Flawed

Chapter 14

Darci hacked, the smoke filling her lungs.  

"Come on!" Connor pleaded, tugging on her hand. "Darci, get up!" 

Darci had pushed herself too hard this time. She couldn't get up anymore.  

It had all happened so fast.  

Darci, Connor and Felix had been having a quiet conversation, unable to sleep without the reassurance from the others that they were safe. Everything was calm, the low hum of machinery coming forming the floor above.  

Then, out of the blue, everything was on fire. 

There was no warning, and as the flames rose higher and higher, the heat jerked her out of the frozen state she was in.  

"Move, move, move!" Felix said, springing to her feet and ripping the IV's out of Connors arm. He winced, but made no protest.  

Darci stood and ripped off her gloves, stuffing them in her back pocket. She called upon the attributes of a water bear and the heat became bearable. (pun not intended, this is serious time) 

"Can you walk?" Darci said to Connor. 

To answer her question, Connor got off the cot. He stood for a second, wobbling. "Yeah, no." 

Darci looked to Felix, a sheen of sweat already plastered on her forehead. "What about Aunt Ellie? She's in the control room!" 

Felix had already thought it out. "I'll get Aunt Ellie. You carry Connor out with your bear strength or whatever. Be fast." 

"Not again." Connor muttered under his breath. 

Felix ran off, using her strength to jump over flames, while Darci reluctantly heaved Connor onto her back. With a burst of speed, they were off.  

Darci was starting to panic. She had seen the damage fire could do, how the major scarring could affect your function afterwards. If any of her friends were hurt, they would become easy targets. She ran faster.  

Wanting to try something different, Darci called upon the attributes of an echidna. Smoke caught in lungs as she panted, Connor getting heavier and heavier on her back.  

"Stop!" Connor yelled over the crackling. "Darci, put me down! You're going to kill yourself." 

For the first time ever, Darci made no protest. She threw Connor down just as flames spiked up towards her.  

On instinct, she stopped, dropped and rolled on the ground screaming over the pain in her shoulder, the fear, and endless burning on the fire.  

Connor flashed his arms out and a small, flameless circle appeared around them. Darci was crying, the pain keeping her from moving.  

Connor gripped her hand and gave it a tug. "Come on! Darci, get up!" 

Darci refused to move. She didn't have the strength. 

Not anymore.