The cliffside house collapsed, and the people inside had no idea. They were a group of friends on a weekend getaway, escaping the mundane humdrum of city life to embrace the pristine and undisturbed beauty of nature. Perched atop the rugged cliffs, the house had offered breathtaking views of the rolling waves below. It was a place where one could feel the pulse of the ocean, hear the whispers of the wind, and watch the horizon melt into shades of orange and pink as the sun dipped below the water.
The day had begun like any other on their vacation. They laughed over breakfast, shared stories of their lives, and planned their day’s adventures. Some wanted to hike along the cliff paths, others to explore hidden coves, and a few just desired to laze in the warmth of the sun, breathing in the salty air. The house had stood there for decades, a testament to human determination against nature’s raw beauty, and they felt safe within its walls.
But as the afternoon sun cast long shadows over the land, an ominous creaking began to echo through the house. It was subtle at first, barely noticeable above the chatter and the music playing softly in the background. But then the sound grew louder, more insistent—a groan from the very bones of the house. They dismissed it as the wind or the age of the building, nothing to be concerned about.
Until the floor tilted suddenly beneath them.
Panic erupted as furniture slid across the room and glasses shattered on the floor. The house shuddered violently, as if gripped by an unseen giant shaking it in rage. They clutched at anything solid, their laughter replaced by screams as they tried to comprehend the nightmare unfolding around them.
Then came the sound of splitting wood, tearing metal, and crumbling stone. The house was giving way, being swallowed by the hungry earth beneath it. The cliff was eroding, its fragile hold on the structure finally relinquished to gravity and time.
They didn’t know what was coming next. In those terrifying moments, chaos was their only certainty. Every second stretched into eternity as they struggled to maintain their footing, to find each other amidst the swirling dust and debris. Some managed to grab hold of bannisters or doorframes, while others were thrown to the ground, the world a blur of motion and noise.
And then, silence. An eerie stillness enveloped them, broken only by the distant crash of waves far below. The house, or what remained of it, had settled precariously onto a narrow ledge, half of it having already disappeared into the abyss. They were caught between the solid ground above and the unforgiving sea below, held in the balance of disaster and salvation.
