Us Against The World

Chapter 23

Jexton's POV

I wake up to the smell of smoke and the intense blow of sudden heat. My eyes snap open and I look around as I jump up from my lying position. I quickly stand when I notice that flames are present. I quickly stand and run to the door and open it only to be greeted by a rush of more heat and smoke to my face. I ignore it all, though, and run to Farrah's room. Her door is locked and I panic as I try to get her attention and open it at the same time.

"Farrah!" I yell and bang on the door while fidgeting with the knob. "Farrah! Wake up!" I yell, but there are no answers from the other side of the door. "Farrah, please! They're burning us out we have to go!" I scream and she still doesn't answer. 

I take a few steps back and run at the door, covering my mouth and protecting my face from the smoke as much as I can before running and slamming my body into the door; falling backwards on impact. I wince in pain, as my elbow suffered a hard blow to the wooden floor, but I stand up and do it again anyway.

The second time, I finally manage to break the lock and force the door open. I look around the room for Farrah, but she is nowhere in sight. I begin to worry as I look in, on and under everything she could be hiding in. "Farrah!" I call for her again but continue to get no response.

Just as I turn to leave the room, I notice the open window in her room and run to it. I look down and around and notice the roof just to the left—not a far jumping distance, and think about how she could have escaped. I cough and squint into the sunlight. 

I turn around and think about searching the rest of the house, but know that it is up in flames and if Farrah was anywhere else she'd be a goner. I'd only put my life at risk searching for someone who is already dead or long gone.

As I look around the room, I notice a large book and grab it. It seems to have some sort of importance, or else Farrah wouldn't have it. I throw the book onto the roof, then make the jump myself. I barely make it and climb the rest of the way on and sit against the side of the house for a few moments trying to catch my breath. I breathe in the fresh air instantly and cough as much of the smoke out of my lungs as I can. 

"Jexton!" a faint voice calls from below and before I know it I'm on the edge of the roof. I look down and around the yard, but see no one. Am I just imagining this?

Tucking the large book under my arm, I make the ten foot leap from the roof to the ground. I fall and roll a few times injuring my right shoulder and feel slight pains in my ankles. I still stand up though, and run to the front of the house where I find Consilium soldiers with torches and flame throwers in their hands. They're laughing as they blow on the flames onto the already scorching house, making them spread further along the perimeter. I drop the book and run to them. 

"What the hell are you doing?" I scream and they turn to me. "Jexton?" one mans calls. "What the hell, Jex! How you doin' bud?" the other laughs. "Wanna help blow this German's house to flames?" he asks just as I yank the torches from each of their hands and they smile in approval. "Yeah, Jexton! Burn baby burn!" one of the soldiers I recognize, David, yells. 

"Hell yeah." I say softly and sternly and hit him with the torch. The other soldier, Bradson, stares at me with a horrific look and tries to run away, but I chase after him and throw the burning torch at him, making him fall and wince in pain. Flames engulf his and David's bodies as I use the flame throwers to apply more heat to them. 

"My girl's in there, you assholes!" I scream at them and beat them with the burning torch until I know they're dead, and even after that. "She is the one we need. She was chosen." I say softly.

When I throw the torch on the ground and turn around, I find Farrah standing behind me with a horrified expression on her sensitive face. I step toward her, but she backs away shaking her head. She stares at the two men I had just killed in complete shock. "Farrah," I say. 

"What do you mean I was chosen?" she asks and I take a step toward her, but she backs away.

"I thought you were in the house. I thought they killed you and I was mad that they put you in danger and I. . ." 

"Just save it!" she screams and finally looks at me, tears staining her beautiful face. "I thought you became something different. You're a killer, Jexton!" 

"I did it for you!" I yell back at her. It's astonishing that we are having a screaming match right in front of her burning house as if it is the least of her worries.

"Farrah, you don't understand!" 

"Yes I do!" she yells back. "I understand completely! I thought you were changing—becoming a better person, but I knew I was wrong. You're just another monster like your father." her voice gradually gets softer as she speaks. 

It was only then—when she said those words—that I truly realized she was right.

I am a monster. I am like my dad.

I am my dad.