Double Crossed

Attack At Home

[Erin’s POV]

I cover my eyes as a blinding light fills the room accompanied by a burning heat. Then the wind comes. It doesn’t start off slow but rather happens all at the same time. I hear the glass from the window shatter beside me as I’m knocked from my feet. A sharp pain finds its way to my head as I fly into a surface so solid I first think it’s the wall on the other side of the room. But then his strong hands grip my waist. However, it doesn’t last long, he was soon knocked off his feet from the wind and we are both knocked to the ground. I feel the air rush out of his lungs as his back hits the floor, me landing on top of him. The guy underneath me doesn’t waste a second as he moves on top, pressing his chest to my back, his hands covering mine beside my head.

The blast is over as quickly as it began.

My ears keep ringing even after the deafening noise is over and a feel a headache come on. I slowly open my eyes only to be greeted with part of the wall I had been leaning against. The only problem? It wasn’t acting as the wall. It's lying in front of me on the floor, or what used to be the floor. I’m distracted by the feeling of something warm flowing down the side of my head. I reach up and touch it, bringing my fingers up to my face. I see a red, gooey substance coating my fingers and a frown sets itself upon my mouth. I panic for a second, remembering the glass shattering, but am quickly distracted by the state of the room and my friends.

Looking around, I see the side of the room I’m on is the most damaged. Parts of the wall have caved in from the blast, mostly where there were windows and the structure was the weakest. Now the window frames are lying beside me, glass everywhere, and the wall has opened up to reveal the once green grass and flowering gardens that surrounded the various buildings. The grass, however, is now charred, the flower gardens burnt to a crisp and fire still remaining, scattered on the trees, and eating away at the remaining plant life.

I notice that Zack and Zane are still in their beds, although they are covered in debris and various medical equipment that has fallen over. The rest of us are just sort of scattered around the room, Jacky and Bonny are lying on top of each other in the center of the room and Kim is lifting a piece of debris off of Jade. Mel and Sophia are lying on the ground near each other, beginning to stir.

“Erin?” I hear, remembering that in the chaos someone had laid on top of me in an act to protect me from the blast. When I don’t respond right away I feel the pressure from the person leave my back and Volant’s face comes into my view. “Erin, are you okay?” he repeats, kneeling.

“Yeah,” I say pushing myself up onto my knees.

“You’re bleeding,” Volant says, reaching his hand towards me. My heart beat starts to increase and I stop breathing the closer he gets. His hand gently brushes against my bleeding check and he looks directly into my eyes as tingles fill my face and spread throughout my chest. I stare back into his chocolate brown eyes for what seems like an eternity, but is really only a couple minutes. I am snapped out of my trans when Volant blinks, his hand still wiping the blood off of my face, caressing it gently.

“Volant,” I say, slightly out of breath.

“Yeah?”

“You’re hand.” He looks down at his other hand that has found its way over top of mine.

Volant clears his throat and stands up, the cold taking over where his hands once were. He puts his hand out for me to take, to help me up. “Right,” he says slowly.

I take his hand letting him help me up to my feet, a confused expression on my face. I can see it is going to get awkward soon as the two of us are just standing in front of each other and I can't think of anything to say. Especially after what just happened. Thankfully Kim calls my name while running up to me, distracting both Volant and I.