Time to Survive

Was This My Fault?

"DEVIN!"

I jerked, whirling around at the sound of someone coming toward me, clenching my fingers in the ground and preparing myself; I would ---- oh.

Kylie was suddenly streaking toward us from the woods, and she hit her knees and slid a few feet before her momentum ever stopped. She gathered Devin into her arms immediately, weeping again, and I could see Kera slowly walking toward us.

I couldn't move.

I just sat there in the gravel, staring at the fiery inferno, and it was like I couldn't breathe.
It was gone...

All of it...

"Chris," Kuza gasped, finally stumbling to my side. He stared at the house, the colors dancing across his face as all the blood drained from it. "Oh."

I tried to swallow, but my mouth was so dry...

They were gone....

"Look!" Kuza suddenly gasped, and then he was running, and I slowly let my eyes rove to what he was after.

Did they... Did they make it?

I crawled to my feet and staggered after him, picking up speed when I saw Kuza kneeling beside someone, and I could hear the sobs before I even got near, they louder then the crackling of the flames.

Kelsey.

She'd made it!

Kuza was kneeling beside her, his hands hovering, and I could tell he was afraid to touch her. I stumbled to my knees, nearly shoving Kuza out of the way I was so desperate to get to her.

She was on her side in the gravel, inches away from where the coupe was parked, and she was covered in soot from head to toe. Her clothes were singed, and I could see burns on her skin where the flames had got her. She had her face pressed against the grass as she sobbed, but it wasn't normal sobs.

These were weak, raspy and broken, and they told me more then they should have.

"Kelsey?" I murmured, Kuza carefully shuffling out of the way so I could take his place by her side. "Kelsey, are you okay?"

I don't think she could hear me.

I hesitantly touched her shoulder, and she jerked immediately, clawing at the gravel as she tried to get away from me, a hoarse sound wrenching from her throat in fear.

"No, hey --- it's me, Kelsey, calm down!" I gasped, wrapping my arms around her waist and forcing her back against my chest. "It's okay now! It's okay!"

She struggled against me a second before my words seemed to sink in, and then she looked up through her burnt hair, her eyes red.

She stared at me a few seconds, her tears making paths through the grime on her face.

"Ch-chris."

"Yes, it's me," I whispered, stroking her hair out of her face. "It's okay, I'm here."

"B-Balz," she started, and then choked, squeezing her eyes shut. "He - he ---."

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered, feeling pain wrench through my chest so hard it left me breathless. "Don't talk."

She just started to cry again.

I curled her into my arms, her face pressing against my shoulder.

I needed to get her away from the cars, they were close to the cabin and it was too dangerous for us to be here.

"Can you walk?" I murmured, shuffling slightly. I glanced down at her legs, but her jeans were black and burnt and I couldn't tell how much damage there was.

I just stood without another word, cradling her in my arms, and I started hastily for where the army truck was sitting, Thomas and his sisters standing there kind-of dumbstruck, Ryan at their side with this stricken expression.

"Where's Balz?" he demanded as I neared. "What happened?"

"He's... He's dead." I managed, slowing to a stop, Kelseys arms tight around my neck. "We need... Devins hurt and... Kelseys burnt...."

"Put them in the truck," Carol said after a moment, clearing her throat. "I'll... I'll look after them. Actually, everyone get in the truck," she muttered, shaking her head. "It's too dangerous right here."

"We... The cars..."

"I'll take the coupe," Ryan mumbled, staring listlessly. "I'll... We'll move it..."

"Just get it down the driveway and wait there," I nodded, trying to make myself focus. "Thomas, can you help with... Devin? Kuza," I looked around, but I wasn't even sure where he'd went.

"I'm here," he suddenly appeared at my side. "I'll grab the audi. Ricky can take the SUV. Dude we gotta move."

I nodded, but I felt... Stupid.

I think I was going into shock.

I was forcing myself to walk to the back of the army truck, and climb in. I curled up in the corner in the floor behind the seat, and Kelsey stayed in my lap, clinging tightly to me.

I stroked her hair softly, afraid to really touch her anywhere in case I hurt her; all I could smell was burnt hair and skin, and it was a sickening scent that made me want to hurl.

It was one of the most awful scents I'd ever smelled, and we lived in an apocalyptic world now.

Kelsey shifted slightly in my lap, and she raised her eyes to my face, stricken. I hesitantly brushed her hair from her face, wishing I could do more, wishing I could have been here.

"Why did you leave?" she whispered after a second, her voice breaking completely. "Why couldn't you have been here?"

I stared at her.

I didn't know.

I should have been here, I knew that. I shouldn't have left, I should have stayed and helped them defend our home, not run off to try to make it safer for us against an enemy that was so far away they shouldn't have even mattered.

I'd left her all alone, I'd left my friends alone, and now one of them was dead.

He was dead and he was never coming back and I could have done something to prevent it if I had been here.

If I had just been here...

Was this my fault?