A Beautiful Reflection From Firework Eyes

Drown Me In The Flames

Five chapters left! we're almost done. 

I wrote the last few chapters of this book while listening to All For Us by Labrinth, so if you want to, you can, your choice. I think they go well together.

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It's the hardest I've ever worked. My fingertips are numb, the pressure in my skull heightened. Blood is running down my face from my nose, the scarlet leaking all over my shirt, but I'm too focused to wipe it away. All I can smell is the metallic tang, filling my senses. I'm out of breath, gasping as I struggle to keep the flames roaring in front of me. I crouch in the doorframe, spots dancing in front of my vision as I watch the blaze growing, smoke detectors shrieking in the background. Orange and red lick the walls of the hallway, leaving charred streaks. I can see the outline of the guards on the other side as they shoot, aiming for us, but it's hard to see through the haze of smoke and flames. Kellin squeezes my hand, energy surging through me as he does so. We don't speak, but he can tell I'm weakening without me saying anything.

I just need to hold on. Until I get the signal. I can do this. The floor is littered with bullets around us, the walls peppered with tiny holes as they narrowly miss us, each by just a hairbreadth. I just need to keep the guards back, away from us. I need to keep them away from Kellin. I focus on Kellin's presence, letting him fuel my flames. I concentrate on the way he watches me anxiously, the way he keeps his hand on my shoulder, comforting and recharging me. I think of the way he smiles, the way he tucks his hair behind his ear. I remember how he laughs, the sound that lights up my world. I think of kissing him, the warmth that it gives me like I could burn away forever, a never-ending flame. But most of all, I just focus on him. His presence is always giving me warmth. He's all that I need to keep going—keep the flames burning in front of us.

"We're all clear. We're heading to the safe house right now," Gerard says in my mind. I wince, still unused to hearing another voice in my head. "Get out of there. Meet us at the safe house as fast as you can."

"Copy that," I think as loud as I can back at him. Relief floods my body. We're almost out. Just a little bit further, and we will be free. I turn toward Kellin, a smile on my face despite the exhaustion dragging my body down.

"Let's go," I say out loud. "You ready?" He nods, looking relieved.

I stand up slowly, wincing as my legs cramp from sitting in an awkward position for this long. I hear a shout from one of the guards, but I don't give them time to react, clapping my hands together. The sound echoes through the hallway over the crackling of flames as the fire roars higher, creating a wall as it rushes toward the guards. I hear panicked shouts as footsteps thunder down the hallway, away from us as the flames loom closer.

Kellin smiles at me, and I can't help but smile back, even through the pain in my head. I grab his hand, and we sprint down the hallway as the bullets fly after us through the flames.