. We reached the bridge between the boat and the dock. The crewmen looked down at our tickets, hustling us in. As we entered the ship, there was hardly any room to sit. Everyone’s eyes were on the floor, ignoring those who were standing. Toby and I lead ourselves to the wall to lean against. There was sweat beading around Toby’s forehead and I could hear his breathing under his mask. He was trying to hold in his coughs and the wheezing that followed, often when he was without his medication. It was getting harder for him to breathe by the minute- he needed his medication. “Toby, please.” I pleaded for him to approve of me opening the bag. He shook his head, “This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. I can’t mess this up.” “You’re not messing anything up.” I peered around me to ensure no one else was listening in on our conversation. “Go to the washroom and take the bag with you.” Hesitant at first, he eventually agreed. As I handed him the bag, I pressed my head against his shoulder for a moment. Toby motioned to the crewmen that he was going to the restroom. I watched, with my heart beating out of my chest, as he squeezed between people and over those who were sitting. He was about a couple of feet from the door when he collapsed. “Toby!” I cried. Everyone quickly motioned away from him, causing panic and confusion. I immediately began pushing my way through the crowd that was coming my direction, fleeing from him. “Man down!” A tall crewman called over the “He’s sick! Ill! Move away!” wails that were coming from the passengers. I quickly knelt beside him, ripping open the medical bag and finding his oxygen mask and medications. The crewmen were about three feet away from me, eyeing what I was doing. None of them said a further word or offered help. “Please, please, Toby, wake up.” I could hear him struggling to breath and his pulse felt weak. I rapidly pulled off his mask and put the spacer inhaler over his face. He takes a deep breath, catching himself. I release a quick sigh of the release, putting my forehead to his. Then, the crewmen approached me, “Ma’am, you and your party cannot be on board. Unfortunately, this is a risk we cannot take.” “No, no, please. He isn’t contagious or infectious. He just isn’t well- he has asthma. He isn’t a danger to you. We need help, please.” The crowd watched me, but they said nothing. They didn’t care and they couldn’t; if they made room for one life, they feared they would have to lose their own. I clinged to Toby, shielding him from anyone who would attempt to take him away. The crew towered over me, glancing at one another unsure of what to do. “What’s the matter?” A deep voice commands from the upper deck overseeing the passenger area. The crewmen break their swarm to display Toby and I to the man standing tall above in the upper deck. He was dressed in the uniform of a captain and began to make his way down the stairs towards us. His footsteps feel heavy against the floor, thudding over and over, haunting me. When he reached us, he appeared middle-aged, with wrinkles across his forehead, a strong posture, and a beard. I searched desperately for any sign of understanding.. But life had been drained out of his eyes and he simply stared. “Upper deck.” He motioned at me. I furrowed my eyebrows and didn’t budge. He then shrugged, causing one of the crew members to grab my arm pulling me up. I yanked my arm free, “Okay.” I ensured Toby’s mask was circulating the medication he needed. His eyes, attempting to stay open, expressed alarm. I followed the captain, as the crewmen hovered behind me. My hair fell into my face and I didn’t bother to push it away; in an odd way, I felt as though it shielded me from them. When we encountered the upper deck, my eyes were still focused on Toby, who was lying alone and separated from the terrified masses of passengers. “Your name?” The captain asked coldly. “Freya.” I muttered. “Okay Freya, you have two choices. Leave him on land and stay aboard, or stay with him and leave this ship.” “No. Don’t you dare look at me and say that. We stay.” I asserted, strengthening my stance. “We will force you off of this ship. You can board the ill ship in the next two weeks.” I shook my head, feeling the tears of frustration begin to well in my eyes. “He needs medication and healthcare. I assure you that he has no contagion or transmissible illness. One voyage could save his life.” “We cannot afford to have an ill man on our ship- an ill man in this time is a dead man.” He stated, failing to be moved by my words. “He’s old enough to be your son! Would you do this to your son?” I cried out, pointing to Toby. I forced myself closer towards the captain, causing the crewmen to restrain me back. I attempted to fight them off as I pierced the captain with my eyes. His expression did not falter. He let out a heavy sigh, seeming to be in thought for a moment. “He cannot be on this ship. It is obvious you wish to be beside him, so out of courtesy, I will have my crew dock at the nearest hospital on our way.” I looked away from him, letting the tears fall from my eyes. My voice struggled to hide its breaks, “Fine.” Being left at a hospital was a great risk, knowing the lack of supplies and functionality. But it was obvious he would not allow us to journey and the only hope we had left was not to go back home- it had to be elsewhere. “There is a doctor there who may be able to help you. She has been trying to assist those who are waiting for the ill passenger ship. She’s still at the hospital so we will drop you by. Best of luck to you both.” I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes and trying to remove myself from the crushing feeling in my chest. Recognizing my agreement, he turned away from me and headed on his way. I made my way back to Toby, feeling every eye rest on us. Toby always could read my mind in an instant- he knew exactly how I felt and what I would need to feel better. So I shoved the thoughts I had to a far place and brought my focus back to him in the moment.The horn marking departure erupted into the silence of the air and the ship began to move. I looked into Toby’s hopeful eyes, feeling my heart shatter. “They’re taking us to a hospital, where someone is going to help us. We’ll board the next ship within two weeks.” Within an instant, his eyes fell grim. Our fears were becoming real and the future would only hold more unbearable uncertainty. I watched Toby, who couldn’t speak but had tears in his eyes as the mask circulated medicine into his system. I brushed the hair out of his face, took his hand with mine, and whispered “We’re going to be okay.” I held onto the feeling of sailing away. In my mind, I pretended like we were going to elevated dry land, with abundant medication and help. I pictured a home, where we could have a family and stay beside each other, without a worry in the world. All I needed to do was hold onto that picture for a little longer- the hospital surely could help him in some way. They have to. There is no other option. The ship begins to slow down, and eventually comes to a halt that means far more than it seems. The passengers around us began to mutter to one another, directing their eyes and fingers towards us. The captain stood at the upper deck, nodding at me to allow the crewmen to assist Toby. The door that we entered the ship through is now our exit to a hospital. I saw the sun, beaming down on the ground and welcoming bright light into the ship. I walked slowly beside the man who was carrying Toby out. In front of us was a small general hospital. With half of its windows boarded up, the paint crumbling off the walls, and cracks in its structure, one could tell the storms and lack of resources had taken a toll on the building. A few feet from the bridge which connected the boat onto semi-flooded land, was a woman standing beside a stretcher. As we grew closer to her, she began bringing the rolling stretcher over to us. I observed her white coat being brushed by the wind with the heavy protective gear worn over her face and hands. “Hello, I’m Sage. I’m going to help you in any way I can.” She said reassuringly to both Toby and I. The crewmen helped lay Toby on the stretcher and signaled his departure. I thanked him and then turned to Dr. Sage, as I saw written on her coat. “Thank you so much.” I said and smiled, as I felt an ounce of relief seeing that she was willing to help. Inside the hospital, the main area was dimly lit, with the lights flickering and water dripping from the ceiling. There was silence between us all as I took in the setting around us. I was mindlessly pushing Toby, observing the empty halls and rooms surrounding us. I couldn’t remember the last time I was in a hospital. There were desks with files, rooms with empty beds, curtains quarantining certain areas, trays of medical tools, and crash carts. “I can imagine this is a lot to take in. I am going to take you both upstairs, get you settled and then we’ll discuss.” Sage gently mentioned, as she guided us to the elevator, pressing the arrow up. “Thank you, Sage.” Though I could not see her face, there was both kindness and tiredness in her eyes. Her black hair was slicked back into a ponytail, exposing the small highlights of gray hair. She must’ve been a few years older than us, perhaps in her early thirties. We boarded a flooded elevator, waiting for it to whir us up to the next floor. I peered down at Toby, who seemed half-conscious of what was occurring. I felt his hand tighten in mine, letting me know he was there. Leaving the elevator, Sage guided us on the floor, appearing similar in set up to the first one. A half hanging sign gave us the name of the floor “Intensive Care Unit (ICU)”. A shiver ran through my spine, reading those words and then seeing two other rooms occupied by patients. We entered a separate room, moving the stretcher next to the bed. On the count of five, we lifted the sheet under Toby, shifting him onto the bed. Sage plugged in the vital monitor and removed the spacer from his face, out of medicine. I could still hear Toby struggling for breath. He glanced over at me and gave me a small smile. I took a deep breath and smiled back, then realizing that Sage was pointing me to go out of the room with her. I followed her, closing the door behind me. “He has severe asthma… I think the weather and pollutants we had this week worsened it. He hasn’t been able to take his medication much, we’re most likely out of it by the end of today.” I read Sage’s expression- it wasn’t good. “I’ll see what I can find.” She started off down the hall, checking every room before moving onto the next floor. I paced outside of Toby’s room, waiting for her to come back. In the next twenty minutes, Dr. Sage returned. “We’ve been encountering cases like this in high volume since the crisis… Freya… I am terribly sorry to say this…” My heart began to pound out of my chest, awaiting what would be the worst news of my life. “We don’t have any medication left for his condition.” I could hear her voice breaking as she said it. Everything in that moment froze. I couldn’t hear anything she was saying, nor could I catch my own breath. I felt my knees give out and the hard ground meet them. I stood paralyzed, unable to breathe. I was about to let out a scream but realized Toby had seen everything. Sage quickly knelt down in front of me, watching Toby at the same time, embracing me and pulling me up from the ground. Our only hope is gone. The ship is gone. The medication is gone. Finding whatever I had left in me, I entered Toby’s room. I pulled the chair next to the bed and Toby met my eyes. For a moment, he struggled to find the words. “They don’t have any medicine, do they?” “No.” I broke into tears. “Come here.” He weakly patted on the bed. I climbed in beside him, pulling the sheets up to our chests. “There has to be something we can do.” I pleaded to him. He smiled gently, shaking his head. “I've met the end of the road…” He opened his mouth to continue, but he fought to breathe. I shook my head, “Don’t speak… we’re going to be okay. We’ll find medicine and you’re going to be okay.” Toby let out slight wheezes before he spoke. “Promise me you’ll hold onto everything I’m about to say.” I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder and looking up at him. His hair was wavy and a pretty brown color with slight highlights. His skin was olive, with freckles dancing across his nose and cheeks. When he smiled, he grinned from ear to ear, exposing his dimples. I watched Toby's face, saving every glance I had of him in my mind. “Bury me by the sea- it will wash us away eventually, perhaps together again,” he whispered beside me. ……….. Flashforward (back to the start)… I snap away from my thoughts, with a secret hope that none of it was real. But there his name was, written in stone, and he wasn’t here for me to love. I glance over my shoulder, watching the sunset burst the sky into a thousand hues of orange, pink, and purple. Suddenly, I feel seawater wash over my hand from the waves extending onto the short shore. “Hello again Toby,” I whisper. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Beside You Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 04/20/2022