WHEN ANGELS DROWN
Chapter I, Page 1
Chapter I, Page 1
Los Angeles-July 11, 2016
William McIntosh, highly lauded documentary filmmaker, briefly looked up from his laptop as he sat in the back of the well-equipped Hummer H1. The rain had picked up, and William tapped his driver and cameraman Lou on the shoulder. "You okay?" Lou responded with a thumbs up and maintained his focus. Conditions were getting worse as Lou attempted to steer the SUV down the slick, deserted 101 freeway. At least 6 inches of standing water covered the asphalt-more than 18 inches and they'd risk getting swept in the current. William peered out the wet, foggy window to just barely make out some of the long-abandoned apartment buildings, "Just think", he said, "this used to be the second largest city in the country." He sighed briefly, then refocused his energy and went back to his laptop- "The story of what happened here must be told."....
William McIntosh, highly lauded documentary filmmaker, briefly looked up from his laptop as he sat in the back of the well-equipped Hummer H1. The rain had picked up, and William tapped his driver and cameraman Lou on the shoulder. "You okay?" Lou responded with a thumbs up and maintained his focus. Conditions were getting worse as Lou attempted to steer the SUV down the slick, deserted 101 freeway. At least 6 inches of standing water covered the asphalt-more than 18 inches and they'd risk getting swept in the current. William peered out the wet, foggy window to just barely make out some of the long-abandoned apartment buildings, "Just think", he said, "this used to be the second largest city in the country." He sighed briefly, then refocused his energy and went back to his laptop- "The story of what happened here must be told."....
Chapter III, Page 67
Los Angeles-Februray 4, 2008
As Jack Hero's plane landed on the runway at LAX, he peered out the window and frowned at what he saw. The overcast skies loomed large, and Jack just shook his head as he dialed his cell. "Figures" he chuckled while he listened to the ringing. Finally, his buddy picked up: "Lonny, dude, what the hell? I finally make the move to LA and I'm greeted with cloudy skies?" Raising his voice to be heard over the chatter at the bar he tended, Lonny responded "I know dude, they say it may even rain tonight. Trust me though, this like NEVER happens"....
As Jack Hero's plane landed on the runway at LAX, he peered out the window and frowned at what he saw. The overcast skies loomed large, and Jack just shook his head as he dialed his cell. "Figures" he chuckled while he listened to the ringing. Finally, his buddy picked up: "Lonny, dude, what the hell? I finally make the move to LA and I'm greeted with cloudy skies?" Raising his voice to be heard over the chatter at the bar he tended, Lonny responded "I know dude, they say it may even rain tonight. Trust me though, this like NEVER happens"....
Chapter V, Page 135
Los Angeles-February 9, 2016
As Lou made the final adjustments to the camera, William checked his footing on the muddy ground. Firmly grasping the microphone, he was soaking wet and tired, yet determined. Lou gave the sign and called it out-"Rolling...and action". William looked at the camera and began a difficult walk up the slippery hill-"I'm walking now in the area known as Bel-Air. Perhaps most famous for being the one-time home of Hollywood celebrities, including actor-turned-Senator Will Smith, these mansions are now loosely inhabited by squatters who brave the constant downpours and flash floods." William gestured to a dilapidated mansion, covered in heavy vegetative growth, where a few slack-jawed yokels emerged from their mold-filled dwellings. "Some have agreed to guide us to higher ground, where we should get an excellent view of Lake Fernando, which, as many may recall, was at one time the San Fernando Valley. At the bottom of Lake Fernando, we hope, to find answers to the many, many questions..."
As Lou made the final adjustments to the camera, William checked his footing on the muddy ground. Firmly grasping the microphone, he was soaking wet and tired, yet determined. Lou gave the sign and called it out-"Rolling...and action". William looked at the camera and began a difficult walk up the slippery hill-"I'm walking now in the area known as Bel-Air. Perhaps most famous for being the one-time home of Hollywood celebrities, including actor-turned-Senator Will Smith, these mansions are now loosely inhabited by squatters who brave the constant downpours and flash floods." William gestured to a dilapidated mansion, covered in heavy vegetative growth, where a few slack-jawed yokels emerged from their mold-filled dwellings. "Some have agreed to guide us to higher ground, where we should get an excellent view of Lake Fernando, which, as many may recall, was at one time the San Fernando Valley. At the bottom of Lake Fernando, we hope, to find answers to the many, many questions..."
Chapter IX, Page 268
Los Angeles-December 31, 2008
A steady rain fell on the slick streets of West Hollywood as Jack jogged, looking at his watch. He skipped up the steps of an apartment complex and opened a modest metal door to find a room crowded of twentysomethings. "Hey, cutting it a little close there, Mr. Hero!" said a very drunk Lonny, pointing to the TV countdown clock for New Years, two minutes and forty-five seconds. "Yeah, well," Jack said with a smile, "when Dreamworks asks you to work late: you work late." Lonny laughed as he put his arm around Jack and led him to the kitchen "Still raining, huh? Man, it's been wet and crazy year. You want some champagne? Oh dude, this is Angela" Jack turned to see Angela, and his eyes became transfixed. She smiled, shyly, and squeaked "It's nice to meet you". Jack, dumbfounded for a moment, responded with a "Yea". As he tried to introduce himself, the attention of everyone turned to the TV to watch the ball drop. Jack's eyes, however, remained on Angela. "10....9....8...."
A steady rain fell on the slick streets of West Hollywood as Jack jogged, looking at his watch. He skipped up the steps of an apartment complex and opened a modest metal door to find a room crowded of twentysomethings. "Hey, cutting it a little close there, Mr. Hero!" said a very drunk Lonny, pointing to the TV countdown clock for New Years, two minutes and forty-five seconds. "Yeah, well," Jack said with a smile, "when Dreamworks asks you to work late: you work late." Lonny laughed as he put his arm around Jack and led him to the kitchen "Still raining, huh? Man, it's been wet and crazy year. You want some champagne? Oh dude, this is Angela" Jack turned to see Angela, and his eyes became transfixed. She smiled, shyly, and squeaked "It's nice to meet you". Jack, dumbfounded for a moment, responded with a "Yea". As he tried to introduce himself, the attention of everyone turned to the TV to watch the ball drop. Jack's eyes, however, remained on Angela. "10....9....8...."
Chapter XII, Page 424
Sacramento-March 12, 2009
A clear night fell quietly over California's capitol city as Gov. Schwarzenegger watched the evening news with his staff. A young reporter spoke from Hollywood Boulevard as rain fell onto her Channel 11 parka: "This now being the 10th straight day of rain, and record totals causing widespread flooding and landslides, top meteorologists are beginning to think that the unusually high rain totals of 2008 were not a fluke, as many were resigned to believe. The crisis now deepening, many have turned to Gov. Schwarzenegger for answers and aid." The Governor turned off the TV in disgust. He put his head down briefly, and then turned to his staff. He had anger in his eyes as he spoke: "I am avare dat dere is strange veather happening in Los Angeles. I know dis. Vhat no one seems able to tell me is VHY?! Vhy is dis happening?" The advisers meekly slunk into their chairs, not a one daring to speak. After a long silence, Prof. Sam Cassandra stood up, and cleared his conscious to the Governor: "This problem is of your own doing, Sir." Schwarzenegger looked at the professor, full of rage and confusion: "Vhat are you talking about? How did I do dis?". Prof. Cassandra grabbed a sip of water from a glass, then headed to the front of the room"You see, Governor, the city of Los Angeles has--since the 1950's--had a distinct environmental phenomenon known as smog. The smog of LA has been a palpable component of Southern California's weather patterns for the latter part of 5 decades. However, some of your recent smog-reduction legislation, brought about by pressure from celebrities and "green" lobbyists, caused a dramatic lowering in smog levels!" The Governor, sitting down now, looked at Prof. Cassandra with tears in his eyes: "But, I thought dat smog vas bad?". The professor quickly shook his head "Oh, it is! But you can't just extricate a major part of the environment in that short of time without any effects! The lessening of smog caused a vacuum over Los Angeles, and nature abhors a vacuum." "But vat can ve do to STOP it?" he yelled. The professor laughed under his breath "Oh, Mr. Governor, the rainy climate is like Kobe Bryant: we can't stop it, we can only hope to contain it"
A clear night fell quietly over California's capitol city as Gov. Schwarzenegger watched the evening news with his staff. A young reporter spoke from Hollywood Boulevard as rain fell onto her Channel 11 parka: "This now being the 10th straight day of rain, and record totals causing widespread flooding and landslides, top meteorologists are beginning to think that the unusually high rain totals of 2008 were not a fluke, as many were resigned to believe. The crisis now deepening, many have turned to Gov. Schwarzenegger for answers and aid." The Governor turned off the TV in disgust. He put his head down briefly, and then turned to his staff. He had anger in his eyes as he spoke: "I am avare dat dere is strange veather happening in Los Angeles. I know dis. Vhat no one seems able to tell me is VHY?! Vhy is dis happening?" The advisers meekly slunk into their chairs, not a one daring to speak. After a long silence, Prof. Sam Cassandra stood up, and cleared his conscious to the Governor: "This problem is of your own doing, Sir." Schwarzenegger looked at the professor, full of rage and confusion: "Vhat are you talking about? How did I do dis?". Prof. Cassandra grabbed a sip of water from a glass, then headed to the front of the room"You see, Governor, the city of Los Angeles has--since the 1950's--had a distinct environmental phenomenon known as smog. The smog of LA has been a palpable component of Southern California's weather patterns for the latter part of 5 decades. However, some of your recent smog-reduction legislation, brought about by pressure from celebrities and "green" lobbyists, caused a dramatic lowering in smog levels!" The Governor, sitting down now, looked at Prof. Cassandra with tears in his eyes: "But, I thought dat smog vas bad?". The professor quickly shook his head "Oh, it is! But you can't just extricate a major part of the environment in that short of time without any effects! The lessening of smog caused a vacuum over Los Angeles, and nature abhors a vacuum." "But vat can ve do to STOP it?" he yelled. The professor laughed under his breath "Oh, Mr. Governor, the rainy climate is like Kobe Bryant: we can't stop it, we can only hope to contain it"
Chapter XVII, Page 591
Los Angeles-June 23, 2009
Jack hurried around his cubical at Dreamworks, stuffing only vital files into his bag. He kept one eye on the television as a reporter spoke from an emergency tent in Santa Monica, pouring rain could be heard over her head as she spoke: "...the downpours have also caused problems for some of Hollywood's most famous residents. Sean Penn was paralyzed after his mansion in the hills collapsed on him and it took rescue workers almost ten hours to reach him. National Guardsman Rick Dawson said this about the rescue: 'Let me put it this way: we were in no hurry to reach him. We haven't even gotten to Tim Robbins' house yet.' As more of the National Guard comes on Gov. Schwarzenegger's orders, many Los Angelinos are fleeing the city, as the temporary levees are only expected to-" Jack's cell rang, and he answered quickly "Angela? Are you still in Santa Monica? Good, I'll be right there. I'll meet you at the emergency tent. What? I can't hear you! What's that noise?"Jack pulled the phone away from his ear, his hand trembling as he turned back to the TV screen. The reporter was no longer looking at the camera, but behind her to see a massive wave of water burst through the tent. The screen then went dark, for a second, until the feed from the studio came up to reveal a distressed anchor. His voice quivered "It appears from that shocking video, and eyewitness accounts, that Santa Monica has been hit with 25-foot swells, and that more water is rushing into the valley..." Jack dropped his bag and sprinted out of the office. He flew through the pouring rain until he found an empty police car, the driver directing other studio employees to safety transport vehicles. As Jack jumped into the squad car, the policeman ran over, his gun drawn. "Sir, I have to ask you to step out of the car!" Jack stared at the cop, tears streaming down his face, and yelled "I'm going to Santa Monica to save the woman I love! If you're going to shoot me, do it now!".....
Jack hurried around his cubical at Dreamworks, stuffing only vital files into his bag. He kept one eye on the television as a reporter spoke from an emergency tent in Santa Monica, pouring rain could be heard over her head as she spoke: "...the downpours have also caused problems for some of Hollywood's most famous residents. Sean Penn was paralyzed after his mansion in the hills collapsed on him and it took rescue workers almost ten hours to reach him. National Guardsman Rick Dawson said this about the rescue: 'Let me put it this way: we were in no hurry to reach him. We haven't even gotten to Tim Robbins' house yet.' As more of the National Guard comes on Gov. Schwarzenegger's orders, many Los Angelinos are fleeing the city, as the temporary levees are only expected to-" Jack's cell rang, and he answered quickly "Angela? Are you still in Santa Monica? Good, I'll be right there. I'll meet you at the emergency tent. What? I can't hear you! What's that noise?"Jack pulled the phone away from his ear, his hand trembling as he turned back to the TV screen. The reporter was no longer looking at the camera, but behind her to see a massive wave of water burst through the tent. The screen then went dark, for a second, until the feed from the studio came up to reveal a distressed anchor. His voice quivered "It appears from that shocking video, and eyewitness accounts, that Santa Monica has been hit with 25-foot swells, and that more water is rushing into the valley..." Jack dropped his bag and sprinted out of the office. He flew through the pouring rain until he found an empty police car, the driver directing other studio employees to safety transport vehicles. As Jack jumped into the squad car, the policeman ran over, his gun drawn. "Sir, I have to ask you to step out of the car!" Jack stared at the cop, tears streaming down his face, and yelled "I'm going to Santa Monica to save the woman I love! If you're going to shoot me, do it now!".....
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