Treat Me Like a Game, and Ill Show You How Its Played

Chapter 17: Electricity

I didn't realize how long the distance actually was until now. I guess walking-to-the-party part felt shorter because I didn't want to go and the now running-for-our-life part is the actual distance because now, I just want to get out of these woods and see the flashing lights of the ambulance trucks and the blaring noise of fire trucks. To see all the waiting people and families. Our families, too, and the picture of them running up to us and throwing their arms around us has me pushing faster and running faster, away from the spreading fire. Well, more like limping/running. Struggling to keep the pain locked inside my mind until I'm at safety-at the hospital- and having the doctor look at my foot. The foot that I cannot feel. Pain in my shoulder starts to come and that's when I realize this is the longest time I have ever ran. Running from a fire, trying to save our lives, is the longest I have ever ran so far. I push more and run harder and my legs start to grow heavy along with my arms.

I don't stop.

This is a memory I will keep forever. I don't car if it's a bad one or my best friend is unconscious- not to be rude - but it's a memory of Luke and I actually working together and, I dont know... having a- experiencing a yet exciting and scary time. I dont realize that I start to slow down until I am swooped up into Luke's arms, bouncing up and down at every fast step he takes. My loose hair swings side to side and I see Noah out of the corner of my eye, looking down at Jade to make sure she is still okay. I see Noah's finger on her neck, where a person's pulse usually is, checking and making sure she is still alive throughout the fast run.

I see a log up ahead and see Luke is running straight at it, not realizing the obstacle coming his way and see that Noah just jumped it, "Luke, up ahead, that log." I say in his ear but he was too close already, only jumping when I told him it was coming up. He scraped his ripped and burnt jean that exposed his shin and clipped his back foot as he leaped like a runner would in track, and stumbled, sending me in the air. I circled my arms back as my hair wiped, trying to find the ground but I don't hit it. Instead, I it a pair of arms that are rounded to catch me.

Luke stood up on his feet just in time and caught me before I could feel the impact of the ground. He was leaning forward on his feet and ran a few steps to make sure he didn't miss when he bent down to my falling figure and swept his arms under my legs to catch me before I hit the Earth. I'm thankful because if he didn't catch me, we would've wasted time and would've been way behind Noah. Luke sprints forward when he sees I'm okay and checks his footing and the ground here and there, remembering what just happened, "Thanks." I thank Luke for the superhero act back there, "For everything." I finish, with a smile looking up at him. He looks down and smiles a brilliant smile that has me melting as I look into his eyes.

Wait... did I just say that? Did I just actually share that information?

Don't I have a boyfriend?

"Anytime." He responds and looks forward again, making sure he doesn't trip to have us both flying. That's when I see the end of the woods.

Safety. Safety at last and Noah is a few feet away from us.

Luke picks up the pace so now we are right by his side, Noah carrying a sleeping Jade and Luke carrying me. We see everybody there, waiting to see if there are anymore survivors. Well, if that's what they want, that is what they will get. Red and orange lights are sent throughout the night and a ear splinting noise sends waves throughout the night air. Never in my life have I been thankful for hearing a noise loud enough that a deaf person could hear. It makes me feel safe, that everything is going to be okay in a few short minutes. White lights that are snapping pictures of the survivors are now in view. Pictures featuring the people and the families. The trucks surrounding the area and the woods that held the fire. Journalist write information down on their notepads. News reporters talk to kids that aren't drunk and also talk to the ones that are. Two sides to the story, both not reliable. One more step and we are out of the woods. The woods that was a nighmare. The woods that are now gone. The woods that hold memories. The woods that still hold bodies that are gone. Thats when a bright light blinds me for a second and I realize a picture just got added to the list to put in the newspapers.