Leave Me Alone

Confidence

Trying to peddle faster, Caleb followed the voice, "Talk to me! Where are you?"

"O-over here..." came the weak voice, it was feminine.

He got off the bike and stared with wide eyes at a collapsed house. Without thinking, he tore off his backpack and launched forward, carefully traversing over the broken boards and splinters, "Are you in here?"

"Yes... upstairs..." the voice said weakly.

Determined, Caleb found his way to the stairs and forced his way through. He looked up at the staircase, trying to measure how unstable it was. He tested each step before actually taking it, and managed to get about halfway up before the board under his foot broke in half.

He fell through the floor. The sleeve of his hoodie and the bandage ripped, and some of the cuts on his arm were reopened. Seething, he grabbed his arm, "Ah!"

He looked up at the hole he created, a little bit of blood staining the splintered wood. Adrenaline coursed through him and he returned to the stair case, "Hang on! I'm gonna get you out of here!"

Caleb wasn't nearly as careful this time, despite what happened mere seconds ago. He leaped his way up trying not to think about it, and managed to get to the top floor. Catching his breath, he looked around, trying to get his bearings and to find the owner of the voice.

"Talk to me," he called out, "I need to follow your voice."

"H-here..." the voice responded.

They were in the room to the left. He tried to open the door but it was blocked. He forced it open, stumbling through. Under a pile of the collapsed roof, a young girl was lying on the ground, her arms outstretched. She was cut up and bruised... how long had she been there?

Quickly, Caleb pulled what boards he could off of her, and grabbed her hands and pulled. 

After a moment, she slid out and curled into a ball. He squatted down to make sure she didn't have any major wounds, "Hey..." he asked in a small voice, "Are... are you okay?"