Engulfed

Chapter 2

Fuzzy... but still hanging in my head.

I remember Pete slowly standing, walking to the closed door. Ever-so-carefully, he pressed his hand to the door and placed it around, turning back quickly, "It's clear."

Joe and Andy jogged out with Spencer and Dallon. I was close behind them, my asthma starting to kick in. Once the door had been opened, I felt the smoke in my lungs and it was not a good feeling.

Once we were all out of the room, I saw the first flames. It was a giant wall, blocking in a counter with food. It traveled quickly around the room, headed towards its next victims, us.

Pete slid down the stairs and watched us out one by one. The exit was just out there.

Breathing heavily, I skipped steps down, almost missing one at the end. Pete supported my back with his hand and launched me back up, towards the door.

I watched him over my shoulder. Coughing, he double checked and sprinted up to my side, racing me out.

Once we were all outside, I doubled over and forced myself to breath.

Dallon was squinting up at the flames, now showing through in the second level. Spencer was lying on the ground, his chest lifting and falling. An arm covered his face.

Joe and Andy were both pretty scarred, looking down at the ground. Joe put a hand to his lower back and grit his teeth. He must've hurt it again.

Pete slammed the door so hard, the glass broke through. He bit his fist and looked to me.

"I didn't ask for this f'ing shit!" he shouted.

We looked each other down for a while. There wasn't anything to say.

"I-I know..." I told him and approached him. I held out my arms and he the same. We just stood there for a while, wheezing into each others ears.

Andy shifted on his feet, "We should get away from here."

Joe agreed, "Yeah, let's find a motel or something."

We all started walking out towards the road. The tour bus brought us here and they weren't expecting us for a while. It was supposed to come at the stroke of midnight. It was only 22:45 (10:45 pm).

For a moment, we were all alright. Then, it was chaos.

I froze and turned back to the building.

Brendon...

I caught Pete's attention and he stared me down.

My eyes teared up, but I washed them away. Now's not the time to be a baby. Now's the time to be brave.

Our crew turned around, noticing our absence.

"Brendon..." I said. Dallon turned to Spencer.

Dallon closed his eyes and lifted his head to the sky, "F***!" he masked through a heave.

I turned back to the building and walked. Walk came to jog, jog came to a halt as Pete grabbed my arm.

"You are not going in there. I am not losing you," he said worriedly.

"And I'm not losing another friend," I raised my voice. That might've sounded mean, but that's what it would have to come to if I wanted to do this.

Everyone thinks "oh Patrick, he's so innocent. He's the only one without tattoos. He doesn't get crazy drunk. He wouldn't say a mean thing to anybody."

That was the reputation I had, and I was fine with it. But there was a time to be nice and a time to stand up for yourself and the people you care about.

If I was going to go back into this building, I was going to need to be convincing.

I looked to Pete and to the building a few times. Something was starting to slide over the door. There was no time for small talk.

"I'm sorry," I say. There was nothing else to be said. I charged full speed towards the entrance with everyone shouting at me to come back.

I slid under the space between the door and whatever was coming between it. Just as I had made it in, I was closed off. A chunk of the ceiling had blocked my way out.

Standing up, there was only one thing I had in mind.

Don't be a hero. Save Brendon and get out. Be a hero later.

~ Becca