Intertwined

Chapter 4: No. Of Course Not. I Don't Know. I Hope Not

A X E L

The fire was spreading like... wait for it, wildfire!

Okay, bad timing.

I was on my way to get to Scar and J when I heard the little kid crying.

He was on the floor above me. I ran up to get to him. Wasn't the librarian supposed to be there? Right, she went out for a break, trusting us since we were frequent visitors.

"Hey, buddy. Don't worry, I'm Axel and I'm here to help you," I place my hand on his shoulder.

"No, my daddy said he was coming for me. He just went to get my mom," the boy cried.

"I know. I know. I'm gonna take you to him, okay. You have to come with me."

"Are we gonna die?"

"No. Of course not," I don't know. I hope not.

"You're lying," he croaks.

"We won't die if we leave now, but if we stay, we will. So we have to go, okay?"

Reluctantly, the boy nods.

"I can't walk." He cries, pointing to his leg. Yeah, it was possibly sprained.

"I can carry you." And I could, because a) he was just 5, and, b)I kind of had super strength.

I carry him just as I hear Scar and Juliet run into view.

Relief fills my heart. She's okay. They're okay.

"Axel!" J yells and I run downstairs. She hugs me tight and Scar gives me a nod.

"We need to find a way out," I point out the obvious.

"There's no smoke alarms here?" Scar asks.

"It's a really old library. There's also no cell service."

"Back door. Tunnels," the kid in my arms says.

"I don't mean to be rude, or I do, whatever, but who is this?" Scar inquires.

"I'm Bran," Bran rests his head on my shoulder.

"Hey, Bran. Okay, this back door, where is it?" J asks sweetly.

"In the tunnels. I got lost there one time. My Dad yelled at me, but there is a door that leads out of here, underground, then there's a ladder to climb up."

"What tunnels? Can you show us the way?" I ask.

"Secret tunnels," he whispers, "with big doors, over there," he points to the only shelf not on fire.

J, Scar and I try pushing and pulling the shelf. Bran looks bored for a minute then he pulls a large blue book out and the shelf opens.

"Oh," We three say at the same time, feeling dumb.

***

The tunnels are like a maze, but Bran seems to know the way. Or so I hope.

He was right, there are big doors everywhere. They all seem to lead somewhere, but I smell gasoline down here and I don't want any of us to be here when this place blows up.

Plus, Juliet looks like she's about to pass out, but each time any of us ask her if she's okay, she says she's fine.

"What's wrong with your wife?" Bran asks and my cheeks burn.

Scar laughs and I punch him lightly.

"She's not my wife. She's my girlfriend. I don't know what's wrong with her, she won't say."

"I'm-" Juliet is interrupted.

"Fine, we know," Scar says, bored.

A small banter begins between the 3 of us and then Bran speaks up just as we near the ladder that leads to the ground.

"Do you hear that?" the kid asks.

We all fall silent. The sound of glass bursting and metal burning.

Shit, the fire was spreading.

"Hold him," I say rushedly and Juliet holds him. Scar kind of takes a step back.

I reach up to open the panel.

"I don't think you could open-" Scar is interrupted when I push the panel open.

"You were saying?" I ask and he gives me the stink eye.

I swing up easily, using a few steps on the ladder.

I'm on the ground and Bran is passed up to me, I place him on the side and he's visibly scared, shaking.

"Hurry up!" Scar yells and he proceeds to hoists Juliet up and the bearings of the top of the ladder pop out and she falls backwards with a yelp.

"We have a slight problem," Scar announces.

"It was fine when I climbed it. It couldn't just break off like that," I think out loud.

"Well it did! I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to whomsoever it may concern and stuff it up their asses," Scar kicks the ladder.

"Guys, think. Okay, Scar, get on the ladder and jump. Axel will pull you out." J tells Scar.

"What about you?" I ask.

"We'll get there." She asserts.

With a deep breath, Scar gets on the ladder and jumps as I give him my arm to hold on to.

He's heavier than you'd think, but I manage to pull him out.

"Umm, we have to hurry now." Juliet's voice is panicked and the glow of the incoming fire is terribly visible on her face.

She gets on the ladder and tries to do what Scar did, but due to her height she's unable to reach.

My heart pounds rapidly against my chest and Bran begins to cry.

"She's going to die," he cries, worriedly.

"No, she's not!" Scar says sternly.

I'm too worried to say anything, so I just let Juliet try what she's doing again.

Come on, please, please, please.

With a deep breath, she tries again and this time I grab hold of her arms, pull her up slightly and then when completely when I hold her waist.

With my force, we both fall backwards and Scar immediately shuts the panel, trapping the fire.

She's hyperventilating now, her warm breaths quick against my neck.

"It's okay, baby, you're okay." I whisper, tucking her hair back, pushing my forehead against hers.

She lets out a small cry and gives me a kiss, as though making sure I'm still there.

I laugh lightly, "I'm okay too. Don't worry."

"We're good too. Thanks for asking." Scar picks Bran up and begins walking. "Come on now, before this place blows up in our faces."

J gets off of me (much to my dismay) and we walk and I realize, you know what? We survived this on our own. There was no one to help us.

There never is.