firefly | zhong chenle

CH1

"both heroes wearing different capes"

03.2020_

The siren blared followed by screams and cries for help.

Flames, born from what seemed to be such a minuscule light, danced along the hallways of the hospital. It's waltz terrifying, the fiery phoenix grazing the wall with its wings dripping in lava. The sprinklers set off and more tramples of feet echoed in the room, the alarm sparking more fear in the people hearts. It was as if there was a war that broke out within a hospital that was so peaceful just a moment ago. Now, it was a battle between fire and water, the petals of the flames withered at the touch of the liquid.

Arin ran down the corridor, ushering the nearest patients away, her hand placed gently upon the patient that were breaking down in front of her.

"The exit is this way, come" Arin hushed, guided about a whole rooms worth of people towards the door. Smoke invaded her lungs and took her by the throat, desperately coughing in an attempt to clear her voice of the ashes. Covering her mouth, she didn't take a single second off before helping people exit the building as fast as possible.

Her feet took her towards the centre of the lobby, where she watched her co-workers, patients, friends, all bolting for their dear life. She took a step towards the exit, desperate to get out as every second she stood here felt like she was about to burn alive. She felt someone clutch her pants, triggering her to turn around almost immediately.

Kneeling down, she helped an elderly with a head full of grey, up, eyebrows knitted together in worry.

"You're okay" She cooed, trying to calm the elderly down. She managed to escort the lady towards the exit yet again. She was right in front of the door to leave this chaotic mess, but she hesitated, the screams and shouts silencing as she took heavy breaths. As a doctor, it felt as if she had to be here, to be the hero. In this catastrophe, every ounce of body told her to get out of there and leave, but every other ounce told her that if she left, they'd have no one. She couldn't be selfish, she chose this path herself. Doctors save people.

With one cuss, she turned away from the exit and sprinted towards the other side where she heard yells coming from the door. The fire was getting bigger, the heat fanning her to make her entire body feel exhausted.

"Here!" It was a man's voice. A loud, clear voice that rung in her ear as if for just a split second, things became quiet. Arin raised her head to see the door she was pulling at slide open. Again, for such a brief moment, she was face to face with a man, dressed in an orange suit and helmet along with ashes that decorated his otherwise flawless skin. A firefighter. Another person who needed to be a hero.

Another man dressed in the same outfit bumped her shoulder, trampling in. That was when she realised he wasn't calling to her, he was calling to his fellow firefighter behind her.

When she was about to turn around and leave to help the next person, something caught her eye. The two firefighters were knelt beside a teenage girl who was out unconscious on the ground. Suddenly, her doctor instincts immediately overtook.

Arin ran towards the girl, eyes locked upon the teenagers.

"Ma'am, you need to get out of-"

"I'm a doctor. I can help her" The firefighter and the doctor made eye contact. The brown and brown clashing. He had ashes that lined his cheeks, she had sweat. Both hero's wearing different capes.

"We need to take her out of here. You can't stay in here or you'll die" The man urged, grabbing her arm to stop her. She shrugged him off, shaking her head "She's breathed too much carbon monoxide. She'll die if I don't do something about it now"

The man seemed to give in, immediately taking action and nudging the other firefighter beside him "Go out to look for more victims. I'll stay here with her". After his fellow firefighter left, the man began blocking off the entrances and doing his best to rid of the smoke. Arin couldn't hear anything anymore. She just wanted to save this one girl. Her eyes darted to the different corners do the room, her body having a mind of its own as years of college knowledge flooded her head.

"Elevate her head and give her an oxygen mask" She ordered to the firefighter she met literally a minute ago. Luckily, he did the exact thing and followed her directions.

Arin grabbed the bottles and bottles of medication, all labelled precisely. She didn't care anymore. Grabbing a syringe and filling it with chemicals, she injected it into the girl.

"Come on..." Arin chanted within her head. After a seconds or two of a heart clenching delay, the teenager began breathing, her chest heaving up and down.

"Oh thank god" Arin dropped to her knees, the syringe falling out of her hand. Everything within her felt like it was on fire, but the joy from saving someone almost felt rejuvenating.

"Take her outside first" Arin smiled to the firefighter

"I'll come back in for you" He responded

"Okay" Arin smiled, leaning her back against the wall as he escorted the girl out. It was only seconds before the firefighter came back in, his body obviously tired but still taking long strides towards her. Arin could feel her consciousness dipping in and out; after all, breathing that much smoke was not good for anyone.

"Come" The firefighter stuck out his hand. His back was towards the fire, and soft yellow illumination built a halo around him. It was like he was an angel that had emerged from the fire to save her. She would come to never forget this moment, where a man, in an orange suit, took her hand amidst the embrace of fire. There was a feeling of safety in his gaze, as if he carried a shield around with him and all would be okay if she just looked inside his eyes. Arin pulled herself upwards, taking his hand.

A small rattle. A distant explosion. Arin was pulled tightly within his embrace.

There was a ringing in her ear.

And suddenly, all she could see was white.