The Soul Devourer

III:

I drifted in and out of the depths of consciousness. I felt voices arguing overhead, and gentle hands pushing hair away from my face. I tried to open my eyes, but it seemed a big feat to do so. Another set of hands caressed my own, and this time I smelled a female perfume.

The vaguely familiar, masculine voice from before was speaking,"She needs to know. If-"

He was cut off by a woman's voice."It'll only put her in more danger. We just can't tell her when we feel like it. You know that."

The boy sighed and I finally cracked my eyes open, seeing the same guy who had rescued me from falling, from burning.
"Who are you? Where am I? What-"I croaked out but was interrupted as the woman swept forward, bringing a pitcher to my lips.

"You're alright. Here, this will help." She tilted the pitcher forward, and I would normally have resisted a drink from a stranger more, had I not been too weak to protest. The liquid was bittersweet and trailed across my chin as I drank.

Suddenly, my eyes started to shut again. I struggled to stay awake, to keep my gaze focused on the boy who was watching me curiously. He came forward, leaning down to see me at eye level. "Don't tell anyone about this. And I hate to actually meet this way, but we'll meet again. I would ask you to take care but when death is knocking at your door, there's not much you can do."

Was it a threat? A warning? Before a single question could escape my lips, everything went dark.

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When I woke up again, I was lying inside a car, my knees pulled up. I groaned as I stretched, and almost screamed as two figures on the front seats turned around, eyes wide.

"Alyssa! Oh my God! You're awake, you beast.", Sarah exclaimed, grasping my hand.

"Nice to see you alive too, Sarah.", I muttered, closing my eyes again.

Annie's expression was solemn, and she was gazing at me with an expression I couldn't quite pinpoint. "That was amazing, Alyssa. What you did. How brave you were while I just stood in shock, I couldn't even believe it was happening. And by the time I got to the shop, everyone else was already evacuating. Sarah and I were going to come back for you but a guard stopped us. I'm so sorry, I-"

I cut off her rambling as I smiled at her. "It's fine. I don't know what actually got into me. I'm just glad you guys made it out. Where is Sabrina? And everyone else? Did anyone in the mall got hurt?"

Sarah was still gazing at me with a worried look on her face. "Sabrina's family immediately came to collect her, even though she wanted to be here when you woke up. We both stayed but my father and Ann's mother are talking to the police right now. Apparently, it was a very strategic hit. Something caused the explosion but they can't figure out if it was a bomb or a fuse or a leak. Or something else. Anyways, 57 people got injured, and 7 are in critical conditions but no deaths reported. The fire only spread two floors before it was put out."

I nodded, relieved. At least everyone was okay, and I hoped those seven would be too. But I couldn't help but think what Sarah had said. Or something else. What had caused the fire? Did that man help put it out? There was no way he could have possibly broken down the glass wall....

Sarah broke me out of my thoughts. "Alyssa? Are you alright? We were going to take you to a hospital but one of the doctors on scene here said you were fine, just exhausted, dehydrated and hot. I got really worried when I came out and didn't see you. Annie told me you went to save some people and I overhead this crying woman saying a teenager being stuck inside the fire while she had rescued her child and I got so worried. But after like half an hour, a guard reported that he had found you lying on the pavement. What happened?"