Dare You To Move

Chapter 14 - Oxygen

Fire alarms blare as people uninjured make their way towards the exits. There's coughing, crying, and screaming with the accompaniment of a crackling fire coming from the first floor. The second floor remains quiet, as if no one was there to begin with. Smoke builds with every passing second and the fire from below builds, consuming books and shelving on its course, flame and heat working its way to the second floor.

Those who can't make it out are either injured, trapped, or were knocked unconscious from the blast. Their only hope is that help will come and when help comes that they'll be able to help before too much damage is done. But, that's the thing about explosions and fire. No one knows what exploded or what caused it so for all anyone left in the building knows, it could be toxic, able to kill in less than a few minutes. But, if it's not that, it's still smoke. Smoke inhalation can be deadly. Most people who die in a fire, die from inhalation, not the burns. And if it doesn't kill anyway, it can cause long term issues. And of course, there's the fire.

Burning alive must be one of the worst ways to go out. A sunburn hurts let alone flesh literally being boiled and torched. It is the worst form of physical pain and there is nothing to be done about it, not against an open flame like this. If it doesn't kill, it sends people to burn units where they have to pick the dead flesh off and there isn't anything they can give the victim that's strong enough to numb the pain. It is an agonizing hell.

So, help has to come soon and they have to be able to get in and rescue those who are left. But, there's no telling if it'll be soon enough. All there is hope.

Sheering pain shoots through Collyn's elbow, bringing him back to consciousness. He groans and rolls onto his back, left arm reaching to hold onto his right elbow and it's not clicking. He's dazed, ears clogged as if he were underwater. His eyes are burning and his throat is already growing sore. His eyes fall on the ceiling, smoke rising above him and the lights of the store completely off. The alarm continues to ring and slowly but surely, it finally hits him.

Collyn's eyes bulge as he sits up, forgetting about his elbow and he needs to get Elli. She was right behind him, hand in hand. The blast had knocked them from their feet, disconnecting their hands and Collyn swears she should have been right there but he doesn't even remember how his elbow was hurt. It happened quick. It was too fast to register the bookshelf coming down and separating the two of them.

The bookshelf is only a few inches away from Collyn, just barely missing him. Lucky for him, too because he can see over it and he catches a glimpse of Elli on her back, not moving. All he can see is from her torso up, nothing more and nothing less. Her face is almost a blur in the smoke that seems to be utterly relentless and Collyn knows he can't waste any time just staring or paying attention to the pain in his elbow as he works on crawling around the shelving to her.

"Elli?" Collyn yells through a cough as he gets closer. "Elli!" It's almost a whine that comes from his mouth before his elbow gives out. But he's close now, able to see that her legs are trapped under the heavy wood. "Hey, Elli."

He can feel the panic wanting to set it. He's fighting against it, knowing he has to remain calm but Elli's trapped. These shelves are heavy and what if he can't get her out in time? What if he can't help her? What if he can't even wake her up? Collyn is her best friend and best friends help protect each other, they're there when the other needs them. Collyn might be right here but he wasn't able to protect her from this and she wasn't able to protect him. And all he keeps thinking is what's going to happen if he can't wake her up and get her out from under this shelving?

What's her family going to think? What's Parker gonna think?

Collyn scoots closer, just using his left arm. Her eyes are shut and there's a cut at the top of her head but Collyn can see her chest moving. "Elli," He moves to his knees and cups her face. "Wake up!" He yells before dodging his face into his shoulder as he starts to cough. "Elli!" Collyn's hands tighten on her face as he gets closer to her. "Wake up." His words are stern, voice hoarse and Elli groans.