Ethereal

Flames

I busted through the door, where the fire had not reached quite yet. I spotted my mask on the table nearby and I switched out the rag on my face for it, securing it before I ran to the stairs -- where I heard hacking coughs.

I spotted Blake and Coven, along with my brothers and father trying to get down, but the fire blocked them from doing so as a pillar came crashing down in front of them. 

"You're going to have to climb over!" I yelled at them. 

"Are you insane? We'll go up in flames!" Matteo screeched back. I glared at him as I went up the stairs as far as I could, holding my hand out.

"Well, if you'd like me to hold your hand, I'm right here," I spat at him and he gave me a furious look.

Blake shoved him slightly as he swiftly jumped over the pillar and my fath -- Mr. Moretti -- followed suite. Enzo was next, then Matteo, and finally Coven. As we tried to run out, I realized something. 

Emilio wasn't here.

I looked around frantically and they all looked back at me, ushering me to hurry the hell up.

I backed up, yelling at them to go on without me as I bolted back to the stairs. I tripped and fell, scorching my arm as it went up in flames. I tried to get up but a shelf nearby toppled down, pinning my legs to the burning floor. I kicked and tossed, trying to get the shelf off of me as I watched my pants catch fire. As I lay on the floor and felt heat trap me, my eyes started to droop shut. The mask felt suffocating as I inhaled smoke into my lungs. As the world started to spin a little too fast and the fire started to feel a little to hot, I felt a body lift me up into the air as I let my eyes rest.

FLASHBACK

_______________

I felt disoriented as my eyes opened and I saw the wreckage that lay in front of me. The car was totaled, we had tumbled down a ditch in the midst of all the chaos.

I got up and felt blood trickle down my neck. My body was in pain but I looked around until I spotted Derek and Maya -- who were also just getting up. I felt relieved for just about a second until a figure stood up behind them.

Caine. 

He held his gun up in the air, his face red and his hand shaking with rage. His eyes bore deeply into mine as he lowered his gun slightly. I let out a shrill scream of warning and ran towards Derek and Maya, tackling them to the ground as a shot rang out in the ditch.

It was too late.

Caine had shot Derek, clean through the leg. Anger and shock took over me as I forced Maya to put pressure on it, and calm his screeching down as I stood up to face Caine.

"You bitch," he spat, "you really thought you would get away with it, huh? You really thought -- " He let out a hysterical laugh, pulling at the roots of his hair. "You really thought you could get away from me? Think again." 

He held his gun up again, shooting me in the arm. Pain shot through me as I collapsed to the ground, Maya's scream blending in with mine. I heard Caine walking towards me, branches crunching under his feet as he did so. He stopped by my head, squatting down, and I heard another gunshot resonate through the ditch and Maya's screams once again filled my ears, this time painful and urgent.