The Rift Walker

Some Just Want To See The World Burn

Chapter 4

Ahead of her the flames raged, locking the buildings in a stubborn embrace, consuming them. They were made up of stone walls, yet the fire burnt through them like dry wood.

Kaelyn heard a faint creaking and a thud as something fell inside one of the buildings and the countless screams of little children. She sprinted through a little clearing until she reached the closest set of houses and spotted a group of panic stricken people. They looked at her as one and moved towards her. She hesitated for a moment, wary, but relaxed slightly when she saw that they meant her no harm; they themselves were afraid.

"Help us, please! We don't know what happened, the fires . . . they just spread so fast . . ." The man who spoke had close set eyes and a small scar that ran across his temple. He was quite short but stocky and he was currently trying to comfort a woman who was slightly taller than he was and sobbing into his shoulder. Kaelyn assumed they were a couple.

"Our son, he's inside, we thought he got out but we can't find him!" he pointed at the house in front of him and Kaelyn felt her insides drop. It was a burning inferno and already beginning to collapse. "Please. . ."

She nodded slightly and ran to the crumbling house with the short man following close behind her. They left the woman weeping on the floor.

But before she could reach the door, the house collapsed on itself, raining dust and hot debris everywhere. She felt a rush of hot air on her face and lifted her hand to protect herself and backed away from the house. The man sank to his knees as the woman began to scream, her voice a high wail of endless sorrow.

Kaelyn could only stare helplessly, unable to console them on their loss. She managed to choke "I'm so . . . so sorry!" but neither of them seemed to hear her. She wheeled around then and ran, making her way towards the centre of the village, hoping to gain a better idea of what was happening.
A mass of people stood in the centre of the village, shouting amongst one another. 

One was dragging somebody across the ground. When he was close to where she stood, he placed the body down gently. As Kaelyn walked closer, she saw it was an old man they had dragged from the wreckage. His face was blackened by soot and he was unconscious. But it became clear he was still alive when she saw his chest rising and falling slowly.

Something flickered at the corner of her eye, moving so quickly she almost missed it. In fact she wasn't sure she had seen anything to begin with. She had a feeling it had disappeared into the trees but as she looked, she was distracted by a scream for help from a house on the corner of the street she was stood on. Its bricks had blackened by the smoke and soot, but bits of red peeped through, revealing its true colour.

She felt her heart sink when she looked at the people who surrounded her. Most were too weak from the smoke and some were unconscious. The rest were weeping, pitiful to look upon. Only one appeared strong enough to help and he had already started sprinting towards the building, covering the ground quickly with long legs. 

She followed, slightly hesitant, remembering the previous building that had collapsed before she reached it. Perhaps this one would crumble whilst she was inside it. . . Instead of lingering on these thoughts, she swallowed her fear and ran faster, entering the house mere moments after the other man.

"You look downstairs, I'll check the rest," he commanded before leaping over a table and rushing up the stairs two at a time.

Kaelyn raced into the room closest to her and scanned it quickly. She could barely see anything; the smoke was too thick and the flames were causing sweat to drip down her forehead. She swiped the moisture away with the back of her hand and coughed when she felt the ash creep into her throat. She covered her mouth and nose with her shirt then, and ran into the next room when she saw the first was empty. However, the next room held no luck for her either, nor did the next. 

She was beginning to feel too hot, too stuffy. The heat and smoke was making her head swim and the skin at the base of her clenched knuckles had begun to peel slightly as the flames licked closer to her body. Every breath she took was stifling and she knew she had to get out soon.

"I found somebody! Come upstairs and help me drag him out!" She bolted from the room, feeling more afraid by the second- she could hear the house beginning to creak and groan and knew it wouldn't be able to support its weight for much longer.

"Where are you?" She shouted

"Second room on the left!"

She emerged to find him dragging a man across the floor, grasping him by his shoulders. She grabbed his legs and began to pull him backwards, taking care not to trip over a fallen vase. She was surprised it hadn't smashed. She remembered the time she had accidently smashed a vase within her own home by knocking it with her elbow. It hadn't fallen, but it had smashed anyway. Her mother had been absolutely horrified. If only the vase had been the same as this one . . . indestructible . . . she smiled sadly at the memory and continued pulling at his legs, careful not to fall down the stairs.

When she reached the door, she accidently dropped him when she felt a wave of exhaustion roll over her, but the man had a sure grip around his shoulders and merely lifted the unconscious man into his arms and walked out. He held his weight easily and walked back to the circle of waiting people with Kaelyn following behind. She felt a little sick; the smoke had gotten to her head a little.

 Her vision was becoming slightly blurred. She wobbled slightly on her feet and almost tripped. She could see something crawling from the tree, smoke perhaps? She hoped the fire wasn't spreading still.

She was really starting to feel dizzy now.

Why do these people have to scream so loud? One of the younger women was screaming; it sounded like a lung was like to burst. The thing from the tree was closer now, stretching. It over shadowed the woman. Kaelyn's head hit the floor. 

She tried to raise her arms but she just felt too weak. Instead, she watched as the woman twisted and screamed but something appeared to be stopping her. Odd. . . There was a tearing noise and a growl and then a man's face appeared in front of her own- the one who she had followed into the burning building.

"We have to move, now!"

"No. . ." she murmured. She barely had strength enough to lift her head, let alone to move. His head swam in front of hers, his sharp features blurring.

Something dark splashed against the man's face and he swore. It was red . . . the screaming had begun to sound from all directions as the man disappeared.

But she ignored all that as she felt her head hit the dirt once more, grateful for its coolness.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Was reminded of this song whilst writing this xD (Check the link!)