Kids Never Die

Chapter 1: Baptism of Fire

It all started three hours ago. We were all in school, getting ready for lunch. It was just a normal day, visiting with the normal people. We noticed though, that the sky dimmed a shade darker than usual. As the morning progressed, the sky even began to glow. Within minutes, the sky flashed from blue, to red. The sky danced like a fire and only sunlight could be seen in strobes. Soon small pebbles collided with the ground. There was a thick smog and the sky was no longer visible.

We sat in the class as fiery stones smashed the earth. Soon they began pelting the school side and window. Their size rapidly increased, soon cracking at the window instead of tapping it. Soon the glass would shatter, not from stones but from heat. The temperature increased at a constant rate and soon was nearing 100 degrees. The teachers called for us to come away from the windows and hide under the desks.

We looked across the horizon to see trees in flames. Cars burning. Buildings ignited. Soon a large stone completely wiped out a tall church steeple in the distance. The white was met with a grizzly, burning, orange rock and the Cross atop of the church toppled to the ground. Kids were screaming now.

I scooted out from under my desk and leaned against a wall. A large stone hurtled past the window, shattering all the glass and throwing wayward supports across the room into the wall beside me. The roof began to collapse. I pushed myself closer to the wall as the stony ceiling fell, crushing the desks in front of me. I felt along the wall for the door and backed myself out of it. The room was almost entirely collapsed and engulfed in flame.

I turned and sprinted down the hall. The tile flooring began to split behind me and floor boards were sent flying past me. I clashed my feet harder into the floor, hoping i could make for the schools front entrance. Suddenly my feet were taken out from under me and there was no floor. I grabbed onto the stone and tile in front of me, holding for dear life as it chipped and crumbled to dust in my hands. I latched on as hard as I could but my grip was not great enough and my sweaty pals released the ledge of gravel and tile. As the tip of my middle finger slipped through the cement, a flesh tone gripped my hand. I opened my sealed eyes and glanced up. Gavin's massive hand was wrapped around mine and the veins in his wrist bulged. He yanked on my hand and pulled me to the tile.

"Thanks Mate!" I exclaimed and we began to sprint down the collapsing hallways.

You could taste sulfur in the air and dust and particles filled the room. Vision was practically slurred but Gavin and I felt our way through the halls. As we made for the front doors, we noticed that the ceiling had collapsed around them. It appeared to be thin sheets of plaster with bricks piled around. "Gavin!" I called as I ran for the wreckage. "Move as many bricks as you can. Hurry!"

Just then, Ian stammered from a hallway which was engulfed in flame. "Christian," he called to me. "Its Morgan." he pointed down the hallway. I ran down the hall to see Morgan lay unconscious atop of flaming rubble. Ian and I dragged him up and out of the flame. I grabbed a fire extinguisher that rolled across the tile floor. I hosed down Morgan who quickly woke up.

"Jesus Christ that's cold!" He pranced about.

"Go help Gavin clear the bricks." I shouted over the fire and clashing sound of collapsing roofs.

I pondered on how to clear the plaster sheets, and my vision was drawn to a caution symbol on the fire extinguisher. "Caution, Compressed Air" it read. I had an idea.

"Momo" I yelped. " Do you still have your skateboard?"

He nodded, "In my locker."

"Can you grab it for me?" I asked. As I did, the brick walls began to crumble around me and pipes bashed out from them. Fire spurt from the pipes as if the devil himself breathed through them. "And hurry!"

Morgan ran down the flaming hallway to his locker and he flickered his fingers around the lock to no avail. Finally he shouted "Damn it" and pounded his fists on the locker door as hard as he could. The door shot open as if spring loaded and the skateboard rolled across the floor. He shook his head and sprinted back to the main hall, skateboard in hand.

I took the fire extinguisher and set it atop of the skateboard, then removing my belt, I fastened the two tightly together. I grabbed a brick and pounded the nozzle end of the fire extinguisher, but only caused it to bounce and jump around.

"Move." Morgan said slyly. He had a can of hairspray in his left hand and held in front of it in his right was a block of wood in flame. He aimed the two at the nozzle of the extinguisher and he pressed down the cap of the hairspray. He exclaimed a few words as if he were mad. "Is it feeling hot in here or is it just me?" The flames engulfed the rubber end of the extinguisher. Morgan grabbed a long strip of wood and rose it above his head, then slammed it to the fire extinguisher. The nozzle broke off and the carbon dioxide inside caught fire. the compressed air sent the extinguisher on the skateboard flying forward like a rocket. It was truly a beautiful display.

As the skateboard rushed down the hall, Gavin and Ian had just finished clearing bricks. The extinguisher hit the slabs of concrete and plaster and the fire filled the can, causing the entire wall to explode in a flaming ball of awe, shrapnel, and terror. As it did, we all ran for the doors. As we stammered down the steps of the school, the entire building collapsed behind us, causing a dust cloud to disperse across the horizon. Then all was silent.