Terror

Chapter Twenty-Five

In the plaza, Angel let out a long sigh. The scene before him was one of complete destruction; remains of buildings lay on ruins, some reduced to rubble while others had been charred by fire. The streets were filled with deep cracks and uneven surface, and hydro poles lay toppled over on the ground like discarded toys.

"What will happen now? So you think Cassandra and Divina can beat Ashley?" Mallory asked anxiously, as she waved her arms around.

"From our information, we defeat Ashley from all the harm she has caused," Angel said acidly.

There was much harm that Ashley had created in this place. He vividly remembered the holes and fires in the beginning on the streets. One of the most memorable incidents was the attack by Luke when Angel still volunteered to help there. There was also the storm that followed, bringing with it illness, severe, burns, freezing temperatures, and no electricity.

Angel's mind drifted back to the daycare. Almost none of the volunteers were still alive. Ilya and Layla had been the only ones holding things together. A sharp ache struck his chest at the memory of what had happened to them.

"Do we wait around until someone comes? We have to figure out what's happening," Mark asked, breaking the silence.

Angel exhaled slowly, trying to push down the surge of guilt. "It probably has to do with whatever Jason is doing."

He glanced around the ruined plaza. Greyson and Jason were out there somewhere, tracking Ashley—but that meant they might return straight into the chaos of the final endgame.

"So, we watch more people die?" Mallory asked.

The mere idea of witnessing more lives lost was unbearable, especially considering the horrors they had experienced in this wretched place. He hadn't personally witnessed those afflicted by the illness die—his memories were haunted instead by the attack on the daycare, Ilya's overdose, and the alarming number of children who had fallen sick with the flu.

"Then there'll be charges, court hearings, and jailing," Mark replied flatly.

Angel cast his gaze around the dark plaza. Despite the blackness in the sky above them, it wasn't just darkness that enveloped this place; it was also an overwhelming despair brought on by the bodies that had either been placed or dragged to be buried near the park.

"Wait—will I be charged for the microwave incident?" Mallory asked. "I mean, I blew up a microwave and threw it off the island."

"I thought you guys cleaned it up?" Mark inquired. "Or did you leave it because River said it's okay to keep the place trashed?"

"We did put another microwave in place," Mallory explained, taking stiff steps backwards and stopping a fair distance away from them. "I know that you have to poke a fork in the potato."

Angel spotted the dim headlights of a car cutting through the darkness as Mallory sprinted at them. Nevaeh leaned out the passenger window with her tongue out. Emma then leaped out of the car like her life depended on it.

"Merry Christmas!" Nevaeh exclaimed with a laughed.

Mallory squinted at her. "But... it's March?"

Emma held a box of fireworks tightly, her eyes scanning the label as if it might explode.

"We're hosting a beautiful fireworks show before more of us die," Nevaeh added, her voice strained.

River shone his own power, making some measure of light around the darkness.

"I think Cassandra's making it harder for Ashley to see," James remarked. "However, there is still the struggle of actually finding her."

Angel pinched his lips together as he reached for one of the sparklers in the narrow boxes. They kept unloading more boxes while trying to come up with a direct solution for what would happen in the next few hours or days.