Schism

Chapter 31 part 2

It was dark inside, or it looked that way through the dirty window.  Harold made out the children first, near the center of the big room.  Then one of Jared's men stepped in front of them, machine gun held to his shoulder.

Harold felt the gunpowder spark to life inside the bullets before he saw the muzzle flash, heard the popping noise or felt the urge to duck under the window.  Each charge of powder exploded into a brilliant release of potential that sent the bullet speeding down the muzzle.  But it was only part of what it could be.  Harold felt that as well.  He could have pulled more from it, could have set the bullet ablaze on its way out of the gun.

Before he was pulled further into the tiny bits of energy inside the bullets, he saw a blur inside the building.  It was the man that Jared's friends had been aiming at.  He ran along the wall, away from the children and near the open door.  A line of bullets crashed into the wall behind him, left little clouds of dust in the air.

When the bullets stopped, the man changed directions and ran around Jared's soldier toward the children, slowing as he neared them.  Without warning, the man switched again and charged back toward the shooter.  Harold watched the gun tumble to the ground as the soldier pulled a bottle from his pocket.  It was one that Harold had made.

He threw it to the ground and it exploded beautifully.  Harold closed his eyes and soaked in the feeling of the gasoline burning.  He pushed his senses out into it, added to it and the flames surged higher into the air.

"He's stopped.  Harold."  Jared's voice pulled his eyes open.  Harold looked over at Jared, who pointed into the building.  Harold looked in again.

The new fire burned between the children and the sliding door.  The man had stepped back away from it and the soldier to stop by the children.  Harold tried to stand even higher on his toes to get closer to the glass, to see what the man was doing.

He was pulling something away from the first child in line.  His arms moved so fast, looked so strong that Harold couldn't believe it.  If he turned toward the window and came after them, Harold was sure there was nothing he or Jared could do.  The man could kill them instantly.

The child tumbled to the ground and the man started on the next one.  He was untying them, ripping off the tape and rope that held them to the metal folding chairs.  He was killing Jared's men, but saving the children.  Harold couldn't understand why.

"Harold.  Now."

Harold turned to Jared, stared a moment, then nodded.  He looked back inside.  The man dumped another child on the floor and stood up straight.  Past him, on the far side of the captives, another of Jared's soldiers ran out of the shadows, bomb in hand.  He threw it.  It tumbled directly towards the children.

The man Jared wanted dead picked up one of the chairs and threw it overhand.  It struck the flying bottle in the air and another wave of energy washed through Harold's outstretched senses.  He felt it as some of the burning gel splashed onto the soldier and began to consume his clothing.

It was exciting, but Harold felt his heart speed up from fear instead.  The man had moved so fast he must have known the bottle was coming.

"Harold.  Burn him."

This time, Harold didn't turn away.  His breath turned into fast gulps, but he tried to pull his senses in, to focus them on the man. 

As he did, he saw the man turn, face him.  For a long second, the man stared at him, then he picked up the second chair and hurled it directly at the window.

Jared pulled Harold down and covered him as the chair crashed out and sent glass splinters tumbling over the sidewalk and street.  Harold stayed down low, felt Jared stand up after a moment and brush glass off his back.  He heard Jared breathing hard and fast.  Was he frightened, too?

"Damn it."  Jared's voice was quiet.  Harold wondered if he was even meant to hear it.  He realized Jared might be angry at him.  He had been scared.  He hadn't burned the man the way he was supposed to.  And if he didn't do that, he might not get Jared's help with Jess.

Jared pulled on his sleeve.  "Come on.  We have to hurry."

He had to do something.  He had to.

"No.  Wait," he said.  He put his hands against the concrete blocks and felt inside the building…the flaking paint on the inside walls, the oil and dust on the floor.  They were the strongest.  They would go first, and would carry the rest of the building with them.

He started right under the window, felt down inside the paint, the grime on the floor.  He pushed into it, into its smallest parts.  There, the energy was waiting.  He pushed it, tugged at it.

It answered him.

Beside him, Jared jumped back as orange, red and yellow light poured out of the window in a wash of heat.  Harold tested a small smile, and Jared returned it.

*

(Author’s note:  Is this it for William?  Check out the rest of chapter 31 to see…)