The Hall Speaks #fallsemester

Crush Unexpected

#Landon

Landon ran into the burning residence hall. He couldn't believe it. Seven years ago he would've been the guy to set it aflame just to feel something. Growing up he had developed amnesia when it came to his emotions, but for the most part they were all back now—expect one.

Pushing open the glass double doors, he looked down the hallway. He froze, adrenaline pumping through his veins, as he realized the fire alarm wasn't going off. Fear caused his hands to sweat as he realized three students had moved in during the summer. He didn't have the roster to this hall, and finding them in the haze of smoke would be difficult.

Landon sped up as his eyes shot from door to door, banging his fist against everyone, not waiting for a response. He wondered if he'd find them in time. He was half way down the hall when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Lightening just struck the building," Landon shouted, turning around. He had been in his car when he literally saw the neon-white bolt flash out of the sky and hit the roof.

The boy made brief eye contact with Landon, then took off running.

"Wait!" called Landon. "Which rooms are the others in?"

"Third floor, both on the third floor, 314..." His eyes made peace with Landon, then he darted out the exit.

Practically jumping up the stairs, Landon made it to the third floor. A faint smell of smoke filled the air and he could hear the sound of sirens growing louder. Knocking repeatedly on the entrance to 314, Landon remembered he had the campus master key. His fingers fumbled around his back pocket, reaching for his wallet. He pulled out a white plastic card.

"Hall Director, keying in," he yelled, coughing, sticking the key in the slot and pushing it open.

On the couch in the common room of the suite, a long body lay under a white sheet with only a brown hairy leg sticking out. Landon hurried over, kicking over a cup of liquid along the way.

"Hey!" He shook the person where he assumed the shoulders would be.

The resident's arm swung up and the sheet flew off, brushing Landon's face.

"Whoa, what?" mumbled the startled resident.

Landon recognized him from the football team. "The building was struck by lightning, we gotta go—now," he commanded, blinking the sting out of his eyes.

"Sh... what?" The young man's nose wrinkled in confusion. He pinched it as the smell of smoke hit him.

Then everything went dim, with only natural light from the windows seeping in. The student's eyes grew big, and he got up from the bed in one swift motion, then quickly ran out. Landon ripped the sheet and used it to cover part of his face as he hurried out of the suite.

He stood outside the door, scanning the hallway through the sprinkler mist and increasing smoke for the one student he hadn't found. Coughing, his throat started to burn. He couldn't see much, and he needed to get out.

Running down the stairwell, Landon collided with a firefighter.

"There might be one more... I'm not sure," Landon said loudly to the masked man.

Outside, flashing and twirling lights on vehicles surrounded by a crowd of mesmerized faces populated the area. Finally, with much reluctance, Landon allowed his gaze to follow theirs. He turned around slowly as his feet felt heavy, and he put a loose fist to his mouth as he absorbed the reality of the situation.

Johnson Hall was burning quickly as if it was made of cardboard, and black smoke darkened the already gray sky. His eyes followed the dark smoke to the roof; it appeared that the entire fifth floor had dissolved from the vengeful fire. He looked up, not focusing on anything, hoping that no one else was in the building.