The description of the earthquake spellbound those who had listened. That the earth could toss the foundations of our lives in such a maner showed it unreliable. Imperfect for our purposes. Which in the light of inevitability rendered our purposes inappropriate. During earthquake, that is. And for some time in their wake. Time swallows, earthquakes included. The crowd of listeners, stretched, some farted. Someone had farted, silently, ah that was truly a pong as the child had called it. A pong and they fell to being suspicious of each other. The door was still locked, forced to remain where they were. There had been earthquakes here over the years. Shut up with your earthquakes, someone interjected. Not mine. The tension was mounting in this tight room. Buildings collapse. Silence and fidgeting.