I was startled awake with the smell. I sat up from my dream in a nervous state, I checked my watch it had only been a minute from when I came in the room. I got out of bed and ran into the hall the smell of smoke was strong. For the second time, today people were in a panic. Everyone was running towards the exit behind me. "Another fire" I muttered under my breath "the first was made by the reaper what are the chances this is the same situation." Brianna's words of caution echoed through me again and I remember what she had said moments before "Do you think he'll come back?" I ran towards the center of the chaos assisting people along the way telling them where the nearest exits were and to put down their head to avoid inhaling smoke. I made my way to the center of the building and saw the origin of the commotion. A fire was engulfing the main office. This fire had the same look as the fire from the school as much as I didn't want to believe it, the reaper was here. They were barely any people near the office building except for a few younger kids left caught in the commotion. "Get to the exist quick and keep your head down"
I knew the records in the main office were incredibly important to all the children and adults here. All the files detailing these children's lives were maintained in the main office no doubt some were already gone, but I still went into the fire to save as many documents as I could. At this moment I was praying that I could make it through the fire unscathed. I was foolish for running into certain death. I was mortified by the situation but I was able to overcome my fear by the need to help the people like me with no home and there only past in those papers. The smoke was insufferable, it was hard to breathe I could feel my strength leaving me as I pushed the files as fast as I could. I was shoving the file cabinets to the nearest exit in droves and running back to the office to push more out. When I was moving the cabinets into the hall one fell open and exposed all its files. My file was among them, the kids at the home were not allowed to see their own file. I quickly took my file and put the others hastily in the cabinet moving it towards the exit.
I was exhausted and delirious due to the smoke inhalation. I was done saving as many files as I possibly could. I was making it towards the exit when I heard a dreadfully familiar voice. "I've been looking for you" It spoke, "I should have known you'd be trying to help". My heart sank, I have stuck here alone with the reaper. I turned around to face it. "What do you want!" I shouted "Why did you follow me? You burned my school and now you're burning down my home!" "I want to offer you something child, a position as a general of God's Army. You have been purged of your earthly vices, and you have the power I am looking for in a general" "You want me? The answer is obvious, no! Why would I help you? You burned everything I have and hurt people along the way! What power do I even have that you could need?" "Child, do you know who Michael is? Michael was an archangel. People forget that God made the archangels to be warriors. Michael wields a fiery sword; I am his sword ordained by God. Some people deserve to die and I am here to purge the world of those people. You have an amazing power ordained by God as well. That gem was given to you by God and it gives you an amazing ability. And God has given the visions that lead me here to you. Your raw power challenged me at your school that's why I could not reach you there. You have not activated your power yet that is why I am here in front of you. Join me the world needs us." The Reaper stood confidently preaching his gospel. He was wrong, however. "You took everything from me, do you know how little I have. You've hurt so many other people besides me, you're twisted no matter how bad some people are no one deserves to die. Leave me alone!" "You are a stubborn child if you defy me, I will not leave you be. I'll keep finding you and even if I don't there are others. You're not the only one I'm looking for here, that person with you in the halls was also in my visions." Jack, he's talking about Jack. I can't let him get to Jack. What if Jack receives the same treatment that I do? "You leave Him alone! He would never join you!" I shouted from the very bottom of my lungs.
This can't be real I know it can't. What's happening? I have to believe this isn't real and if it is, I have to believe I can get out of this. I have to believe I can get to Jack and protect him. My heart was pounding. Death was standing in front of me and I had taunted him. My mind was racing with possible solutions. I could run towards the exit, but the exit is behind him! Possibilities were rushing through my mind shouting and screaming. The loudest of all was shouting I had to believe: I had to hope everything was going to be ok. I was still like a deer in the headlights in front of the reaper. The Reaper had enough of my taunting and brought his hand up and back like a pitcher ready to throw a ball. It was the same thing as in the halls he was rearing up to through a fireball. My reactions kicked in once again like before in the halls I threw my hands in front of me to block the fireball moving towards me. I could see myself for a moment I looked so weak and frightened with my hands up trying to stop the fireball, eyes closed, frozen in place. But inside my head, my mind was still screaming loudly "Hope, Believe, Retaliate." I remember feeling a chill run down my spine as I was overcome with an odd cold front. I opened my eyes to see that the clothes that covered me once before when I first encountered the reaper in the hall had enveloped me once more.
In front of me laid a familiar sight one of vapor and a wall of ice with a hole melted right through it. I jumped at the opportunity, using the vapor like fog to mask my escape. "Where are you little lamb" He called to me lost in the vapor. I had to make a decision; Should I run and find Jack or try to stop the reaper while I have the upper hand. I chose the latter. As I ran around the reaper, I saw a bright light heading form the smoke in the shape of a man. With the adrenaline still running through my system, I decided to book it as fast as I could. I ran up behind the reaper with no clear plan but to try to pin him to the ground and get him unconscious. The flames that emanated of the reaper made him glow in the vapor while also making the vapor around him dissipate slowly. I wasn't fully aware of how I made the ice appear, but I was aware that I could make it and manipulate it the same way as the reaper was able too with the fire. I had jumped from the vapor with a clenched fist focusing on my hand. I had to cover it in ice so I didn't burn my fist when hitting the reaper. I focused with such intent on my fist I almost missed him too. The reaper wasn't expecting me to fight back the look on his face said it all. My hand landed squarely on the right side of his jaw. The ice that had formed on my hand shattered on impact and melted as it scattered away closer to the flame. I landed harshly on the ground and the reaper staggered back almost falling. "You truly have what I need in a general it's a shame you're an IDIOT!" The Reaper began to reel his hand back to throw another fireball but I ran at him before he could get it formed. My fist, once again covered in ice, struck him dead in the center of his chest knocking the wind out of him subsequently extinguishing the flames emanating from his body. The force of the impact sent him reeling and falling over. I walked over to him and loomed over his conscious but sprawled out body. "Stay away from my friend," I told him in the most serious voice I can "We'll be seeing each other again." He once again ignited and trailed away to the entrance of the building. I followed but his flames carried him quickly he was gone leaving only his signature mark fire spelling out Repent. I had gone toe to toe with a demon and made him run away in fear. There was one more thing I had to do now. Find Jack.
