Second Chance

Chapter 70

Explosions fired off all around me. The ground trembled and quaked beneath my feet, to the point where I had trouble standing upright. I was on a grassy slope, which was looking off onto the burning city. It was dark, so I could barely see where I was going, but yet I knew exactly where to go. Maybe it was because I could slowly sense a presence in front of me, and the closer I got, the more detail came into focus. Once I was about a foot away from the person, I realized it was Morgan.

Her ginger hair lit up like flames as an explosion went off behind her. She held out her hand to me, and I hesitantly took it. "Follow me." She said softly, then turned around and pulled me along with her.

We went further down the hill, and once we were about half way down, she stopped suddenly. I looked down, and saw a metal grate at my feet. Morgan started heaving it open, and I helped push it all the way back.

"What's down there?" I asked curiously.

"Come on, quickly." Morgan answered ominously, jumping down into the darkness.

I hesitated, then jumped after her. Down, down, down.....

—-

I open my eyes, feeling confused, until the ground jolts beneath me. I scramble to my feet, and realize it's night. Not only that, but I see plumes of bright orange scattered across the city. The attack has started.

"Alex." I breathe.

When she doesn't answer, I turn around to see her not behind me. In fact, I don't see her at all. The truck is still here though, so she can't be far. "Alex!" I yell, hoping she can hear me this time.

To my relief, I hear her respond from below the cliff. "Down here!"

I walk over to the edge and look down. I see her skirting near the rocks, seemingly looking for something. I skid down beside her. "What are you looking for?" I ask her.

"I heard a rumour that there's an entrance to the city near here. Somewhere on this hillside." She tells me.

"I know where it is." I blurt.

She gives me a skeptical look. "You do?"

"Yeah, follow me." I respond, taking her hand and leading her further down the hill.

I feel mildly stupid that I'm listening to a dream, and trusting it to tell me where to go. To my surprise and delight though, I find the metal grate in exactly the same spot, which makes me feel like I have future telling powers or something, which is really fucking cool.

"How did you know?" Alex asks me, gazing at me in wonder.

"A dream." I admit.

She raises her eyebrows at me, and says. "So you can see the future now?"

"Yes." I say honestly, grinning at her.

She rolls her eyes at me, then starts to lift up the grate. I help her, and between the two of us we're able to push it all the way back. We exchange glances, then I hop down. I fall into the darkness, but this time it doesn't go on forever. In fact, it only lasts about two seconds before I hit wet pavement.

Alex joins me a moment later, but I soon realize we don't have a light source. That is, until she pulls a flashlight out of her pocket. She turns it on, and we start down the dark tunnel.

"You know, this is pretty fucking scary." I observe.

Alex laughs. "Yes it is."

"What do you want to talk about, because I sure as hell don't want to walk in silence." I suggest.

"Well, what's your plan? For saving Morgan, I mean." She wonders.

"Uhhh.....I'm just going to hope I can find her, or wait for a vision to come to me or something." I answer, feeling uncertain and very unprepared.

Alex gives me a dry look. "You know you're a moron, right Justin?"

"Yes, I'm very aware. Thank you." I respond.

"How about this, we look for the truck she drives and wait there for her to show up." She suggests.

"And if she doesn't show up, then she's probably dead." I realize.

"Don't think about that, Justin. Just have faith that she's alive." Alex gives me a reassuring look, that makes me feel a little better.

I nod, but don't say anything. A few moments later, I come into view of a door. "This might be it." She says hopefully.

I reach forward and open it, and it leads into another room. It's completely dark in there though, and I'm half expecting something to lurch out at me. "You know what?" I say slowly. "I really don't want to fucking do this, Alex."

"I don't want to do this either, but we've come this far." She tells me. "So grow a pair, and let's go." She steps forward and walks into the pitch darkness.

"Nice pep talk." I mutter.

I then follow her, and hope desperately that I don't die by demons in the darkness before I find Morgan.