Terra Firma

Theo

Flames danced along the corridors and heat soared making the building burn quickly like a moth to a flame.

Theo hid in a small room off one of the long hallways, which seemed to shield him somehow from the blast. The only way out was through the flames and out of the door they came in. He knew he was close but the heat was already burning his skin.

He coughed and spluttered as the thick smoke burned his lungs. It was now or never. He ran as fast as he could jumping the flames as they burned his shoes. Pain seared up his legs making his body shake. He could see the door in the distance he just needed to get there.

He took a deep breath and ran.

He made it to the door and fell to his knees as thick grey smoke rushed out of the open door. Theo had tripped over something near the door. He looked behind him trying to see clearly because his eyes were burning from the smoke.

He recognised Luna's sleeve and pulled her lifeless body out of the door as best he could in his condition. The air filled his lungs making them feel worse, forcing him to cough violently. He fell to the floor next to Luna.

Theo exhausted and broken used all of the energy he had left to pull himself up and check on Luna. He looked down at her face and wanted to see those beautiful eyes she had open. He placed his ear against her chest to see if she was still breathing.

with all the noise it was hard to hear her heartbeat but he noticed her chest was slowly rising "Yes Luna, stay with me"

He scooped her up and carried her over the road to an empty space laying her on the ground and placing her head on his knees.

"Come on Luna, wake up. Please?" He looked at her lifeless body and tears ran down his cheeks as he sobbed. Everyone Theo liked or loved seemed to die, it had always been that way since he was only a young boy.

His parents both died of cancer when he was only a baby then when he was 5 his older brother died too leaving him with his grandparents who died in the Exodus. That was everyone. Theo had to learn to fend for himself just like Luna, maybe that's why he felt drawn to her because she was like him.

Theo could also feel the air becoming easier to breathe like Luna. Maybe it was their lungs adapting or perhaps the air was getting less toxic, there were no scientists left here to test the theory.

Theo hummed a tune he loved so much his grandparents played it a lot.

"Maybe my awful singing will bring you back Luna" He wiped the black ash Luna had on her face and kept singing quietly as the flames in the distance grew louder. Theo looked up over the large concrete wall in front of him and saw the huge flames coming from the droid's nest.

Luna coughed and her eyes flickered as she slowly came round. She could feel the pain hit her like a car as she came round. She held her hands to her chest as she coughed, everything hurt.

Theo was so happy just to see her open those green eyes "Luna, I knew you would be ok, just take it easy"

Luna's throat hurt as she spoke "Where is everyone?" Theo just stared back at her with half a smile " It was really bad Luna, anyone in that building wouldn't have made it. I saw you near the door and managed to pull you out but I couldn't see anyone else."

Tears fell from Luna's cheeks turning black as they rolled down her face. She closed her eyes.

" Stay with me Luna, don't go back to sleep. I will tell you a story, but you have to open your eyes. ok?"

" I knew this kid once, he was all alone you know? like no family or anyone. Everyone seemed to leave him, all he ever really wanted was someone to stay.

He was left behind on the day everyone left for something better because let's face it, he had no one to take him anyway everyone had left him by then. His heart was sad for such a young boy and he began to develop a fear, a fear of other people"

Theo was looking up as he spoke, holding his tears back. Luna had her eyes open watching him.

"Imagine that Luna, being scared of other people because they might leave you. But this boy was crazily scared of people. He build the biggest wall up because his little heart just couldn't take it anymore. It was already broken into so many pieces.

The first time after the Exodus his food had run out and he had to find food so he went out to scavenge for supplies and he could see another boy a little older than him. It was like he was looking at a monster, it scared him more than being alone or dying of hunger. The boy left the city and searched for country houses out in the middle of nowhere because there would be no monsters out there.

He managed to find food and shelter and survived for years out in the country somehow all on his own! Finding things in old houses and hidden places.

One day he saw something in the distance a young girl with blonde hair. She was singing and dancing and playing. She was so happy he just crouched there and watched her for ages. She was so happy. An older man was there and he played with her throwing a ball and singing songs together.

The boy liked it, it didn't scare him just watching because this younger girl was full of happiness and life. It was the first time in the boy's life that he had seen hope. It was the first time he didn't feel scared. He would draw sketches of the girl and smile to himself imagining what he would say if they met one day. They lived in this little wooden house with a porch and land all around"

Luna smiled "Did the boy meet the girl Theo?" Theo looked down suddenly forgetting he was even telling a story.

" He did Luna, he did" He ran his hands threw her hair smiling down at her.

Luna sat up very slowly pain shooting down her body.

"Thank you, Theo, Thank you for saving me and for helping us" Theo smiled back "You saved me first Luna"

Luna could see the smoke and flames still burning, she wasnt sure what Theo meant but she was happy he was here.

"We need to find Eli, Theo" Theo nodded and stood up.

"Will you stay here Luna? if I go and search for him? You can't possibly go searching in your state so please let me"

Luna tried to pull her broken body up to stand but she wasnt ready, Theo was right.

"Ok Theo, please be careful. I need to know the rest of your story so please come back quickly"

Theo told her to wait for a moment as he went back to the spot they had hidden their bags. It wasnt far from the droids nest. He pulled his rucksack out that he had used over the years collecting little things like treasures. He took his oldest sketchbook out and walked back to give it to Luna along with her bag.

"Drink some water and have a look at this book Luna, I won't be long"

Luna took a slow sip of the water coughing as it soothed her throat and looked at the thick brown sketchbook Theo had passed to her. She opened it to the first page where she found sketches of buildings.

As she flicked through there were trees and plants and skies. So beautiful like the earth wasnt broken. As she reached the middle she stopped when she saw the young girl. Her heart felt like it had stopped. She turned to the next page and then the next looking at every detail. She couldn't hold back her tears as she sat there in the concrete rubble letting out a loud sob.

She held her hand over her mouth as she remembered Jack again looking at Theo's sketches of him were as if he was bringing him to life again.

"He is the boy, and I am the girl"