20 Chapter 20

"Congratulations," a middle-aged woman says as she pulls me up into a standing position. "You did it, how are you feeling?"

"I-" I begin, wanting to say I'm okay. But as I look down and see my home, my parents, my friends going up in flames, I can't choke the words out.

"Quinn..." she says softly. "You did the right thing. I know it's hard."

Shaking my head, I slump against the wall, holding my head in my hands and rocking back and forth. They're gone. Every last one of them. I don't know how long it takes to get back to the building; it could be five minutes, it could be five hours. Once we arrive, she grabs my arm, "Come on. Let's get you inside."

I shake my head once more, pulling away. It's all gone. Surprisingly, she doesn't protest, just mutters a few hushed words to a man in a black suit, who promptly nods and disappears into the building. A few minutes later, he returns, his hand clasped firmly on Thomas's upper arm. As soon as he sees me, he wrenches out of the man's grasp and runs towards me. "Thank God..." he mutters, sitting across from me and looking me over. "You're alright? You're not hurt? If they hurt you..." he starts, clenching his teeth slightly.

"Thomas," I interject softly, looking up at him with tears in my eyes. "I'm okay."

He says nothing, only wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a tight embrace. Somehow that speaks more than words can. He's the only person here that gets it; he lost everything too. "Dammit," I mutter as tears come to my eyes. "I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"It was for the best," he replies soothingly. "It's okay. I promise. We're safe now, right?"

I look down, shaking slightly. I killed everyone. How do people live with this kind of guilt? Thomas must sense what I'm thinking because he cups my face in his hands, whispering softly, "Hey. Hey, it's gonna be okay. None of this is your fault, right?"

I can't help but feel that it is.

avataravatar