Revenge of the Dead

Chapter 24: The Haze

Flames crawl up my skin and I hiss at the pain, pressing forward through the blistering heat nonetheless. 

"MUM?" I croak out, my voice failing me weakly. I hear a groan through the smoke and stumble towards the noise, the ash is thick and I spin around in disorientation.

Shards of glass slice my bruised feet but I press on numbly, my body staggering forward robotically. Dread consumes me and my breathing increases to an inhumanly rapid pace, sweat trickling down my forehead and nape of my neck. I wipe it furiously as it's evaporated by the blistering flames of the fire that is burning out infuriatingly slowly around me.

Slowly the smog clears and I make out a figure lying on the floor, I fall to my knees beside it and waft away the blackness remaining with my hand. I whimper at the charred body and my fingers stroke their face shakily, words failing me and coming out in broken sobs. My mum raises a steady hand and cups my cheek lightly, I place my hands over hers and press my face into her palm as tears fall down my cheeks.

 "Madeline," she croaks, "you have to get out of here, go." I shake my head furiously and tears slide to the floor in a heavy wave, my voice trembling as i speak.

"No, you're going to be fine. W-we can fix this, I promise," I stutter, my breathing coming out as little gasps and I gently brush my fingers over her threatening wounds. My Mum shakes her head in a swift and fluid motion, her icy eyes piercing mine. 

"Madeline, I'm dying. You can't save me, but you can save the others. You have to go, quickly, he's here," she whispers frantically. I shake my head in confusion tugging her into my arms persistently, her head laying heavily in my lap. 

"Who's here, Mum? What are you talking about? Please come with me!" I cry and she squeezes my hand in a bone-crunching grip.

"Madeline before the explosion, I saw him, he set this apartment on fire. He's here for you, you have to run," she says frantically.

My body stiffens and a sickening dread washes over me, I gag but my stomach heaves only the suffocating fog. Hacking gasps rack my fragile body and my tears mix with the smoke.

"No! Mum! You can't leave me, not now, he's going to kill me!" I plead but her eyes slowly flutter closed and a deep breath escapes her lips.

"Madeline no, you can't let him win. You made a mistake, I've forgiven you, but he never will. Tell your father and Sophie that I love them very much and that I'm so sorry I have to leave them, tell them that I'll be watching over you all now," she mumbles and I lean forward as heavy despair stabs through me.

"MUM I'M SO SORRY, I LOVE YOU, DON'T GO AWAY!" I cry and see her smile weakly in my lap.

"I love you too Madeline but you have to go, you must run before he finds you," she mutters and I let my tears fall onto her scorched face. Her body goes limp in my arms and I scream in heart-wrenching pain.

"NO MUM! NO PLEASE NO, DONT LEAVE ME ALONE. I CAN'T DO THIS, PLEASE!" I scream, my throat burning with heat. I wrap my arms around her and cling to her broken body, her heartbeat slowly fades into silence and I scream in horror.

"NO. NO MUM. PLEASE," I beg, shouting in anger and devastation into her chest. Tears blur my eyes and soak into her bloodstained shirt, this is all my fault.

I made all this happen, she would be alive if it wasn't for me. My Mum would still be here if I hadn't done that to him, I've ruined everything and now she's dead. 

"I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this," I chant repetitively, rocking myself back and forth.

Strong arms wrap around me and pull me away from my Mum's body, my hands grappling at her burnt body.

"NO! LET ME GO! LET ME STAY WITH HER!" I shout in pain-filled anger. I'm torn away from her body harshly and she hits the floor with a thud that echoes right through me.

I go limp in the strong arms and stare blankly at the flames that swarm over my Mum's body, my face pales despite the heat and my head rolls back with a painful ache. I'm dragged harshly up the steps and to the roof garden where a rhythmical beat fills the thick air, slowly I blink, wiping away the sting but my eyes remain blank.

I feel my body levitated into the air and thrown backwards into a cold metal structure, a lone tear falls down my cheek and I watch it drip to the ground which slowly disappears. I feel hands shake my shoulders and I scream in sadness, Sophie stares at me with a painful expression and pulls me into a tight hug.

I cry heavily into her shoulder and feel the light pressure of tears on my own neck, we hold each other close and shake visibly. Sophie pulls back and grips my face in her steady hands, her face is tear-streaked but a stony expression demands her features. 

"MADELINE STOP! MUM WOULDN'T WANT THIS, STOP!" she shouts and I edge out of my icy haze.

I stare around me worriedly and jump away from the edge in fright, the apartment has long disappeared and the buildings below race by us. The steady rhythm of blades drone on above me and I scan the helicopter in shock.

Men dressed entirely in black surround the small group and my eyes flicker over them with a nauseating feeling causing my stomach to churn violently. A balding man in front of me smiles vaguely, he extends a hand and shakes mine warily. 

"I'm ever so sorry for your loss and you have my deepest condolences," he says emotionlessly and I shake my head, trying to clear the mist that clouds it.

The fog recedes and I let my hand fall from his rough embrace, my head falls to my hands and I wipe my eyes vacantly. A grimace of unbreakable stone sets itself onto my face and I bow my head to the man sitting in front of me, fighting the urge for justice and repeating our plan over and over in my head.

"Thank you, Prime Minister."