The Awakening

Oliver- Smoke and Flames

Oliver and Isabelle crept along the side of the factory, making no noise as they approached the back door. They wore all black, with black masks that covered the bottom half of their faces. This made it hard to hear what Isabelle said.

"Come again?" Oliver whispered.

"There's plenty of factories in the city. Why this one?"

"Cause this one supplies weapons. Weapons that are shipped to the castle."

"First question: how do you know about this place? And second: why does the castle need weapons?"

"A job I was hired for, and I don't know. Now come on!"

Oliver slung his pack full of bombs over his shoulder, and Isabelle did the same. He silently hoped his plan would work.

"Okay, pin!" Isabelle handed Oliver a hair pin, and he picked the lock. It was easy. The door silently swung open.

"Follow me!" they ran down twisting hallways and up a flight of stairs until they reached the power room.

"Set the charges anywhere here. If we blow this room up, it should send a surge through the whole building. Everything will explode."

"Oliver, wait. Are you really willing to kill a whole bunch of people, probably slaves, just to make a point?"

He wasn't that heartless! "No, of course not! After we place the bombs, we'll pull the fire alarm. Then everyone will get out and we'll detonate it."

"You really thought this through."

"I am many things, Isabelle. Stupid is not one of them."

She shrugged. "Eh."

Oliver started placing the bombs. He knew that the explosion wouldn't hurt anything outside the building, but just in case he was prepared to get people at least a block away. Not that any poor folks lived in the factory district. He was mostly worried about workers.

"Okay, all set," Isabelle said, setting her last charge.

"Let's go!" they rushed out the door and down the halls, so close to the exit where the fire alarm was when a voice yelled at them.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" an overseer had spotted them.

Oliver thought fast. "Sir, I am so sorry! My cousin and I are deeply allergic to a chemical in the smoke, that's why we wore these masks. I guess hers isn't thick enough, because she's having an allergic reaction!"

Isabelle doubled over, coughing hard for effect.

"I just wanted to take her home, sir, so we didn't get any of the other workers sick."

The overseer contemplated. "Did you inform your leader?"

"No sir. It just happened so fast..."

Isabelle turned around and pretended that she was about to retch.

"Oh no! Get her out of here, go, go! I don't want to see that!"

"Thank you, sir!" Oliver shouted after the man, who was now running away.

Isabelle straightened up. "Maybe I should consider a career in acting."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say. Let's just go."

Oliver ran to the door and yanked the alarm, causing sirens to blare from the ceilings. They could hear thumping feet from upstairs and rushed out the door.

They secretly joined the lines of workers and overseers forming, waiting until they heard that everyone was out until Oliver pushed the detonation button.

A huge plume of fire and smoke protruded from the factory roof. Screams of workers covered up for them as they snuck away from the burning building.

"I must admit, you did good today. What changed your mind?" Isabelle asked.

"Something a kid told me. He said that you have to start small and go up from there."

"Smart kid."

"I decided he was partly right. You can start small, but first, you have to start somewhere."