The Sky Has Fallen

| Chapter 24

Just because Holmes was gone didn't mean the ship had stopped. The engine still cried. The walls strained under pressure. We would crash before we knew it. And a ship this size would do damage to the city.

And to us if we didn't get off it.

"We need to go." I pulled a crying Vera up from the hole and she clung to me. Her face pressed into my shoulder as she shook her head. I could do nothing but console her. But as the floor shook beneath us, I knew there wasn't time.

"Vera." I cupped her face and made her look at me. "We need to get to those ships, okay? We need to get off this one."

"But Brylon," Vera hiccupped, eyes red and face puffy, "Brylon... he...."

"He did a good thing," I told her, brushing tears off her face. "He saved you."

"But he... my father... he..."

"I'm sure your father is safe. You told someone to get him." I grabbed her hands and linked our fingers, keeping us both steady as the ship rocked again.

"I need to see him," Vera cried, squeezing her eyes shut. "I need to—"

"Be the strong woman you were seconds ago." I squeezed her fingers. "Brylon saw your strength and fed off it. Now, you need it. We need to go."

The ship shook so hard the both of us stumbled back. Vera collided into my chest; body pressed against mine. Her eyes shot up and held my gaze as our lips were just inches apart. Her electricity came off her in waves and I used it as the force I needed to move.

Pushing off the heel of my foot, and through the pain in my legs, I turned back towards the halls, just as the engine sparked and cracked. Fire erupted near the belts that couldn't move. The wrench stuck inside of it flew off and crashed against the walls with the pressure.

It's going to explode. It's going to blow and we're still here.

Vera didn't let me go. As we ran, we rocked. Our bodies crashed into the walls as the ship took a nosedive. I felt my stomach flop up into my throat. For a second, I thought I was going to die. I wouldn't make it.

But Vera took control. Her fingers wrapped tight around mine as we hurried as best we could down the opposite hall. The light was still there, exposed to anyone willing to see. Even with the sound of the falling ship, I could hear voices. Shouts. Someone was at the end of the tunnel motioning for us to hurry.

"Vera!" A Pylon man waved his hands over his head. "Vera, hurry!"

Even with the ship's slope, we pushed on. We gripped the walls. Stuck our nails into the cracks. I screamed as my leg struggled to keep up with me, but the adrenaline rush pushed most of the pain away.

And once we reached the opening to the ship's side hangar, six hands pushed in to grab us and help us out. Our feet landed on a roof's surface; mine barely made it.

As I crumbled into a Pylon's arms, the ship Vera called home continued down onto the city streets...

...until it crashed.

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The streets were filled with flames for what felt like hours. The city fire hydrants exploded with the force of its landing, filling the streets with water. It was as if the city knew to douse the flames and try to keep the peace.

The ship destroyed the entire area of what was the World Fair. The fair's stands fell into the lake, wading away with the waves. Buildings along the lakefront were destroyed, too. I was worried people had gotten hurt in them, but if I looked blocks away, I saw so many, hundreds, thousands, all crowded in the street. I couldn't help but think that David got to everyone in time and made them evacuate.