The Sanders Sides

2 - They're ALIVE!?

Patton, the ever-optimistic Patton, crumbled. The explosion, a monstrous maw of fire and fury, stole the air from his lungs and the hope from his heart. A primal scream ripped from his throat, a sound devoid of any cheer, filled only with raw, soul-crushing agony. "AHHHHHHHGGHHHH!" he shrieked, collapsing onto the hard ground, tears erupting in a torrent that soaked the earth beneath him.

Logan, ever the stoic, found himself at a loss. He knelt beside the sobbing Patton, his hand hovering awkwardly over his friend's shoulder. "Patton..." he began, his voice tight with unshed emotion.

Before he could finish, Patton launched himself at Logan, burying his face in his friend's chest. "Patton, I'm not the best person for this-" Logan stammered, his carefully constructed walls crumbling under the weight of Patton's grief. Instinct, however, took over, and he wrapped his arms awkwardly around Patton, offering what little comfort he could.

Deceit, ever the pragmatist, scanned the smoke-filled scene, a sliver of hope battling with the dread that coiled in his gut. Then, a flicker of movement caught his eye. A figure emerged from the haze, coughing and sputtering, but undeniably there. His eyes widened in disbelief. "GUYS!" he bellowed, his voice laced with a manic energy. "GET UP, IT'S ROMAN!"

The sound of his voice cut through Patton's sobs. He lifted his head, a sliver of hope flickering in his tear-filled eyes. Everyone froze, their gazes locked on the smoke-shrouded figure.

"What?" Patton croaked, his voice hoarse.

Slowly, undeniably, Roman emerged from the smoke, Virgil slumped limply in his arms. Patton lurched to his feet, a desperate cry escaping his lips. "He can barely hold him together, we have to get down there!"

Logan, Remus, and Patton surged forward, a desperate hope fueling their movements. A police officer, however, caught Deceit by the arm, his face grim. "Sir, you need to get your relatives away from the scene now," he said sternly.

Deceit, for once, didn't bother with his usual sardonic wit. He whirled on the officer, his eyes blazing with a fury that mirrored the inferno behind them. "You know you're REALLY bad at your job!" he snarled, and before the officer could react, Deceit landed a solid punch square across his jaw.

With a desperate bellow, the three Sides – Logan, Remus and Patton – charged down the hill, ignoring the yells of protest from the remaining police officers. They reached Roman just in time, their combined efforts catching him and Virgil as his legs buckled. Relief, sharp and unexpected, flooded through them. But it was short-lived.

As they lowered Roman to the ground, their focus shifted to Virgil. He was pale as a ghost, blood staining his clothes in a worrying pattern. A collective gasp escaped their lips. But before they could voice their concerns, Roman lurched forward, a strangled cry escaping his lips. He heaved, a wet cough erupting from his chest, and a crimson spray splattered onto the ground.

Logan, ever the observer, noted the telltale signs with a jolt of horror. "His upper body tissues have been punctured," he declared, his voice tight with urgency. His words hung heavy in the air as Roman's eyes, glazed and unfocused, fluttered shut. He'd lost consciousness. The weight of Virgil, coupled with his own internal injuries, had finally overwhelmed him. Fear, a chilling serpent, coiled around their hearts.

Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder by the second. The smoke from the inferno slowly cleared, revealing the extent of the damage. Twisted metal, blackened by fire, lay scattered across the scene. Ambulances, red and white beacons slicing through the twilight, arrived in a flurry of activity.

Paramedics, clad in crisp blue uniforms, swarmed over Roman and Virgil. They worked efficiently, checking vitals, stabilizing limbs, and applying bandages with practiced ease. Roman, unconscious and pale, lay on a gurney, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Virgil, barely conscious, mumbled incoherently, his brow furrowed in pain.