𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐈 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | Peter Parker

twenty four

Freaked out, Amala's heart races. She decides she's going to go back to the hotel now and she's going to run.

She doesn't even get the chance to take a step before the whole ground shudders. Amala watches with the utmost horror as the ground starts to chip away and crack. Around her, people are taking notice, and gasps of concern turn into shrieks of terror.

Amala is stuck to her spot, unable to move from sheer shock of it all. Her heart is so loud, she can hear it in her ears. She shuts her eyes for a moment, trying to drown out everything around so she can think.

Why do I do this to myself, her mind beats itself. Why can't I just stay in my fucking place!

A shout so loud it could shatter windows snapped Amala out of her mental panic. Heat pools at her feet and she looks down.

Her vision blurs with tears.

Lava as bright as the sun seeps from the cracks in the ground. It disrupts more concrete, spilling from any crevice possible.

Amala sees red — literally and figuratively — and her knees threaten to give out.

Ignoring her body's urge to collapse, Amala's legs finally make a move. She breaks out into a run and her feet struggle to dodge bits of overridden concrete.

She makes it about ten feet when the earth shakes again. Amala turns around and sees the magma start to slither upwards, swallowing the metal details of the fountain.

She watches with perplexed horror as it melts into itself and materializes into a new form.

Déjà vu smacks her head off clean.

The lava... it has a face. And it looks just like the water monster from Venice.

Not again, her mind begs.

But it's already too late.

The body of magma leaps into action, smashing whatever is in sight. It sets cars and buildings on fire, demolishing anything in its path.

Amala keeps on running. Not once does she turn back — she can't afford to. Turning back would mean stalling and stalling would mean death. Death is not an option.

Her mind goes into survival mode and she surveys the city around her. She needs to take cover somewhere far enough where that thing won't hurt her. Somewhere underground or perhaps rural — the strange fire monster shouldn't wander too far when it has a city at its mercy.

Perhaps the experience of almost being drowned alive by a water monster has served her well, she thinks bitterly.

The hotel is just meters away and if she's quick enough, she can make it there in a couple seconds. However, the earthquake — or whatever it was — has shattered most of the concrete leading up to it. Magma spills between the crevices. The path is useless.

A large boulder shoots past her and crashes into a building, sending smoke and rubble flying. She ducks as best as she can and barely misses its collision.

Amala runs in the other direction, having no choice.

All around her, people are screaming and scrambling to take cover. She shares their feelings; the fear in her body is immeasurable. In Venice, when chaos broke out, Amala had her friends to rely on. Akira and Ned were with her the whole time and had helped her when she was hurt. Now, she's all alone and if she falls... she won't be getting up.