After that cry of anguish came the rumble of thunder.
The thunder rolled on without end. It was the only sound left between heaven and earth.
My ears were ringing. Beneath the thunder, I could also hear a buzzing inside my head. I grew dizzy and nearly toppled into the water.
The police officer was no better. He clapped his hands over his ears and swayed a few times before finally steadying himself.
I had no idea how much time passed. A massive bolt of lightning lit up the entire sky. The thunder stopped, and Huixiang plunged into darkness.
The rain seemed to be letting up. I looked up and saw that the clouds overhead no longer seemed so oppressive. However, the lights in the surrounding buildings had all gone out. It was as if Huixiang had suffered a massive blackout.
The sky seemed to be clearing little by little. The floodwater had not receded, but the downpour had stopped, no longer stinging painfully against our skin. Things had improved.
The police officer opened his mouth wide and said something, but all I could hear was buzzing. He seemed to be having the same problem, picking at his ears as his mouth moved.
I gestured to him. He nodded, looking somewhat flustered.
We waded toward the police station. I couldn't hear the water, only feel it slapping against my legs and impeding my progress.
The police station's entrance was already in sight, along with the wavering beams of flashlights inside.
I still couldn't hear anything. Inside the station, the officers were shouting themselves hoarse, which made for a ridiculous sight. The place was in chaos, but some people noticed me and the officer who had just come in.
Even without hearing or being able to speak, people had ways of