Summertime

Chapter Two-Would I Die for You?

Now not only was the school invaded by Dracs, it had also caught fire. Brilliant. I thought it must have been a small spark or something from another fire miles off. Not all the fires from 2012 had been put out.

Desperate to save their lives, the Draculoids released us and bolted for the door. I fell to the floor and quickly looked up. Everyone who had taken the pills had gotten up and was quietly walking in two single file lines towards the door. They could feel no fear or panic, and as a result would probably die.

I shoved the little angels out of my way and ran through the halls. There were a few kids who hadn’t taken the pills running for their lives. Everyone else filled the halls in infuriatingly straight lines. I started to run for the school exit, when I remembered Sam.

He wouldn’t have taken the pills, I knew. He had to be running, either escaping or looking for me. Panic rose in my throat. I couldn’t leave without him. Turning on my heel, I darted through the lines of students and searched for my boyfriend.

Ash landed in my hair and I had to dodge falling sparks. Where was he? He had to be alive. I didn’t even want to think about what the opposite could bring.

I began screaming his name, desperately elbowing my way through the crowd. What if he was trapped in a classroom, slowly suffocating in the haze of smoke? What if something had fallen or collapsed on him? Tears gathered in my eyes as my efforts remained fruitless. He can’t be dead, he just can’t…

“Terry!”

I whirled around at the sound of his voice and was enveloped in his arms. The tears started to stream down my face as I threw my arms around his neck, clutching at him. I felt that if I let go of him he would disappear.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked, cupping my face in his hands. I nodded, my lips unable to form words.

“C’mon,” he said. We took hands and started to run, away from the fire and ash that consumed the school. It was terrifying, dodging falling beams off wood and small bursts of fire. If we didn’t get to the exit soon enough, we would die a horrible, painful death. I tried not to think about that.

Then we were surrounded by people again, still inside the school, but away from most of the fire. I felt relief sweep through my body, and in the drama of the moment, I pulled Sam close to me and kissed him.

“Is this really the moment?” he asked as we pulled apart.

“I had to,” I smiled.

And then someone crashed into us, knocking me to the ground. I cried out, half in anger, half in pain. People stepped on me as if I wasn’t there. Furious, I struggled to my feet. But when I stood up, Sam was gone again.

“Sam! Sam!” I screamed. How was that possible? How could he disappear so fast? I pushed through the crowd, crying again. Why didn’t I keep a stronger hold on him? He could die.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and slammed me into a wall. My heart started to beat frantically as I looked up into the face of a man. He was bald, with unnaturally pale skin and black eyes. He looked to be in about his mid fifties, and wore an outfit similar to that which a pirate might. I recognized him as the chief exterminator of S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W, a man named Korse.

“And what do we have here?” he growled, wrapping one skeletal hand around my throat so I could barely breathe. Gagging, I attempted to throw him off, but he was strong…for an old man.

“You have two options. Die here or take this,” he growled, holding up a pill.

“Are you fucking insane?! We’re in a burning building! Are you trying to kill yourself?” I screamed.