‘Quickly, boys.’

‘Sorry, Abe-sensei,’ Hotaka called as he and Takeshi ran to catch the others. ‘But the Puppet Man said we could see the rest of the show next week maybe.’

‘Can’t wait!’ Takeshi shouted, punching the air. ‘Go, Oniwaka!’

‘Yes, of course,’ the young sensei, teacher, replied. ‘But right now we have to keep moving.’

Miss Abe was Hotaka’s favourite teacher, young and happy. She wasn’t so happy now, though, he could see, with her brow creased and her eyes darting about for the best way to lead everyone to safety.

‘We need to get out of this lane. Tiles could easily fall from the roofs.’

Eight teachers were shepherding the children down the narrow alley from the puppet theatre to a wider street. The main force of the earthquake had eased, but there were still tremors and aftershocks. Electricity poles wobbled and swayed, wires bounced up and down. The lane was badly buckled and crisscrossed with cracks.

There were about a hundred students, walking in pairs, kept to the middle of the lane by the teachers. The buildings in this old part of town were decayed and crumbling. A severe jolt sent a shower of roof tiles raining down. They clattered harmlessly on the pavement but made the smaller children scream.

‘Keep together,’ one of the teachers cried. ‘Keep moving.’

They eventually reached the wider street. Here the traffic was much busier than usual. Some vehicles were heading towards the main road that skirted the harbour, only a block to the east. But most were driving west, into the main part of Omori-wan. The school was that way, about a kilometre past the town centre.

The teachers halted the students at the intersection. Normally they would simply head back to the school, but a few were against this, Miss Abe the main one.

The situation wasn’t normal, she insisted; there could easily be a tsunami after such a powerful earthquake and they should get to higher ground immediately. Monk Head Hill was close – down the end of street to the harbour and left. If they walked quickly they could be on safe ground in ten minutes, whereas it would take half an hour to get through town to the school. A tsunami could easily hit in that time.

The older teachers dismissed this. ‘There was that strong quake only the other day,’ one of them said. ‘But no tsunami to speak of. Sirens blared and people were told to prepare for the worst, but nothing happened.’

‘But this earthquake was stronger than anything we’ve ever had,’ Miss Abe said. ‘And far longer. And it’s still not even finished. Surely it’s better to be safe than sorry. If there’s a big wave, we don’t want to be caught in one of the lowest parts of Omori-wan when it hits.’

The older teachers continued arguing. ‘It’s such a long way around by the hill,’ someone said. ‘We won’t be back at school for ages.’ But although they were senior to her, Miss Abe refused to back down, insisting the danger was real.

‘I hope I’m wrong,’ she said. ‘I hope it will be a waste of time going to Monk Head Hill. But I honestly believe the risk is very real. I’m begging you to do this. Please. For the children’s sake, please!’

Hotaka saw the anguish on his teacher’s face. The other teachers must also have seen it, for they were eventually won over.

‘Very well,’ they muttered reluctantly. ‘Lead on, then.’

Miss Abe gave a sigh of relief and set off at once.

The harbour road was full of cars, trucks, buses and bikes heading north and south, towards the hills that flanked Omori-wan at either end. It looked as though it would be impossible to stop the traffic so that the students might cross to the harbour side of the road, away from the unstable buildings. But Miss Abe stepped boldly onto the road, waving her arms and shouting. Vehicles screeched to a halt in both directions and the teachers quickly directed the students across the road. Once on the other side, Miss Abe gathered them together.

‘Listen carefully,’ she shouted. ‘Especially you little ones. We must get to higher ground without delay.’ The earth rumbled as if warning anyone who might not be listening. Miss Abe pointed to the hill behind her – the one people called Monk Head Hill because much of it was smooth rock, like a monk’s bald head. ‘Once we’re up there we’ll be safe. But we must not waste time.’

She turned to the senior students. ‘Sixth-graders, I want you to take two little ones each by the hand and lead them up the hill. Follow Kenzo-san. Don’t run, but walk as quickly as you can without exhausting anyone. Takeshi, you start – take Rin and little Kumiko. You’re next, Yumi, with Ichiro and Riki. Hotaka, you take Yori and Katsu.’

Hotaka headed off with his pair of first-graders, holding their hands tight. For them it was still a kind of adventure, but he knew exactly how serious this was. His grandfather had left him in no doubt about that.

‘Always run for the hills after an earthquake,’ the old man had told him on many occasions. ‘Don’t delay. Don’t wait around. Get out of the harbour and the lowlands as quickly as you can. A tsunami can travel faster than a bullet train. And don’t go back because you’ve forgotten something. Those who go back never return.’

At that very moment a tsunami warning blared out from loudspeakers at the community centre, while bells rang and sirens sounded in other part of the town. Despite this, some people were actually walking down the hill to the harbour, groups of them, to sight-see.

Miss Abe called out to them. ‘Be careful. A tsunami is coming.’ But they only smiled and continued on their way.

Miss Abe kept the students moving, and they soon reached a point on the hill that the teachers agreed would be above any tsunami. But then other concerns arose. The spot was exposed, an icy end-of-winter breeze hitting it with sleet and even snow. The children were feeling the cold, many of the youngest starting to cry. Two asthmatics were struggling to breathe. Shelter was needed as soon as possible. But where? The teachers were not from this part of Omori-wan, and had no idea where there might be any reasonable shelter for more than a hundred children. The situation was serious.

Hotaka put up his hand. His home was on a road that speared off near the top of the hill and went out to the northern headland of Omori Bay, so he knew this area well. He walked or rode down Monk Head Hill every school morning, and back in the afternoon.

‘There’s a big family restaurant, Abe-sensei.’ He pointed further up the hill. ‘It’s always open, and there’ll be plenty of room.’

‘Good work, Hotaka,’ the young teacher said. ‘Lead the way.’

‘I will, if you wish, Abe-sensei. But I have a better idea, if you will allow me to suggest it.’

‘Of course, Hotaka.’

‘The restaurant is very close, just over the crest; you can’t miss it.’ Hotaka turned and pointed in the opposite direction, towards the northern headland. ‘I can cut across the hill from here and get to my home in about the same time. My mother will be there. She has a car and I know she’ll come and help in any way she can. I know she will.’

Miss Abe thought for moment. The condition of the asthmatic children was worsening. Having a car could be invaluable if they needed to be hospitalised. ‘Okay, Hotaka. You do that, please.’

‘And I’ll go with him, Abe-sensei,’ Takeshi shouted.

The teacher shrugged. ‘Very well then; I suppose two is safer than one. Off you go.’

The boys bowed to their teacher and set off. They walked quickly, in silence. When they were about halfway across the side of Monk Head Hill, Takeshi stopped and peered towards the bay.

‘What’s happening?’ he cried, pointing.

It looked as though the bay was emptying itself, like a huge bathtub, its water draining away. The little river that fed into it was almost dry and the sea bed was visible for about fifty metres from the shore. Several boats were already stranded, while others were being dragged away. Further out in the bay, towards the headlands, some of the big fishing craft were heading to sea. Hotaka peered hard through the sleet, and was pretty sure he saw his Uncle Yori’s blue and white trawler leading the fleet.

‘Where’s the water going?’ Takeshi yelled.

‘Out to sea,’ Hotaka replied. ‘Grandpa says it’s what happens just before a tsunami hits. The ocean is sucking the bay into its belly. Soon it will spew the lot back at us, and—’

‘Ayeee!’ Takeshi yelled. ‘It’s happening now. Look!’

Out in the ocean beyond the headlands, what looked like a thick white line was coming closer. Rapidly closer. Beneath it was something big – no, huge! – and grey.

And then it was there – terrifyingly there.

Hotaka threw his hand to his mouth. ‘Nante kotta!’ he shrieked. ‘What the hell!’