Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

166 - Redemption

Ashleigh Templeton -

'What's going on?' Natasha tiredly asks Billy as we're forced to rush out of our room.

'It's nothing serious. Don't panic. We're on a higher level anyway' he says.

Darcy Moore looks at the ground nervously as it starts shaking, sending him off his feet and causing him to crash into his teammate Trent.

'Is - was that an earthquake?' He anxiously asks, as he pushes Darcy off.

'No, no earthquake' Billy says, before telling us to stay out and sprinting away.

'I really didn't like that' Natasha says quietly. Kyle Dunkley suddenly joins us.

'You guys were on the other side of my room's wall the whole time!' He exclaims, hugging me.

'Kyle, stop being so thirsty. There's an emergency going on' I say, pushing him off too. He looks back at me, a little hurt.

'Oh. What? Has somebody died?' He asks.

I facepalm.

'Did you not feel that earthquake 10 seconds ago?' I ask, snapping.

'No' he says, as Billy runs back.

'The place is flooding. The bottom level is full of water. There's no way we can block the leakage now, it's too late to get down there. We have to get to the top level before we're flooded up here' he announces. Darcy and Trent exchange a terrified look.

'Where's Lippa?' Bianco asks. Billy takes in a deep breath.

'He wasn't collected by Montanna, which means he's still down there with a few others. We currently can't-'

Bianco suddenly runs off, in the middle of Billy's sentence, heading for the stairs.

'Okay, if he's willing to drown himself, he can go right ahead' Billy says.

'Where are Freyer and Annie?' I ask firmly.

'I...the kids are on the second level, which is halfway under water' he says.

'Kyle, let's go' I say, grabbing his arm as we run off.

...

I don't know what's happened.

'Come on Ashleigh, I'm gonna need you to jump'

I stay inside the bunker - ? - as I tread the violent waters threaten to have me injured and almost killed again.

The water splashes over my head again as I'm pulled down and under. I don't even panic. I'm just...I'm exhausted. This is too tiring.

Someone suddenly pushes me up from my waist as I come back to the surface. I don't know who that person is but I'm basically clinging to a broken ladder. I can't even climb up and there's still people waiting after me.

'Templeton, please. We're all freezing and drowning' Josh Schache says tiredly.

I look up, squinting my eyes as I see someone peeking through the hole high above me. He reaches his hand down, but I think I'm too weak to carry on.

I extend my hand and arm into the air, hoping he grabs it.

And he just does.

'Okay Ashleigh, come on' he says, as he tries to pull me up. I feel my shoulder dislocate and snap out of place, as I scream. I nearly slip through his fingers.

Someone pushes in front of me as he hauls me up onto his shoulders, and tries to climb up the ladder, slipping and sliding a few times. He comes up to the exit as the man takes me from Darcy Moore's shoulders.