Barrier

Chapter 10: Noah

Five paces, then the sound of the first explosion. Nearing, simultaneously curious and terrified. A constant low beat, like cannons from the distance. Slender plumes of smoke rising, rising from the roofs of houses in my line of sight. I began to creep closer, every instinct screaming at me to run as the noise became louder and louder, building and barreling its way towards me with an ear-splitting roar. Time between blasts decreasing. Trying to count, trying to gauge distance -

Lou’s arm knocked me off my feet, his hand still outstretched to me in the dust behind him. Alice was just ahead, both of them frantically running, stumbling ahead of me as I struggled to get up. I saw a look of panic pass between them, but after a second that seemed like a lifetime they yanked me up and we ran.

Through bushes crackling and hissing around us, through overwhelming pressure on our eardrums, through falling twigs and branches and limbs. I glanced back quickly to see towering flames surround the village and devour everything in sight. We ran, heads ducked and bodies facing as far forward as possible without falling, until we felt we could run no longer, and then we ran some more. We were all panting desperately for breath but couldn’t stop yet, couldn’t bear to look. Orange white red green falling becoming black - there was a choking smell everywhere we turned, a dry burn in the back of our throats. But we didn’t stop until the sound had dampened enough that we could hear each other’s voices.

It was then that we noticed the faint screaming coming from far away, and the much louder shrieks we belatedly realised were coming from our own mouths. Alice was hyperventilating; Lou was keeled over, white fingers digging into the ground, scrabbling for purchase on nothing. I heard the sound of  cannons repeating over and over in my head, a driving beat that nearly forced me to my knees with its weight. I had no idea how far we’d come, and only the faintest recollection of this place. Every time I blinked I saw fire, bright and relentless, seared on my eyelids.

When I next looked up, Lou was lying on the ground retching on the acrid fumes, struggling to breathe. No, no, not now, I don’t understand. Pull yourself together, Noah.

I crawled over to him quickly, propping him into some mockery of the recovery position and filtering out the worst of the air. The first part we’d been taught in school by a jumpy, grim teacher just a few days ago. The second was up to me, and thankfully it worked. After a while Lou lay against a tree stump, chest slowly rising and falling, staring blankly into space. I knew what he was thinking about.

After Lou I looked for Alice, who’d disappeared somewhere It took me a full five minutes that could have been spent in any number of more beneficial and important ways, but I finally found her halfway up a singed tree, head in hands. In the limited time I’d known her, I’d never seen her look so vulnerable. I tried to help her down, but she jerked away from me, trying to save her pride and wasting more time jumping out alone.

I didn’t say anything, not seeing much point.  ‘We should get back to Lou.’

‘Lou...’’ she said. ‘Yes. Lou.’

He was still in the same position as before. I sat down heavily and gripped my sides. I had to stay together.

Because no matter what, once the smoke had cleared, we were going back into that town and doing whatever we could. I was not going to take no for an answer. And Alice had better realise that, because I was losing patience. If she and Lou wanted to stick with me, we were going back in and doing whatever we could to help Liskarn.