"Oh my God." The flames stretched up through the building toward the sky, the hand of Hell reaching into the school like talons. Watching the fire rip down the structure wall by wall, shattering window by window, horrified her. It was too shocking at first. It couldn't be. Not Suzuran, the school of free, unbeatable Crows. It simply wasn't possible.
But then, why was she crying? She must have started earlier than she realized because her cheeks were slippery with them, but the act came so naturally it never occurred to her she might wipe them away. The flames enraptured her, and the ferocious rivers of smoke seeped into her gapping mouth. She hunched forward and choked. Not Suzuran. How could it be?
Then she saw something else, something amidst the flames and bog. It moved like a puff of smoke amidst the flames, but then it growled in frustration. It was someone.
"Sumi!" Hana covered her nose with her sleeve and charged through the maze of flames. Navigating was nearly impossible, and her teary eyes stung from the dry smoke smothering them. The cloud never cleared, but the flames did when she reached the side of the building. Sumi yanked at a hose wrapped around the hook and ducked from the lashing heat overhead. "Sumi! What're you doing?"
"We have to put it out!" She didn't even turn around. "We have to put it out!"
"Stop it, you're gonna get yourself killed!" She pulled Sumi's arm, but Sumi elbowed her away, knocking her to the ground. Sumi grabbed the knob of the hose then screamed and flew back. "Sumi!" Hana scrambled back up, and an imprint smoked black in Sumi's palm. But Sumi rolled back up and reached for the nozzle again. Hana grabbed Sumi under both arms and fought against the delusional girl. "Sumi! Stop it!"
"We have to put it out! We have to save it!" God she was strong! She may be a Serizawa, but this sort of fierceness only came from blind delirium.
Hana planted her feet then flung Sumi away, knocking her face-first into the dirt. She stationed herself between her and the hose and, when Sumi tried getting around her, she slapped Sumi's face. Sumi's craze transformed into angry shock, and her look of urgency remained. Hana grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "It's not worth it, Sumi."
"How can you say that? We have to save it! We have to—"
"It's just a building, Sumi!" Now Sumi's face dropped, the insanity breeched, and Hana squeezed her. "It's just a building. And Suzuran is much more than that."
Sumi's face contorted, suddenly lost in tears. "Hana."
But then the window next to them exploded, and a roar of heat lashed out ravenously. Hana grabbed Sumi's arms and forced her up. "Let's go! Go, go!" She pushed her forward through the catacomb of black smoke and red-yellow blaze. Even after they broke through the fire, she kept a tight hold on Sumi's wrist and pulled her onward.
Reaching the fence, however, Sumi suddenly collapsed dead weight, and Hana turned just in time to catch her. They fell in a heap on the dirt, free of the smoke but not the scolding heat that rose high in the sky.
They watched the flames boil the school alive then Sumi turned her head and sobbed into Hana's shirt, all the while clutching her for safety. "I can't believe it," she wailed into her buttons. "I can't believe they burned it!"
Hana pulled Sumi into her hold and rocked her back and forth. She didn't know what to say, but as Sumi cried, she clenched her teeth and cried too. Sumi was right. Who could believe it? How could they stoop this low?
"Sumi!" Hana looked up, startled, and a group of Suzuran guys ran frantically toward them. Tamao reached them first and slid down into his knees at their side. "Sumi?"
