ForestLands Institution

Chapter | 36√

They all glanced at one another before running out the door, except Elijah who stayed behind to revive his friend. The doors of the dormitory swung open and boots started running down the dorm. The screams were coming from the main hall. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she and Lloyd went their separate ways.

Nadia was out in the main hallway looking for her friends and shouting their names in panic and worry. She stayed close to the walls so she won't be pushed down by the students running in the hall.

“Nadia!” she heard someone call her name.

She looked back to see Joanne running towards her and to Nadia's utmost surprise, Freya was running behind her.

They stopped before her. “Did you see the others?” Joanne asked, a little out of breath.

Nadia shook her head.

“Oh, God! Where are they?!” Joanne exclaimed in frustration.

“What's happening?” Nadia hastily inquired.

“The school is under attack.”

Nadia's eyes widened in shock and fear gripped her. “What?”

“We have to leave right now!” Freya told them, her tone filled with urgency.

“We can't just leave without the others,” Joanne protested.

“Who knows, they are probably outside the school,” Freya said.

They heard voices calling their name and soon, Makena, Faryal and Mia were before them.

“Where is Ahryan?” Faryal asked and Mia added, “and Elijah?”

“We don't know, they are probably out of the school. Let's go!” Freya insisted.

“No!” Faryal shouted, surprising them because Faryal was always the calm one. “We are not making assumptions, I'm not leaving until I have searched the whole school.”

“We haven't got much time,” Freya hissed.

“Then you can leave, nobody's stopping you,” Faryal said heatedly, staring the other girl down.

Makena suddenly asked, “Do you guys hear that?”

They quietened down, listening for any odd sound and that's when they heard it. A whistling sound from above the school, got louder and louder as it got closer and closer.

“Is that a...”

“Run!” Mia shouted.

They all took off in a sprint. The bomb struck the school just as they flew out the door. Makena quickly cast a spell and a shield covered them, flames wrapped the shield but didn't get to them.

Makena let down the shield just as the blast died down. She turned back to her friends and asked if everyone was alright. She got echoes of 'yes' and 'I'm fine'.

Nadia stood up, coughing from the dust and smoke the bomb had left in its wake. She could feel blood trickling down her forehead, her knees ached; telling her that she sustained an injury there.

“Ahryan,” she heard Faryal whisper beside her.

She looked at her to see her staring at the burning school, her hand clasped over her mouth and sobs raking through her body.

“Hey,” Nadia placed a hand on her shoulder. “I'm sure he's out here somewhere. Don't just lose hope.”

Faryal nodded and managed a watery smile.

“So many people were still in there,” Joanne whispered, slowly coming to stand beside them. She appeared to be in shock.

Suddenly shadows were cast over them and they started drizzling, washing the blood and dirt off Nadia's face. The rest of the girls huddled closer to them, still coughing off the dust in their throats.