out of time ! 「 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 」

𝟎𝟏. | chance meeting

WHEN LOLA CAME TO, she was met with a sight that startled her to her very core. She was laying amongst the rubble of what appeared to be a house. Shakily, she got to her feet and swallowed the lump in her throat.

She looked around for a moment, trying to discern where she was or what had happened when a terrifying realization came to her. Even practically decimated, Lola was able to discern the floor plan of her home.

But, that simply couldn't be. Could it?

"Althea!" Lola called out, whirling around as she tried to remain calm. It was then she let herself notice her house was not the only place turned to rubble. Everything had. She began to breathe quicker, trying to calm down. "Mom!"

There was not a single response. From anybody. Lola was completely alone. Panicked, she rushed out of the house through the broken doorway and onto the street. She began rushing down the road, her eyes darting from each broken building to more.

Everything was destroyed. Lola whirled around as she ran about, panic threatening to take over when she collided into someone. She fell back, sprawling out onto the concrete. "Who the hell are you?!"

Lola quickly sat up, spotting the boy that was on the ground before her. Her eyes widened as she was trying to force words out. "M-me?"

The boy looked taken back for a moment before narrowing his eyes at her. "Who else would I be talking to?"

"I don't know!" Lola exclaimed as she scrambled to her feet, dusting herself off. "I don't even know what happened! One second I was at home with my sister and now I'm here!" She placed a hand to her chest, trying to quell her breathing as the boy in front of her surmised her.

"It's the apocalypse," he confessed bluntly. Lola stared back at him, her face emotionless for a moment as if she was trying to gauge the truth of his words. "Do you even know what year it is?"

Lola shook her head. "Year?"

"It's 2019. I'm sorry, how did you get here again?" Something about his tone was somewhat aggressive and Lola would've yelled at him for it if there weren't more pressing issues at hand.

"My sister," she sighed, ignoring the sudden pang she felt in her chest. "She...was practicing her-" She cut herself off mid-sentence, prompting the boy to look at expectantly. "She was trying to control her powers. We argued and it got out of hand. She pushed me and suddenly, I was here."

"Wait, powers? Are you saying your sister pushed you...into the future?"

Lola opened her mouth to respond before she realized she was sixteen years into the future. "No. No, no, no! This is awful! My sister! We can't be apart for too long!" Lola began to breathe quicker, starting to pace back and forth. "I'm still in the same place but I'm absolutely positive sixteen years in the future qualifies as far apart!"

She began to ramble off, evidently. "Hey. Hey!" The boy called out to no avail. He sighed and walked forward, grabbing hold of her shoulders and forcing her to face him. "Calm. Down."

Lola stared back at him, trying to quell her breathing. After a moment, she was calm once more.

"Good," he commended as he pulled his hands away. "What's your name?"

"Lola," she responded. "Lola Mayweather." She took a deep breath, collecting herself as she looked back toward him. "What about you?"

He was quiet for a moment. "Five." That was most certainly not a name, which Lola knew. She blinked in response, before noticing the strange school uniform he was wearing. A lightbulb seemed to go off.

"You're one of those Umbrella Academy kids!" Lola declared, it all seeming to click. "You're not supposed to be here either."

Five scoffed in response. "No, and I can't get back either." Lola furrowed her eyebrows. She went to respond, when Five cut her off. "I don't know why. My powers aren't working. I shouldn't have time jumped in the first place."

"Ouch."

"Is that really all you have to say?"

"...yes."

Five threw his arms up into the air, exasperatedly, before he began walking back down the street.

"Five!" she called after him. She rushed down the street, pulling him to a stop. "Where are you going? Literally everything's gone."

"I can't just stand around," he told her. He pulled out of her grasp, continuing to walk down the street as she trailed after. "Are you following me?"

"Is there someone else I'm supposed to follow?"

"Touché."