Through the Archway

Chapter Twenty-One - Part One

There was a loud blast that blew Rebekah back before she could react, before a single thought could cross her mind. She landed hard on her back, felt the wind escape her lungs, and when she lifted her head, found herself surrounded in a thick cloud of black smoke. Her eyes searched for David but could not see him.

"David?" She coughed and her lungs, already devoid of oxygen, filled with smoke.

"Becca!" David was yelling, coughing, "I'm so sorry." Rebekah looked back to where the archway was; it was up in flames. Her nightmare — it was coming true, she was going to die, right here and now, and she'd dragged David into it — how could she have been so stupid? Rebekah watched the flames spread for a moment, held still in transfixed horror.

She reached out a hand that was barely visible in all the smoke to extinguish the flames, but more came where others vanished, and they were growing larger all the time. David waved his hands over the flames, to no avail.

"Come on, we have to get away!" David yelled, as the flames closed in. Rebekah tried to stand but her skirt caught fire, sending a rush searing pain up her leg.

"Ah!" She shouted, and stumbled to the ground.

David tried again with the flames, but they just got closer. "I–I can't," he said through a fit of coughing. "Mark!" David yelled, looking around for him, "Mark!"

David crawled towards Rebekah and pulled her in close. "I'm so sorry," David said.

Don't be, don't be sorry, she thought, remembering the waves of fire crashing over her and David in the dream and how alive they had been, how vengeful, This is my fault. I knew this would happen. The flames moved in closer. This is all my fault. Stupid, stupid thing to do.

All at once the flames vanished.

"What did you do?!" Mark bellowed. Rebekah jumped away from David. In shock, she nearly hit Mark with her powers. Her cheeks flushed.

Mark didn't seem to notice. He stood before them, sword in hand, his face twisted in rage, hair disheveled. Mark looked right past Rebekah and glared at David.

"Are you kidding me?! I nearly sounded the alarm, David!" Mark shouted. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up on end. Rebekah had to suppress a giggle.

"Mark, I'm sorry," Rebekah said, "I made David use it, he had nothing to do with it really." It was better to be honest, to tell the truth. Rebekah only hoped Mark wouldn't take it out on David.

Mark put his sword down, confused, "Use what?" He eyed the archway. His head is going to explode, she thought and almost laughed again. She didn't know why the situation was so funny to her. Maybe it was the relief that encased her like a cool breeze. She had not died, she was here, alive.

David ignored him as he got up, brushing his hands agains his pants. He walked over to Rebekah and helped her up. "Can you stand?" he asked her. Rebekah nodded, shaking the leg off a little. It wasn't horribly burned.

"Use what?" Mark asked again, slower this time. His eyes narrowed.

"The archway," David said, turning back to Mark. Rebekah held her breath as Mark fumed. He wasn't mad at Rebekah though, he was mad at David.