Ocean Of Need

❤️ 58 🧯Into The Black

June 11th Continued...

There's a split second of silence and then screaming. Asher and Noah hold my hand tight as I yell, 'What's happening?'

Asher shouts, 'It's the fire. I smell smoke. We've got to get her out of here.'

I drop to my knees and yell, 'Get down on the floor!' My Father taught me, wether it's smoke or bullets, we're safer on the ground. They both drop down beside me.

'What now?' Yells Noah.

'We need to find an exit,' I yell.

'How? I can't see shit?' Shouts Noah.

'The emergency exit - it'll have a sign above it. We've got to head for that,' says Asher.

I stand briefly, see the sign blinking in the distance and shout, 'Follow me, it's straight ahead.' But now I can't see either of them, everyone is moving around us like sand in a storm and I have no idea where they are or where Roxy is either.

I start crawling towards the direction of the exit sign. Legs are all around me, someone stamps on my hand and I scream, then someone else falls on top of me, almost flattening me. I crawl out from under them, grab at them and scream, 'Follow me.' The panic is pulsing all around me. I keep moving.

Suddenly my hair is yanked and I'm pulled to my feet. 'Get off me, we're safer on the ground...' My words are cut off as a hand clamps over my mouth. The smoke smells stronger but now there's another smell too. Something familiar. I'm being dragged through the crowd. Are they trying to help me or trying to take me? I trip over god knows what as I kick and try to push off whoever has me in their grip, but they're too strong for me and I can't get away.

The emergency exit sign is getting closer. What the fuck is going to happen to me on the other side of that door? I trip and the hand slides from my mouth. I scream again, but no-one can hear me above all the other screams. Strong arms clamp around my waist, lifting me off my feet. That smell, what is it. Why is it so familiar?

'Roxy,' I scream, looking around wildly. I can't make out anything but shapes. 'Help me! Someone help me!'

A split of light appears in front of me as a door opens. It can't be the exit, it's still too far away. I'm pushed into a small room full of mops and buckets, towels and bottles of fluids, then I'm dropped onto my feet and I spin around ready to land a punch, a kick, whatever I can to do to get myself out of here.

'Mac,' I gasp. I want to run into your arms, but then I remember everything that Roxy said to me. 'What are you doing here?'

'I'm protecting you.'

'I don't need protecting. I'll take care of myself.'

'You're trapped in a burning building Little Pet. How's that working out for you?'

I stand rooted to the spot, battling against my body's urge to run into your arms.

'Did you really think I wouldn't be watching? You belonged to me once.'

'No Mac,' I scream. 'I stopped belonging to you when you left me. I'm getting out of here.'

I turn for the door, but he moves in front of it, barring the way. 'It's too dangerous to get to the exit. You could get crushed. You're safer in here.'

There's a loud crack beyond the door and the screaming outside it gets louder. He springs into action, grabbing towels and shoving them into the crack at the bottom of the door. Securing the door he turns to me and says, 'We have to wait in here. The fire department is on the way. They won't be long.'

He stands and his eyes check me over from a foot away. He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. The screaming from the other side of the door is terrifying. God knows what's happening out there. We stand a foot apart, breathing heavily and staring at each other.

'I told you not to come here. I told you it's not safe. Why do you never listen to a damn thing I say?'