2389

Towards the Flames

Towards the Flames - Toria's Account

I'm awoken simultaneously by three things: the first is high pitched noise ringing out through the night, the second is the uneasy notion that the noise was a shill scream for help and the third the knowledge that it has become unbearably hot in my room. It takes me less than a minute to sense that something has gone horribly wrong on Barros. It's just a thought, but a thought coupled with possible screaming and unusual humidity?

I throw myself out the door and the exposure to the full unadulterated heat of a thousand fires nearly knocks me sideways. For a moment all I can do is clutch at the doorway before I start running towards the flames.

More screams tear into the night, horrid, bloodcurdling screams. The screams of people who are so vastly unprepared for such devastation that terror is spreading like a plague between them. The first few streets I rush through are filled with people waking to the horror that has befallen our island. People are attempting to get to safety but without any evacuation preparations Barros was always destined to fall into ruin in an event like this.

It takes a while before I see the planes and it clicks what is happening here. Bombers! Old military machines half-remembered from community history lesson's years ago. What are the doing here? The only other place on Earth is Teasdale so where have these... Oh. Teasdale's attacking.

War has never been a subject well covered on Barros so it's unknown to me why Teasdale would attack; we've always existed in harmony right? I don't know. We've never been allowed to know much about Teasdale so there's no information for me to draw on. What if the Monarchy knew this could have happened? No wonder the public knows next to nothing about Teasdale: the Monarchy never wanted us to know they were a threat. They've probably know about this possibility for years! I've never been hasty trust the Monarchy but this attack hardly has me running to their doors yelling for sanctuary. I swear, if I find out they knew this about this or they're somehow involved...

Staring up at the metal bodies of the planes glowing in the light of the blaze beneath them something snaps in me. There's no time to speculate the cause of the attack without losing precious seconds. I run mindlessly towards the thicker areas of flames, my only thought to help those who might be trapped.

As I delve further and further into the chaos I find myself at Noah's door, my eyes wide at the fire engulfing it almost entirely. Adrenaline became the only motivator I needed as I threw myself through the fiery doorway. Smoke swirled so thickly it was impossible to see anything clearly. Instinctively, I dropped to the floor where the air was a little purer, natural survival reactions kicking in.

"Noah!" I shout, realising I probably should have assessed whether anyone was still inside before coming in. He yells back and I get up, making my way towards his voice. He's crouched beside a large table that's been thrown on it's side.

"They're bombers. Big planes, outside," is all I can say when I reach him, the smoke and heat making communication difficult.

"I know, I know. Somewhere nearby got hit. Our whole house," Noah pants and tries to fan the smoke from our faces, speaking quickly, "Just went up in flames," I begin to reply but he it's me off, "No time. Take Lissa and get out. The rest of my family's in the back, I have to go help," he gestures to Lissa who's huddled behind the table, eyes wide with terror.

Noah gives Lissa a tiny smile and leaps up towards the doorway to the back rooms. Hurrying to get her to safety, I reach for Lissa and she takes my hand, looking up at my eyes in confusion as I pull her from her hiding place and up into my arms.

"Noah," I here her whisper and I whip round just in time to see one of the ceiling beams collapse across the door frame. The fire licks hungrily at the thick wood, it's curving shapes menacingly threatening Noah to get closer.

I hear him yell out to his family in panic. Speed is of the essence and before I can shout out to him not to he's using his bare hands to force the beam from the door, scalding his palms to the point of disfiguration in his desperation to get through. The beam falls away and he jumps over it, disappearing into an even thicker belt of smoke. I desperately want to help, or just to wait to see if he's alright but if i dint go now I'll put Lissa in danger. I hoist her up a little higher on my hip and barrel back outside into the night air.

Seconds after we clear the flames there's this almighty cracking noise. I whip round to see the entire structure collapse. The force of the blazing inferno collapsing knocks Lissa and I from our feet and we're thrown back across the street.

I try to drag myself up from the dirt but my ears are pounding and thick black swirls swim across my vision, taunting me.Through the resounding dullness in my ears I can hear a distant scream. It's Lissa's scream. As the swirls subside I can see her face contorting as she screeches at the fire.

The rest of night passes in a heat deranged blur. As I drag Lissa away I can feel my legs tire and my vision falters. I hoist her over my shoulder and somehow manage to run in the general direction of the beach before I collapse and pass out, Lissa's sobbing form falling beside me.