Labyrinth 3: Gods' play

Chapter 22

  CHAPTER 22

Isaac and I rushed outside after saving just a few of our belongings. I had no time to accept that most of the things I had in there would now be gone forever, I comforted myself by saying that at least I could save my own skin. I could see more people, tainted in shades of orange as layers of fire separated us. We were all running towards the sea, we should be safe there. I relaxed a bit when we were out of the fire which seemed to spread faster with every minute. Many of us were already there and many were still coming. Those that didn't come in the next few minutes might've as well been considered dead.

Isaac's eyes kept on rescanning the crowd, recounting and naming people that were there. It's been a few minutes since people started running from the fire, breathless and terrified. Felix was sitting a few meters away from the fire, anxiously staring at the wild flames. I noticed before Jennifer and Ruby were both gone, but at this point, they probably wouldn't get out of the fire until after it was gone. But I doubted either would last that long.
"Daphne, Ruby and Jennifer, that's the only ones we're missing," Isaac suddenly said. I think we could've handled Daphne dying, but Jennifer and Ruby were both too important to die.
"She said she'd go get Thunder," Felix uttered, "goddammit I should've gone with her."
He started crying. I only saw Felix cry once before when he had to kill Jennifer back when she was still a villain, but even then, it wasn't as bad as this time. For Felix's sake I hoped that if someone dies, it's not both of them. Just either one of this dying would've been bad enough for him, I couldn't imagine what would happen if both of them had died.
"God, what if they both die, I can't lose them, I can't do this." He grabbed his head and curled up, sobbing loudly. I felt bad for him but there was nothing either one of us could do. I could see that Isaac wanted to help Felix as well, but as a leader, his job was to help everyone instead of just one person.

Matthew who lived closest to the storage sacrificed saving his own belongings to bring some buckets. The fire was massive and scary but we could at least try to put it out with seawater, though I highly doubted that plan. As Isaac was assembling everyone into a line, I noticed Felix wasn't really listening. But he no longer that expression of pure fear anymore. Instead, his eyes were locked on the fire and he looked like he was considering something. Isaac walked to him but before he could even open his mouth Felix spoke himself.
"I have to go in there."
"No," Isaac said back, sharply, yet sympathetically, "I can't let you."
"I have to at least try to help them!" Felix shouted back.
"What good will it do them if you're dead?" Isaac said, sadness in his voice.
"What good will it do me if they're dead?!"
"Enough," someone spoke from behind. It was David. "Felix, you stay here. I'll go in there."
"I'm not letting anyone back in there," Isaac said.
"Well you obviously can't stop him," David said, earning a frown from Isaac said. David ignored him and turned back to Felix, "Jennifer is smart, she'll make it out, but someone has to help Ruby. And if someone dies, better me than you. Jennifer could handle my death, not yours though."
This wasn't the only time David risked his life just for Jennifer's happiness. But back then, I thought it was for the greater cause, so the survivors could make it. But this time I could see it in his eyes, I could hear it in his voice. This wasn't just caring for a friend, plain logic, heroism, this had to be love.
Isaac stared at David for a few seconds. He didn't want to say anything.
"Fine," he said quietly at last, "just go."
David nodded and then he was gone. Felix stared at small passage in through which David managed to get in, so many different emotions visible in his eyes it was hard to pin down what he was feeling.
"Come on," Isaac nudged Felix to follow him, "you can help us put out the fire, there's nothing else you can do."

Three buckets weren't nearly enough to put out a fire. I had no idea for how long we were passing each other buckets full of water and then back empty for someone to refill them. It seemed forever but we were barely making any progress at all. I wasn't sure if time was just passing slowly for me or if the fire was just that wild. Probably the latter.
Everyone was worried, scared but tired.
And just when things seemed to be going awfully, I felt a raindrop on my cheek.

CHAPTER 23
February 1st 2017