ABOVE & BEYOND : IF WE ARE MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 38

ERYX

My heart sank in my stomach as the sound of the ambulance surrounded me. Driving as fast as I could I reached near the hotel but couldn't actually go in due to the intense traffic. So I stopped the car nearby and started running towards the motel.

I cursed at myself for the hundredth times for not having my phone with me. I don't know what is exactly happening but I know it is something bad. But when I heard the siren of the fire truck I knew what was happening.

Please be safe. Be safe. Be safe.

Almost the half of the motel was on fire. It was crowded and chaotic. But I couldn't hear anything except the voice in my head.

Duaa Duaa Duaa.

I don't remember when I started running toward the fire building but I was stopped by two guys in uniform. I don't know what they were telling me but it didn't matter.

Few of the staff members and the manager were outside, along with some people. I started searching for Duaa among the crowd. 

I was calling for her, searching for her but couldn't find her. With each second passing by I was getting more hopeless.

A grip around my forearm made me turn around. "Are you looking for Duaa Wahed?" the girl asked me. "Yes yes, where is she? Is she here?" "No. She is still in her room." my heart stopped for a moment. "I'm the one who booked her room today."

"which floor and room?" I asked her, not caring about my tone. "She is on the fifth floor, room 211. Be..." I didn't have the time to hear her anymore. I was already running. The guys tried to stop me again but I broke through.

The elevators weren't working. I had to take the stairs. I could see injured people coming down the stairs.

I was getting closer to the fifth floor and could already feel the warmth from the fire.

As soon as I reached the fifth floor I started shouting Duaa's name. I was checking the room numbers.

Room no. 207. Room no. 208. Room no. 209. Room no. 210.

Room no. 211.

"Duaa.. Duaa, are you in there? Can you hear me?" I slammed my palm on the door a few times. "Eryx? Eryx, is that you?"

For a moment it felt like my soul got connected with my body again.

"It's me. I'm here. I'll get you out, don't worry." I was doing everything I could to open the door. My hands were burning. "Duaa are you okay? I'll get you out, I promise." "Eryx I- I'm scared. The fire is about to get to me."

No no no. please no.

"Eryx, leave. It is too dangerous here!" what? Is she serious? I would never do that!

I heard a crack and after two more attempts the door finally opened and oh-

There she was. Tears on her face. This sight of her was unlike any other thing I have ever seen.

I could see her hair. It was long, silky and wavy. And she was the prettiest woman ever. I offered my hand to her. "Come on."

I could see that she was hesitating. "Eryx I- I can't. My hair is..." before she could finish her sentence I took off my hoodie, underneath which I had my black compression t-shirt.

I helped Duaa put on my hoodie and we both started running. We were on the third floor and the fire here was more intense.

One the door burst open due to the intense fire and fell right between me and Duaa, breaking us apart.

"ERYX!"

I heard her scream but couldn't see her. She couldn't see me.

"Duaa, leave. Turn to your right and take the stairs. Go!" "no! I'm not leaving you. Are you crazy?" "Duaa, please listen to me. It's not the time to argue. Do as I say!"

"No no no. You are coming with me. I don't care." she was crying. I could hear her.

"Please baby, listen to me. I'm taking another route and I will come back to you. Please go." "Eryx...please come back. I-I..." "I'll. I'll. you go."

I don't know if I can get out of here.

DUAA

I was wrapped up in his scent but he was not there. It has been almost ten minutes since I got out of the motel safely but he is not here. Still not here. No sign of him.

Please God. Please.

Don't let anything happen to him. Please. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happens to him.

I was just praying to God because this is all I could do.

I could see the firefighters coming out of the motel with few people. I ran towards them.

"Can you please search for Eryx? Please? He is tall, almost 6'3, and has brown hair. He is wearing a black t-shirt." I don't know how many times I told them his description.

"ma'am we are trying our best to find everyone. Please calm down." one of them told me and it did nothing to calm me down.

I was holding in so many things. My heart is probably about to burst out. I have never felt anything like this.

I just want him. Want him to be safe. Want him to be here. Want to hold him. Want to kiss him. Want to thank him. Want to apologise to him. Want to tell him everything I couldn't.

Few more seconds passed which felt like years.

"DUAA..."

And I looked up. It was him.

HIM!

I ran with my life towards him and hugged him as tight as I could. And everything inside me burst out. I didn't care about anything at that moment.

I was sobbing, crying, and smiling. I was a mess.

We were on the ground. I don't know how we got there but nothing mattered in that moment except him.

Nothing.

My hands were wrapped around his neck, gripping his hair tight.

We pulled back for a second and smiled at each other before hugging each other again. "I told you I would come back." I let out a smile.

"You had to come back!"