𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 • anthony lockwood

03. built up walls and burned down houses

chapter three,
built up walls and burned down houses.

IT HAD BEEN QUITE RARE to get through a case without a little bit of a bump on the road. There was either always a close encounter with the visitor or a struggle in trying to find the weak source of a Type One. Nevertheless, it was a given that the agents were going to be faced with somewhat of an inconvenience when going into a job, especially when not enough research had been done beforehand.

Yet, as Sophie stood staring at the burning building in front of her, every inch of it lit now. She didn't think that any of them could have expected such a turn in events when walking into the house earlier that evening. How could such a seemingly open and shut case go so wrong so fast?

Hands wrapped around the girl's upper arms, breaking Sophie's focus from the crackling fire. "Are you okay?" Lockwood's head was lowered just so he could see her face clearly. Sophie's frantic eyes met his dark ones, his face was covered in soot patches, and a few nicks decorated his cheek and the bridge of his nose. Meanwhile, his usually perfect hair was now tousled, flecks of ashes scattered on top.

"I'm okay," she rushed out, holding onto his arms for some support. "Are you?"

The boy nodded, narrowing his eyes and looking behind Sophie, the two of them hearing wailing sirens coming up the road, which were followed by numerous blinding lights getting closer and closer to the building. "Oh for god's sake," Lockwood muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. 

"Lucy," Sophie mumbled realizing the younger girl wasn't with them. Her eyes searched around them before noticing the smaller body lying down on the mucky grass on the other side of the shrubbery.

Sophie dropped her arms, hastily making her way over to the other girl who had been fighting a coughing fit, which was more than likely caused by the rapidly increasing smoke and the blow from the fall. The brunette knelt beside her, helping the girl sit up. "You okay?"

"We're DEPRAC," loud voices called approaching the three teenagers. A man wearing some sort of helmet made his way over to Sophie, the rest of his body was covered in a protective suit.

"Come with us, we're here to help," he assured but it didn't help ease the girl's worries as hands grabbed at her arms whisking her away from the horrid scene.

Sophie quickly moved her attention to the two others watching them both be led off in separate directions until they were no longer in her line of sight.

•

SOPHIE SAT LAZILY IN HER CHAIR, the low sun piercing through the kitchen window. She had been the first one home out of three agents, after getting quickly checked over by a DEPRAC worker she thankfully wasn't overly injured from the incident, only a few cuts and bruises here and there.

They had insisted she'd go to the hospital for a thorough examination but she quickly declined since she was feeling mostly okay, besides there was nothing more she wanted than to go home. 

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" George fret over the girl, he glanced over his shoulder at her with questioning eyes before turning back to the hob to turn down the pasta he was currently making for her. Sophie nodded, taking a sip from the tea that was made only a few minutes prior.

"I'm just wrecked now," she replied, which was true since she hasn't slept in nearly twenty-four hours.

Only second's after the dishevelled girl opened the door to their home, George was by her side hurling hundreds of questions at her all at once, but seeing the distraught look plastering her face the boy decided to keep quiet momentarily and instead helped her down into the kitchen, where they currently were.