The City

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Damon was staring at the smoke coming off the line of fire. "Have you noticed the smoke is only just reaching the statosphere now?"

Aiden looked up, turned and nodded in agreeance. "This is a fresh fire. It must have began when we woke up!"

"What are you looking at?" the old lady questioned behind Aiden, her hand still on his shoulder in hope of guidance; eyes burnt shut by the force of the fires. "Please someone tell me what is going on?" Her voice was frail and barely discernable above the blaze and screaming that surrounded them. "Please don't stop....I need help......"

"She is right Damon, lets push on! We need to get back to the motel. People need medical attention!" Aiden placed his hand on hers as the people cresting the hill stared in disbelief, some in silent shock, others lamenting the seeming disappearance of the neighbouring suburb.

Suddenly a car horn blared and from around the bend in the road and a car came rushing through heading the wrong way.

The irate driver seemed a man roughly in his forties, of Italian or Greek heritage. He drove with a possessed demeanor, and people had to rush to the side of the road to make way as he was ignoring all in his personal quest somewhere back in the danger zone.

A medium sized dog shot out in front of the car and was immediately driven over without care as the driver continued on his hell ride down the hill.

More dogs began to appear around them, all sensing the fear that permeated the air, yelping and barking, adding to the riotous momentum of the frightened crowd.

Aiden yelled at Damon and pointed in the direction of the chinese man who was carrying the dead little girl for the young boy. He was being harassed by an asian woman who threw punches at him before she ran back towards the maelstrom. As she did so he seemed to hesitate on what to do but seeing the young boy crying made him decide to leave the lady to her fate.

As they came upon the man in the tumultuous throng, now headed down the hill, Aiden asked who the lady was.

"Does it really matter?" the chinese man responded.

"Just thought it might have been your wife......."

The glare the man returned made Aiden think twice about pressing the issue, but the man decided somewhere in his mind to confess.

"She is my mistress and she was hitting me because her family and husband are somewhere over there. Ah, like I care. This whole situation is too surreal. Nothing I say matters anymore."

Aiden offered his name and waited on the chinese man's reply.

"My friends call me Tao."

Another explosion was heard in the distance and a giant new column of black smoke began to rise on the horizon.

Damon sensed a wave of panic wash over the people around him as they came to know the meaning of real fear.

"Stick close to us," Damon yelled to Tao.

The young boy heard the words, face awash with tears.

Tao ushered for the boy to close ranks with the two strangers who seemed a beacon of calm contemplation in a sea of anarchy and torment. He wondered from where had these two young men gained such decisive spirits.....perhaps they were soldiers he mused.

Damon looked at the young mother he had dragged out of the house, and the little girl whose anguish and despair ignited his protective instinct.

The mother seemed to be regaining her strength, and let herself off from leaning heavily upon Damon's shoulders. "My daughter!"

The little girl tugged on her mothers shirt and clutched onto her leg with all her might to make sure her presence was noticed.

The mother bent down and gave a her a hug and for a moment Damon allowed them the breif reunion but then he beckoned her on. "We are not out of this by a longshot! Stay close to us and you should be fine OK?"

She looked at Damon and nodded a reply. As she rose up her feet gave way a little and she began to fall away.

Damon reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her right again. "Put your arm around me! You were dead back there and I revived you with rescusitation! You're still weak! Don't let go!"

Aiden yelled out when he saw Damon inadvertently step onto the road, and stopped to let his mate catch up. "Keep off the road! There are more cars coming!"

As the group huddled together they saw come around the bend another car headed towards the fires, and Damon realised what they were doing.

"The people in the cars are headed back to the danger because their families and loved ones must be back there! Your right! Keep off the roads!"

As he shouted there was a crash of metal on metal, and the mates realised that one of the cars must have hit another headed in the opposite direction! In the melee that ensued, the two drivers thrashed at each other as the rest of the people just continued on their way past.

Aiden sensed Damon was about to intervene as they approached the drivers. "You've helped enough people mate. We can't save everyone! Best to save who we have now! For the rest its every man, woman, and child for themselves!"

Damon walked to the side of the road and only gave a brief glance at the carnage before he moved on.