Rangers Apprentice: Something Missing

Chapter 7

Halt fell to the floor, the girl still in his arms as the tower started falling. Halt could barely get up, the next room above the tower was starting to cave down on them. Thinking as fast as he could Halt took the girl over to the window on the opposite side the way it was falling. There standing in another window right across from his were Julia and James. When they saw Halt and the girl they started yelling at Halt to toss them the girl. Halt knew that they were close enough to do it. James held his arms up ready to catch the girl. As Halt was about to throw her to James the earthquake got a lot worse. Halt suddenly threw the girl, James just barely cot her as the tower went down with Halt still inside. James and Julia fell to the floor. They could not get back up, the earthquake was too strong. All they could do was lay there and hold the girl and each other.

The earthquake lasted about an hour. James and Julia sat up and made sure they and the girl were ok. The girl was sobbing while Julia held her. James looked out the window to a horrific sight. Houses were demolished, trees were fallen, and the tower lay destroyed on the ground. James ran down the stairs and out to where the tower lay.
"HALT!" He yelled but got no response.
"HALT!" He kept yelling, but still got no response. James started franticly digging in the ruins of the tower when two of his guards, who saw what happened came over and grabbed his arms.
"LET ME GO!" James yelled.
"I NEED TO FIND HIM!" But the two guards kept ahold of him.
"Sir, there are a lot of wounded people that you need to help." One said.
"Yes, we need the healer." The other added. James knew they were right, Halt probably died when the tower fell and the people needed him. Halt would not have wanted him to let others die for his sake.
"Ok," James said and as he and the two guards turned around to leave, they heard a noise that made their hearts skip a beat. It sounded like a voice coming from inside the ruble, and it sounded like it was saying "James". Without hesitation, James and the two guards started digging where they heard the voice. It took them about five minutes, but they finally found Halt. Halt was bleeding everywhere, his skin was chalky weight, and he was having trouble breathing.
"We need to get him inside now!" James told the two nights and they took Halt inside. James couldn't believe that Halt was still alive. Halt had to be the luckiest man alive.