I can hear their screams from the other side of a closed door. Pained, treacherous screams that come from the pits of their stomachs.
People holler for help, screaming and pleading for any type of assistance. My stomach bottoms out, tumbling to the ground below me.
"We need to help them," I shout.
Dylan shakes his head. "It's a death wish, Roman. We have to get out of here."
I listen to people screaming, terror and pain filling their voices. Pleading for help, pleading in pain, crying for their loved ones.
Help.
Help.
Help.
Pounding so heavily against the door, like every bit of strength is going into their fists.
I take a step up the stairs, and Dylan's hand wraps around my wrist. I glare over my shoulder at him. "I'm not going to walk out of here knowing these people died, Dylan. Fucking help me."
Pure terror makes his eyes water, and he nods. The rest of the guys rush up the stairs, into the heat, into the fire, the door opens, and a roar of fire billows toward us.
And then it's silence. Like my ears become muted, and I can feel the ground start to shake below me. The ceiling shakes even worse above me. We all freeze, staring at each other. And in one group decision, we grab those that we can, rushing down the stairs.
The cracking grows louder, into a violent roar that fills up every inch of air and space around me.
Life stops.
The entire world…stops.
Luna appears before me. Her face, soft and feminine, smiling at me. Loving me. Her gray eyes staring at me in comfort. She’s younger, just a teenager. No worry or darkness in her eyes. Her soul touches mine, a glow emanating from her hand as she presses it against my chest. I bring my hand up, pressing it over her pale skin. She's warm against me, and even in this heat, her warmth brings me so much comfort. So much safety.
Then her hand separates from my chest, and she turns around, walking off into the distance. Her hair floats around her back, slapping at her waist as she walks. She looks over her shoulder, a soft smile on her face.
It's okay.
"I love you, Roman," she whispers, and I can somehow hear it over the roar of the world around me.
"I love you, Luna," I say back.
Then, there's only darkness.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
LUNA
Istare at the TV, feeling nothing.
Seeing nothing.
Hearing nothing.
Nothing.
My mind is empty, my heart is empty.
My soul? Completely gone.
The phone behind me rings again, but I don't go to pick it up. I picked it up once, knowing it was my mom. She said they're on their way. Driving, they say. No planes. No airports. Everything is shut down. No way to get here. Nothing to do.