Phantom Thunder

Chapter 28

The doors to the banquet hall were still hanging limply from their disattached hinges. Most of the bodies had been cleared out, but a few mangled phantoms were still scattered throughout the mess. There wasn't a single table the was where it used to be. They'd been flipped over or pushed into a random arrangement. One of the benches had been completely split in half and wooden splinters were reaching toward the sky like daggers.

There was so much emotion trapped in me looking at the remnants of the battle, but instead my mind translating them into the empty words of "where are we supposed to eat?"

Seth smiled dryly. "Priorities right?" He tried to joke but the comment made me feel worse. "We've set up on the lawn. Everyone still recovering. The soldiers have a strict patrol policy, so no helping the Academy to recover. 'Thats not the army's responsibility.' No one really has the strength for clean up... or anything else," he added, then trailed off.

The lawn did sort of remind me of a refugee camp. Blankets were lain in the grass although I'm sure they would've cleared the dorm first. The plastic tables we always brought out during the obstacles races were set up with food.

Everyone was standing in the grass behind the building where the farewell ceremonies were held. Even from a distance I could tell the group had decreased in size.

I slipped into the less than sufficient crowd. I accidentally bumped someone with my elbow. She turned and I realized it was Jessica.

"Ghost!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms around me. "You're okay." Her voice was more relieved than excited. When she let go of me i could tell her eyes were slightly red from excessive crying.

"Glad to see you made it out okay too"
I managed a weary smile. "How's Leif?"

I could see my words collide with her thoughts like a bulldozer. Her expression of glass shattered and tears welled back up in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was small.
"He didn't make it."

Her words hit me hard in the chest and knocked the air from my lungs. I choked. Leif. I pictured those optimistic emerald eyes, always full of life. Leif couldn't be dead too.

Jessica was crying, and somehow that helped me pull myself together. I couldn't afford to be weak. She needed me to be stable.

"Jess I'm so sorry." I wrapped her in a hug and felt her pain oozing from her body and into mine. The sponge of loss absorbed it all and left my mind trapped, permanently immobile like a fly stuck in amber.

Jessica finally pulled away. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. I tried to smile in reassurance. I had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time today tears were shed.

"Hey." Someone tapped my shoulder.
I turned to see Spark and immediately I was flooded with relief. It was calm and gentle and it washed over me with a gentle caress. I collapsed into his warm embrace.

"You're okay" he said as if he was letting out the last twenty four hours of tension and stress. His strong arms were wrapped around me. I lay my head on his chest and heard the steady beat of his strong heart. Full of life sheltering me from the death that surrounded.

I finally pulled away.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm okay" I mumbled numbly. Even he could tell that was a lie.

"Did Claice tell you about what's happening?"

I nodded. I hoped he hadn't heard about my violent episode. "We have to inform a trainer."

"I talked to Talaya" he told me. "Her and Kerce are going to see what they can do after the funeral. They have more influence than us but we're pretty isolated."