When Lightning Strikes: World's Collide Edition

13. Ashes and Flames

"We-we need to get out of here..." Carter's voice echoed through Alicia's thoughts. Clouds of smoke formed around her, suffocating her. Intense waves of emotion collapsed onto her, as though she was continuously being bombarded with massive tsunami waves.

"Man, why you gotta make things complicated? Just kill'em."

Alicia's vision blurred, plastered with static as though she were thrown straight into an 80s show of black and white television. She seemed paralyzed again. Couldn't move a muscle.

"Ah what a sense of joy in death... A true beauty I'd say," Bloodfire had declared, blissfully.

The smoke, it rippled through the air. The girl was oblivious to her surroundings.

"No matter what..." Her father had said, "I'll be right here. Proud of who you're becoming..."

The tears; they flooded through the gates, uncontrollable. Anguish and sadness infected her thoughts, her anxiety hitting an all-time-high.

"Alice wake up... Please!" Melissa's voice, it seemed to awaken something within her. Comfort, affection, and gratitude.

"Alicia..." she felt a hand on her left shoulder, shaking her.

Alicia's eyes snapped open. Dazed, her surroundings have drastically changed. She wasn't in Darkland anymore.

Everyone in the classroom stopped to stare at her. She was back in school, living life like before the incident. Though, not quite so.

Their eyes, filled to the brim with concern and suspicion. Burning through her skin; a thousand different laser beams directed at her.

The room, though ventilated through opened windows, seemed to suffocate everyone within the enclosed space. Feelings of anguish and denial radiated through the air. An atmosphere of misery, infectious as an airborne virus.

"Alicia Stone, are you... all right?" Mr. Lyn gazed at her with great worry, resting his palm on the ledge of the chalkboard. Alicia nodded, trying to stifle her panic. Holding the tears away from the surface.

Melissa's hand was placed on Alicia's shoulder, comforting her. Alicia turned to stare at the girl. Unlike the others, her eyes were burdened with guilt and sorrow. A striking resemblance to her own eyes. She looked to be on the verge of tears; Rapidly becoming a part of her normal appearance.

Other than the gentle blow of air flowing through the cracks of the windows, the room was dead silent. It choked the air in her throat.

Mr. Lyn lowered his head, gritting his teeth exposed a wrinkle on his bald head as he muttered to himself. Slowly, he turned and began to write something on the board. The tapping noise of the chalk echoed around the room.

CARTER VASQUEZ.

Alicia looked up at him in confusion, as did the rest of the class.

"Everyone...I prepared for this very class weeks ago, as have I prepared for every class. Meticulous and specific..." He closed his eyes for a moment, before proceeding.

"But one thing that cannot be prepared for, even through meticulous planning, is... unpredictability and unfortunate incidents." A tear slipped out of his eye.

"I have taught this student for many years. And not once did he fail to impress me. His brilliance... his sheer joy in learning." He grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes and nose.