Fallen Ash

Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating. I'm currently working on a book with a friend which we plan to get published, then I got sick, and then my grandfather was rushed to the hospital so I've been delaying on wattpad for a while. But here's an update! I can't guarantee I'll be updating it every weekend from now on due to the book that my friend and I should hopefully get published but we'll see. 

I woke up to creaking and groaning the next morning. I took a breath in and started choking on what felt like sand but worse. I kept coughing until I got my washcloth over my face. I looked up and saw the roof beginning to cave in. I looked around, everyone was beginning to get up.

"Grab everything and run!" I screamed. We all grabbed our bags and ran out of the building right before the roof collapsed. We kept running so we got out of the ash that was being blown around. And moments later, there was an explosion. The shockwaves threw us off our feet, sending us coughing and hacking in the ash. That explosion was unexpected, but I guess, it's not a surprise considering we were in a gas station. 

Moments after the explosion the group of people from earlier came running over, guns locked and loaded. I grabbed a knife from my boot and held it in place.

"Hey! You kids alright?" One yelled.

"Yeah, we're good!" Chris answered as they approached. We all stood around watching the fire, the heat was so intense we could feel it from nearly 40 feet away. 

"Well, we were about to head on outta here. You kids should too. My name is Keith by the way." The leader spoke sticking a hand out. "These two here are Will and Ben." I shook his hand.

"I'm Lizzie." I introduced myself. "That's Chris, Scarlett, and Rochelle." I pointed to each one of my friends as I said their names.

"Well thank you all kindly for your help. Hopefully we'll see each other after this all over and done with." 

They left moments after that. We all settled under a building still standing up, so we could eat and get our washcloths rinsed. 

"That's one way to wake up." Rochelle chuckled as she put her stuff away properly, after all we did have to throw everything together in a blind panic. I was doing the same. 

"I want to apologize to my alarm clock." Scarlett mumbled depressingly. We all laughed. It was nice to laugh in the midst of all that has happened. 

"Well, everyone ready to go?" Chris asked standing up. I stood up with him.

"Sure are." I answered and strapped my washcloth to my face after wetting it again. Rochelle and Scarlet copied our movements. We put our goggles over our eyes and started walking. The ash was showing no sign of stopping. Day 3, and it still continues to fall strong. It was beginning to work it's way up to our knees. We need to pick up the pace. 

"We get one break today guys." I say. 

"What why?" Rochelle asked.

"We fell behind yesterday and the ash is falling harder and harder each day so we need to hurry and keep walking." I answered. 

"I need my food woman." Rochelle whined. 

"No whining. We gotta do this." I turned around and grinned. "If we can survive a building collapsing, survive inhaling this ash, survive walking as much as we have and escape a building that later explodes, then I think we can have less snack breaks." Rochelle shut her mouth after that.

"Okay but what about bathroom breaks." Scarlett asked. 

"Only if it's a dire emergency." 

Chris was oddly quiet. I kept glancing back at him once or twice, but his eyes were glued to the ground, his hands resting on the straps of his backpack. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but I didn't want to raise suspicion and get Scarlet on his case. I told myself to wait until we stop for lunch to ask.