Halcyon (DISCONTINUED)

5

Something's wrong. 

I smell it; there's a thick, heavy scent in the air that makes me choke. Smoke? 

Alarm bells go off. The cells automatically shut. Oh fuck, oh fuck- 

There's a bright orange-yellow glow coming from down the hall. Fire. 

"Somebody help!" I find myself screaming. "HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" I can't move. My fucking legs - the pain is too much. I try to stand anyway, I have to. My legs buckle and I fall. Adrenaline is pumping through through me and I'm panicking. The thick, gray smoke is burning my lungs and eyes and I can't breathe. It only takes seconds for it to surround me. Heat is boring onto my skin, the bright glow of the fire rapidly progressing, eating everything in its path. 

I look around desperately, covering my mouth and nose with my shirt. The cell is closed. I need to get it open. I need to. 

I try screaming again but the crackling of the fire is so loud I can't even hear myself. The heat feels like it's sizzling my skin already. I touch the metal of my cell and it's already hot. The building groans and I pray it doesn't collapse. 

A thought bursts into my head. Tony! Tony wouldn't leave me, would he? 

It's hot. I'm sweating and my lungs are burning. I can't see - I'm randomly trying to hit things. Nothing budges. My eyes are streaming - it's so hot - the fire is now licking at my cell. 

Something moves. I gasp, then choke. It takes me a second but I realize it's a brick in the wall. I hit it again and it moves. I continue pounding onto it until finally it's loose. As carefully as I can, I slide it out and it plops heavily into my hands. 

Instantly I'm slamming it onto the bars. I manage to make a dent but I'm too weak.

Is this it? 

The fire is slowly burning the cells, melting metal and crisping the bricks. 

I lean back against the brick wall. My eyes burn so I close them. My lungs are heaving but no air is getting inside them. 

Maybe this is how I'm supposed to die - death by fire. 

No one would miss me anyways. Sure, if Tony survives he might feel bad but that'll only last like a week or so. 

Mom...

I don't even know if she's alive. 

I pray she escapes. I pray for mom, and Tony, and all those kids. They don't deserve this. None of them. 

Something bangs to my right. Great, here goes the building. 

I squeeze my eyes shut and wait. 

Only... nothing happens.

There's another bang. Through the smoke I can see two figures on the other side of my cell. My eyes widen and I'm crying. 

"Mom! Tony!" I choke, crawling over to them. "Go! Get out of here or you'll die too!" I'm clawing at their hands, pushing at them, but they don't budge. The flames are on us. Tony uses the last of his water and pours it onto my mom and himself as the flames surround them. It helps but only a little. 

They're both punching and pounding on the bars - Tony sees the brick and goes batshit crazy on the bar. I can't see anymore. It's all black and it hurts. 

Something grabs my arms and I'm being pulled. The hot metal of the bars sears my skin as I'm pulled through. 

I'm too shocked and terrified to say or do anything. I'm slung over Tony's shoulder and then they're running. 

The fire laps at our skin and I'm sure my flesh will burn off. I pass out multiple times only to wake up to a horrible screeching sound. Mom is pushing a desk over to the wall. I look up and there's a window. With fucking bars. It's our only option, I realize. The fire is everywhere. 

Tony gets on the desk first, I'm still on his back since my damn legs, and begins to beat the bars in with the brick. They bend and I thank the Lord. He hands me off to mom and pulls himself through the window. I look at mom. Her face is covered in dark ash and she looks exhausted but there's a determined gleam in her eyes. She looks younger than I remember.

"I love you." She kisses my nose. 

I kiss hers back. "I love you too." My throat burns when I talk and I have no spit. 

I'm then hoisted up and Tony grabs my arms to pull me through. The fire is burning the desk now. It's catching fast. I'm pulled through. 

Tony's arms reach down to grab my mom - the desk breaks. There's an awful scream and a woosh as the fire claims the desk. 

I'm screaming - my ears are ringing. A horrible groaning sound meets my ears and Tony is grabbing my arms and tugging me away. I scream and cry - my throat hurts so much - but it's too late. 

The building collapses. We weren't far enough away and I feel something heavy hit me before it's dark. 

What do you think happened?! 

-Ally