Burning House

Chapter 26

Screaming, it wouldn't stop. I rolled and tried to burrow further into my blanket blocking the noise and trembling around me. A shrill cry broke me out of my dream, only the noise grew louder and my bed shook against the wall. I wasn't dreaming.

Another tremor ran under my feet as I dived into my shoes and quickly threw on the nearest clothes I had. It sounded like a stampede was hurtling down the hallway. People were yelling their eyes looking wild. I stuck my head out of my room, Bryce went flying by but turned quick when he noticed me.

"Come on!" he yelled, grabbing my arm and we took off running.

"Where are we going?" I yelled trying to keep up with his pace.

"South Corridor!" He answered and we took off faster losing each other around the mob. The ground was littered with dirt and debris, lights were flickering and some hallways were completely dark. I coughed as my lungs took in a faint smell of smoke, we were almost there and I hoped everyone else had made it safely. I hadn't seen any sign of the others. Neither Noelle nor Ace had stayed with me last night. Once I was in bed I had been out.

A flash of golden spikes caught my attention in front of me. Tristan! Realizing he was okay I felt some relief and scanned around for who else was in the area. Ace caught my notice next, his big frame pushing huge stacks of metal against an opening. An opening that hadn't been there yesterday. He turned and saw as I approached, "What happened?" I asked. He shook his head shoving material at me. I climbed up as high as I could running into Killian, whose eyes grew wide as he saw me, "What are you doing?"

"Helping," I told him tersely handing him the material.

"You shouldn't be here," he said looking suggestively at my abdomen.

"Not your problem," I said, my lips thinning, anger barely restrained. "I'm not leaving." Killian slammed his mouth shut and went back to shoving any and all material I handed him.

It felt like hours before the gaping hole in our home was closed. New debris would fall and others would rush to hold it up. I wasn't sure what time it was when Ace deemed our work stable enough. My back hurt, my legs were cramped, and small blisters had formed on some of my fingers.

Dirty and slightly bloodied we headed toward the infirmary. Tristan told me the first attack had hit the West wing. Many people were hurt seriously from the smaller explosion. The largest explosion took place in the cafeteria. The room was supposed to have been barricaded off once the injured and the bodies of those who lost their lives had been moved. People needed blood and help. No soldiers stormed our haven yet rumors were flying that a few members of the council had been taken, presumably by the people that were sent here on Rachel's order. In all the chaos no one had noticed anyone out of the ordinary.

Noelle was slumped against the wall when we reached the infirmary. Her long hair forming a red curtain around her face.

"Elle?" I said gently placing my hand on her shoulder. She met my gaze, her usually bright green eyes were dead, her face splotched as evidence of her crying. She gripped my hands in hers, I noticed hers were streaked with blood and so was her shirt. "Ell!" I said again more fiercely. Her trance seemed to break and she sagged into my arms her body shuddering. I slid to the ground supporting her weight.

"Kru," she whispered quietly, another stream of sobs flowing out her mouth. I froze.

"No," Ace said. I hadn't noticed he had been standing so near. My brother, Bryce, and Killian stood around us also their heads bowed.

Ace ran in the infirmary and I stayed cradling my shattering friend. After a while the others also went in the infirmary except for Tristan who sat next to me letting me lean my shoulder into his. We sat in silence taking in the carnage, darkness, and noise around us.