The End

Chapter Two

I pushed the covers off me still half asleep, why was it so hot? I opened one eye looking around the dark room confused.
A light flashed outside my window making me jump. I walked over to the window cautiously, something wasn't right.
Spotlights poured down from helicopters that circled the area. Smoke arose from several houses striking fear in my heart. I tried to take a few deep breaths but it just filled my senses with the smell of smoke.
I frowned, something wasn't right about it, almost as if the air around me was thick. My eyes widened and I ran over to the door feeling the handle, it was cold but now I could clearly see smoke seeping through the crack at the bottom of the door.
"Ash!" I ran over to the bed shaking him awake, "Ash the house is on fire!"
He jumped out of bed grabbing my hand he ran to the door.
"Ash just wait!" I yelled trying to get him to calm down. He started to speak when a scream interrupted him.
With that he opening the door revealing a large fire that crawled up the walls to the ceiling.
The ceiling and walls were beginning to fall apart but I didn't care I ran down the hallway to my parents room looking in at the empty room.
I ran back down the hall to where we almost ran smack into the twins.
"Lydia!" Dylan stared at me, horror in his eyes. I grabbed his hand and we all ran downstairs to my little brothers rooms.
My parents ran out of my littlest brothers room with him in their arms coughing.
The fire was worse down here and it was much harder to breathe. I tried to call out to them but the smoke filled my lungs making me cough. They ran into Marlo's room grabbing him too. I started towards them but I beam fell in front of me blocking them into the room.
My dad looked up meeting my eyes, sadness clearly written on his face he mouthed the words 'I love you' filling my heart with sadness. The house started to creak but I didn't care.
"Lydia we have to get out of here!" Catherine yelled.  I started forward again but an arm stopped me, I looked up to see Ash hold me. "We have to help them!" I pleaded. Ash nodded and we both started forward this time. The house began to creak again and another beam fell causing a small explosion knocking us back.
My vision was blurred and my ears were ringing. I tried to stand up but I couldn't. I shook my head trying to focus on something. I felt arms grab me and I tried to walk but I couldn't.
I was starting to black out when the fresh air hit me and woke me up, my head snapped up and I shoved whoever was holding me away. I looked around starting to panic, tears filled my eyes and I looked around at the people who surrounded me.
Ash, who had been carrying me, Catherine,  Dyaln, and Tyler.
"Mom? Dad?" My voice cracked and a few tears slipped down my cheeks. I collapsed and Ash caught me as I cried. My family was gone.

********

I woke up on the cold ground. When I sat up pain shot through my head. A mountain of ash and debris covered the ground where my house and family used to be. Planes and helicopters filled the sky and army trucks drove up and down the street.
I looked around at my sleeping friends tears filling my eyes again. I stood up turning back to my house and walking over slowly. As I walked the breeze picked up slightly and the ashes began to float away quietly like a dark cloud in the wind.
"Lydia." Catherine's voice made me jump and I turned quickly whipping away the tears that stained my cheeks.
I looked down at my hands, they were covered in soot, ash, and dirt.
"What the hell is happening?" I asked quietly, looking around at the gray world.
She shook her head sadly before stepping forward and pulling me in for a hug.
Someone started coughing catching our attention. Dylan sat up looking around, "It wasn't a dream." He said as more of a statement then a question.
"Ty, bro, wake up man." Dylan said shaking his brother awake who sat straight up clashing heads with Dylan, they both groaned rubbing their heads. By now Ash was awake and on his feet staring behind me and the remainders of my house.
He looked at me as if he wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. I nodded showing him it was okay and he walked over pulling me into his arms.
"We will get through this." He reassured me.
"Oh my god, Maggie!" Tyler yelled making us all turn to see what he was looking at.
Maggie was limping over to us, supporting Emma, who was unconscious, on her shoulder. We all ran over to help set her down.
"What happened!" Catherine said leaning over Emma to take a closer look at the gash that covered her side.
"It's terrorists. My dad said they flew in early this morning and began dropping bombs and setting houses on fire. Guys a lot of people have died and more will if their not stopped." Maggie said.
"How do we stop them?" Ash asked.
"Wait whoa whoa whoa, you think we should go after them?! They have an army!" Dylan said, "If anyone could stop them..." He stopped for a second looking at his brother as his eyes widened.
They both turned and looked at the rest of us, "Our dad." They both said at once.
I knew they were right, my uncle had been in the military for the first six years of their life, on and off.
"We have to get to him then." I said.
"But how are we going to get to the city?! Who knows how long it will take on foot." Catherine said looking uneasy.
I looked around us, she was right, we had no cars around us since the cars had also burned and exploded in the fire last night.
"We could steal a car." Tyler said seriously.
Dylan punched him in the arm.
"Ow! What! It was just an idea!" Tyler said.
"You're an idiot." Dylan informed him, rolling his eyes at his twin.
"I have an idea," Catherine said "If we are gonna do this we can walk to my house, it isn't that far away, we can take my moms car since I'm sure she is passed out if she isn't... Um, you know, gone." She finished quietly, shoving her hands in her back pocket and looking down at the ground.
I put a hand on her shoulder trying to reassure her, "I'm sure she is okay." I said.
Catherine nodded sadly but didn't said anything.
"So what time is it anyways?" I asked since I had left my phone in the house last night. As I looked around I realized so had everyone else.
Maggie reached into Emma's pocket pulling out her flip phone. "4:25PM." She said looking back at us.
Ash nodded taking a breath "Should we go then?" He asked looking around.
We all reluctantly nodded. It felt  weird leaving empty handed and on foot but after last night, we had nothing left.