The Afterlife

Chapter 5

     This can't be.

This wasn't real life.

A nightmare. And soon I would wake up.

      My head was throbbing as if a million rocks were hitting it at once.

I thought it might explode.

Maybe it was better if it did.

I couldn't breath; I was crying so hard.

They CAN'T be dead. No, I wouldn't believe it.

But Eric would never lie about something like this. Ever.

He was now on the ground with me, trying so hard to try and get me to breath, comforting me.

He too, was sobbing.  Nothing would ever comfort me now.

He probably knew that too.

After a while, I somewhat found my voice.

“W-w-Wh- Where's.. C-C-C...” I stammered.

Eric understood what I was trying to say.

“Christina managed get under a desk, but she really injured her leg. I think she's with Mike. They managed to escape.”

My heart lightened the slightest bit, but barely.

“ W- find....?” I asked him.

“ I think I have an idea of where they are.”

I felt his shaking arm on my elbow and we stood up.

Now, I could see better. But I wish I couldn't.

It was early morning, but the smoke and ashes made it seem like mid night.

People were running and limping everywhere, most screaming things inaudible. Children were crying and strangers were trying to comfort them.

Almost everything was on fire, if not, in wrecks. I couldn't make out the houses of the block that I lived on for my whole life.

My heart dropped even further and further when we saw a body on the ground or a foot sticking out from under a pile of wood.

I didn't even want to think of how my parents were like that.

I was still in denial.

Eric still had his arm around me, but I just noticed he was limping as well.

Maybe something had fell on him.

We walked for about an hour, in a living hell. 

My heart was thudding really hard and it hurt. Everything hurt.

“They should be around here somewhere.” Eric said, gesturing around.

I nodded and understood.  I forced myself to look around again.

My ears were still ringing, but I couldn't decide if the sound was mixed in with all the screaming and crying.

I caught a glimpse of red somewhere off in the distance, beside a completely wrecked car. It was a different kind of red, more like orange. 

 Surprisingly, the car wasn't burning.

Two kids were huddled closely together, but I couldn't see their faces.

I felt hopeful at the moment and I stopped in my tracks, squinting.

“Over there.” I told Eric, pointing to the car. “I think that might be them.”