A Soviet's Struggle

Три

The weeks rolled by slowly - with nothing much happening. It was a Tuesday, November 7th - a thunderstorm. Mariya laid low in the grass, the water droplets rolling down her leather jacket as she listened to the thunderous roars from behind her. Today was the day - the great fire of Nömberg. She wondered how it was going to work - with all of the wood being wet - but didn't question the Wolf's plan. Alyosha was nowhere to be found; since yesterday he had been gone.

The sky flashed a bright, blinding light. The lightning was getting closer. Animalloids called an emergency forecast, and told everyone to remain calm. Firemen roamed the streets of the city - waiting for a fire call. Mariya watched the fire trucks patrol back and forth in the streets - sirens ablazing. The air was humid and the grass she laid in had an unpleasant feeling attached to them.

Out of seemingly nowhere - a loud, thunderous crack ripped through the sky - and struck the Pantheon. Almost immediately, the Firemen rushed over; ready to put the fire out. Another strike then hit the School, the two tallest buildings were burning with holy flames. The fire took a moment to spread, but all of the trees made it easy for the wildfire to overtake the firemen. Mariya rushed out into the wet street, to see two illuminescent orange glows from opposing directions. She watched with amazement - somewhat entranced by the light and the screaming sirens. A Fire truck pulled up next to her, and the window rolled down. "What are you doing?" The man said, causing the masked Hybrid to look up at him, "Governor wants everyone to leave, the fire is getting out of control." Mariya looked at the closest haze, "Hmm," She said, " I guess it does look like it. But, there are still animalloids everywhere! You got to help them."

A third strike hit a set of buildings: setting them on fire as well.

The fireman looked on in horror and sped off. As for Mariya, she rolled her eyes - watching these buildings burn. She sighed, "How unprofessional. Guess I'll do it myself." With that, she took off - running to her own family's home.

She was surprised with how fast the fire had spread with all of the water, most of the city was caught ablaze by now. She looked around her, the orange glow surrounding her: "Supernatural stuff." She muttered. She looked to her right and watched a little girl burst out of a burning building, the flames eating away at her flesh, screaming, and falling on the pavement. She ignored it, and pressed onto her own home. She arrived in time to notice her mother screaming about how two animalloids were still trapped inside. Mariya ignored her as well.

Mariya began to scan her surroundings again; looking for the closest window - which most were heavily damaged with debris. Unsatisfied, she decided to go in through her own bedroom again. She noticed that the fence was hot to the touch, but took the burns anyway, leaping over the fence, and climbing up the pipe once again. Breaking her window, she entered the burning building.

The flames licked the walls of her bedroom; and it made her feel somewhat sad - watching her old possessions burn. However - she moved on, not focused on her own room - and rather the two trapped animalloids. She burst through the door, and was met with the flaming hallway. She could hear it - crying - in the living room. She ran across the hallway in a goosestep-like trot; flames licking her pants. She grabbed the hot metal railings that lead to a flight of stairs, and screamed: "Anyone Home?!"

The crying from downstairs stopped for a short moment, and her sister roared out in coughs, "Hello? W-ilh-elm... We..'re... s-afe..!" A second, and more masculine voice rang out from across the room, "Holy shit. Help! Help!" Leaping from the railing to the first floor, she spotted Silsina trapped behind some debris. Mariya grabbed the burning wood with her hands - ripping the debris apart. "Come on!" She screamed, holding out her hand, "We need to get out of here!" Silsina, looking into the gasmask peering down on her, grabbed the extended hand. Mariya pulled her out; causing Silsina to fall into her shoulder - starved on oxygen. Mariya sighed and picked her up bridal-style, then flung her over her shoulder.