𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 - lookism

034

———————————————————————

With a surge of adrenaline and the last remnants of your mana, you pushed both Goo and Samuel back, sending them stumbling. Flames erupted around the living room, igniting the furniture and walls as you bolted up the stairs. The heat from the fire crackled behind you, the orange glow casting eerie shadows along the walls as you ran.

Your ankle throbbed in pain, and your breath came in ragged gasps, but you kept going. You had to find a way out.

Reaching the top of the stairs, you scanned the hallway for any possible exit. Every second counted, and the fire was spreading fast. Behind you, you could hear Samuel and Goo recovering from the blast, their voices muffled by the roaring flames.

The smoke started to thicken, filling the air with a suffocating heaviness. You spotted a window at the end of the hall—your only way out. Ignoring the pain in your leg, you dashed toward it, pushing through the ache and exhaustion.

But just as your hand reached for the window latch, you felt a strong grip on your wrist.

"You're not going anywhere," Samuel's voice growled in your ear.

You twisted your arm, trying to break free, but Samuel's grip was iron-tight. You turned, eyes meeting his as he sneered down at you.

"Why do you keep running?" he taunted, his breath hot against your skin. "There's nowhere for you to go."

Before you could respond, Goo's voice cut through the chaos from behind. "Samuel, enough. You said you wouldn't touch her."

Samuel hesitated, his grip loosening for a brief moment, and that was all you needed. With a swift motion, you yanked your arm free and smashed the window open. The cool night air rushed in, momentarily clearing your lungs from the smoke.

Without thinking twice, you climbed through the window, preparing to jump. Below, the drop was steep, but it was better than staying trapped inside with them.

You took a deep breath and leaped into the night, hoping for a miracle.

The wind rushed past you as you fell, the ground approaching faster than you anticipated. Your heart pounded in your chest, and for a split second, time seemed to freeze. The impact was rough, and pain shot through your body as you hit the ground, rolling to soften the fall.

Dazed, you lay there for a moment, trying to catch your breath. The sharp ache in your leg flared up again, but you forced yourself to move. The fire inside the house roared louder, and you could hear shouting from above. Samuel and Goo wouldn't be far behind.

You pushed yourself to your feet, stumbling slightly as you limped away from the house. The night was quiet, save for the crackling fire behind you and your labored breathing. The beach stretched out ahead, the dark waves crashing against the shore. There had to be another way out—a car, a road, anything.

You glanced over your shoulder and saw Goo standing in the window, watching you. His face was unreadable, a mixture of anger and something else—something you couldn't quite place. You didn't have time to figure it out. You had to keep moving.

The sand beneath your feet slowed you down, every step an agonizing struggle as your body screamed for rest. But you couldn't stop. Not yet. You spotted a small boat by the shore, half-hidden by some rocks. It was old and battered, but it might just be your way out.

You limped toward it, praying that it would float.

You made it to the boat, your body aching with every step. The firelight from the house flickered in the distance, casting eerie shadows across the shoreline. Your breath was ragged, and your leg throbbed with pain, but you couldn't stop now. You untied the boat, pushing it into the water with trembling hands.

As the boat drifted into the dark water, you collapsed inside, exhausted. Your heart raced, and your mind was spinning. Was there anyone left you could trust? Goo had betrayed you, Samuel had been complicit, and now you were alone, drifting into the unknown.

With shaky hands, you dialed 911, your breath still heavy from everything that had happened. As the phone rang, you kept glancing over your shoulder, fearing that Goo or Samuel might somehow be following you despite the fire. The boat continued to drift, but the calmness of the water couldn't ease your anxiety.

"911, what's your emergency?" the operator's voice was calm, contrasting sharply with the chaos in your mind.

"I... I need help," you stammered, struggling to find the words. "I've been attacked, I'm on a boat, but I don't know where I'm going, please send help."

"Okay, ma'am, I need you to stay calm. Can you tell me your location?"

You looked around, but there were no landmarks in the darkness. "I'm on the water," you said, your voice shaking. "I don't know exactly where, but I just escaped from a house. It's burning, it's near the beach... Please, you have to send someone."

"Do you see any lights from the shore? Anything that could help us locate you?" the operator asked.

You glanced back, seeing the faint glow of the house fire in the distance. "The house is still burning. You might be able to see it from the shore. Please, I need help."

"Alright, we're dispatching emergency services to the area. Just hang tight, stay on the line with me, okay?"

As you clung to the phone, your body slumped with exhaustion, but a glimmer of hope stirred in your chest. Help was on the way.

———————————————————————