Our pondering over what could have happened ended quickly. We heard Beth shout, but she was not in our sight. "Guys!" We could hear her yelling, and me and Taylor took off in search for her.
Just around the corner of what was left of our school, Beth enters our sight. She's crouched over Harley who is sitting against the wall. Her face is covered in dust and ashes, and her hair a mess. "Harley!" Me and Taylor shout in sync.
We rush to her, hearts full of worry. "Are you okay?" Taylor asks, her hand moving to her shoulder. Harley nods, opens her mouth and all that comes out is a dry gagging.
"We gotta get her some water." Beth says, and I look around for some source of water without moving from my spot.
"Wait," Taylor says. "Ashton do you have water at your house? You only live a little bit away."
For the first time today, since I woke up to this chaos, I wondered about my family and my home. Living so close to the school, my house had to have been affected. If my parents were okay, wouldn't they have come for me by now? Why hasn't anyone come for us?
I pull myself once again from these unanswered questions and speak up. "Uh, yeah." I mumble. "Let's go."
--------------------------
Walking through the burning field in front of the school seemed like a scene from a movie. Looking back, seeing what used to be and what is now no more. Surrounded by patches of fire, covered in ash and blood.
Walking on the road wasn't as bad. There were holes, and chunks of gravel, but its was a much more steady area to walk. Taylor and Beth were on each side of Harley, arms around her and helping her make her way. The houses on my road were crushed, roofs collapsed into each other and windows shattered. We passed one house, A nice elderly couple who lived there, and it was nothing but flames.
Fear began to fill my entire body, I could feel my hands begin to tremble and my heart was pounding so hard that I could feel it in my toes. My house was just around the corner. Sound began to fade out, all that was left was the beat of my heart, slamming into me like the beat of a drum.
We got to the end of the road, and I stopped. I couldn't move my feet, my body was rigid with fear and worry. One more step, one more turn, and I'd see my house. Dread set in, knowing deep down what i would see the second I took this step. I can hear the faint voice of Taylor. Is she asking if I'm okay? Or what's wrong with me?
Sound flooded back into me, the crackling on the flaming houses flowing through me like a rush of wind. "Ash...? What's wrong?" I don't know who asked, I didn't care to know. I said nothing, I took a deep breath, and I stepped forward. I turned, and there in my eyesight was my house.
Well, what was left of it. I fell to my knees, gaping in horror at the pile of debris that was my house. The trees were fallen, the house was crushed. My bright red door, lay in the middle of the yard, chunks missing from it. My roof lays in pieces where the floor should be. Everything is broken, shattered, lost, and I'm beginning to feel just as my house looks. Torn apart.
I sit there, crumbled to my knees, my head in my hands because I can't look at this nightmare anymore. What could have done this? Who could have done this? All these unanswered questions, I will get my answers.
