The Fire Inside

6. Village in Shambles

The group made their way through the forest. It should take them at least a week to get to the village, but the explosion sounded like it was only a few steps away.

"How are we gonna get there?" Jimin asked Varun.

"I don't know. I'm debating on either sprinting there so we reach the village in about 3 days, 6 hours, and 15 minutes, but I think Heiwa knows something. She always knows something," Varun said.

"Aren't you the brains though?" Julien asked.

"Yeah, I'm the smartest, but she's the oldest, so she's automatically the leader in this case."

"Shut up, Varun. I don't get you sometimes. Heiwa's the leader because she take all your stupid information and makes it into easy to understand phrases. I don't need to hear all your calculations you know. Keep that in your head!" Maria huffed.

"Oh Maria," Heiwa shook her head as the two started having a serious heated discussion."

"I only tell you guys the information because it's helpful!"

"How is it helpful if Heiwa doesn't even use it!"

"Are you dragging her into this because you're too chicken to fight for yourself?"

"Who said anything like that? I'm gonna rip you up!"

"Come at me!"

Varun pulled out his nunchucks as Maria grabbed an arrow.

"Stop!" Jimin screamed.

All of them looked at her in shock.

"It hurts. I don't know why, but it hurts. We need to go that way."

Jimin pointed towards a pathway that was completely off course.

"Jimin. Where is this coming from?"

"Julien, I-"

Once again, Jimin clutched her head and screamed.

"It hurts! It hurts every time we go! We go a certain direction!"

Julien hugged Jimin tight and rubbed her back in order to soothe her in any way possible. She was sobbing in his arms and trembling faster than anything he's seen before. Jimin tried to pull away, but Julien wouldn't let her. She flinched when she heard he voice again.

"Jimin! Relax! First you must relax! If you're stressed out, you can't focus on your core! Think positive!"

Jimin let out a heart-wrenching sob. Julien looked at the other three bystanders in worry. They didn't know what was going on, but neither did he.

"Jimin! As I said, relax! It's like what happened at Julien's place!"

"So now you stalk me?" Jimin screamed.

"Stalk her? Who's she talking to?" Heiwa queried.

"Probably gone crazy with the pain," Maria stated blatantly.

"And this is why you're so stupid. She's not gonna start hearing voices because of the pain," Varun informed them.

Julien looked amongst the three completely judging them. Here was a small girl in pain, hoping for some sense of safety, and they're arguing about whether you can hear voices when you're in pain.

"Guys! We need to do something. She's about to pass out," Heiwa said walking over to Julien.

She pulled out her mini satchel and took out a vial. She put it towards Jimin's lips and tilted it so the liquid went down her throat. In a few minutes, the group was left in silence, side from a few murmurs coming from Jimin, who was terribly exhausted. Julien lifted her onto his back as they went the direction Jimin had pointed. Somehow, in about two hours they reached the village. It was none other than Sunset Village. Julien almost dropped the sleeping Jimin when he saw his home in shambles. The roofs were caved in, doors slashed, people dead! Maria and Varun saw Julien's expression and looked at him with sympathy, since they had their own fair shares of losing everything. Julien gave Jimin to Maria and walked over to the ruins with Heiwa. Jimin, on the other hand, finally was waking up.