Losing Eight Lives

7 | Flames

The first thing I remember about waking up, was the heat.

Burning heat pounded my face and skin, which were already soaked in sweat. I brought the back of my arm to my forehead, ignoring the wetness, but not for long, realizing it burned to touch.

I let my arm fall back to the floor and opened my eyes slowly. But I didn't keep them open for a second before I had to squeeze them shut again. It was so bright I could see the light from behind my eyelids.

But in the split second they were open, I saw enough for my heart to pound and my mind to spin.

All around me--the walls, lockers, doors--were all engulfed in flames.

And I was right in the middle of it.

Immediately after I closed my eyes again, I started choking on the toxic, dry air that I was inhaling. I hacked on coughs until my throat was soar and I was almost sitting up.

After the coughing fit, I managed to open my eyes slightly by shielding the light with my hand.

Fire and smoke covered the entire hallway and intersection from the floor to the ceiling. The walls looked blurry from the heat waves, but I could just make them out. I looked behind me to find the same situation of flames.

I have to get out of here.

I forced my eyes to adjust to the light so I could use my hands to cover my mouth and nose. I placed one hand over my face while the other helped me get to my feet.

It hurt to walk on my left leg, but I didn't really notice. Once standing, I looked around to find a way downstairs. However, both of the two staircases in my school were blocked by a roaring fire.

Searching through my mind, I realized that I would have to jump out a window. I winced at the thought. It's going to be a long fall from the second story.

I was about to turn around to find a classroom, when I remembered something.

Jace.

Frantically, I hopped around flames and broken ceiling parts in search of Jace. He had to be here somewhere.

After an short, effortless search, I found him laying in the same spot he was knocked unconscious in, a few feet away from where I stood.

My body flooded with relief and I carefully made my way over to him.

"Jace!" I yelled over the sound of the burning building. I came right up next to him and tapped his shoulders. "Jace!"

He didn't wake up.

I shook my head, not believing I thought that's all it would take to wake him.

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. "Jace! Come on, Jace! Wake up!" I hollered over the fire.

Nothing.

Starting to freak out, thinking I would have had to leave without him. But that didn't seem like an option right then. I couldn't leave him there to burn.

I shook him harder, feeling on the edge of sanity. "Jace! Wake. Up." I screamed, which sent me into another coughing fit.

And finally, he woke up to become a mess of attempts to breath and open his eyes. He took in a huge breath, just to coughed it out. He tried to open his eyes but then shut them again.

I inhaled a quick breath of relief and wrapped my arms around him. He was still alive.

After a coughing fit, Jace learned to cover his mouth and nose. His eyes adjusted to the flames and he looked at me with terrified eyes. "Phoebe? What happened?! Where are we?!" he said through his hand. I just barely made out the words.