Chapter four

Rowan and Griffin pushed through the crowd of people trying to leave the premises, others knocking their fellow neighbors down while trying to escape to their cars.

Neither Griffin nor Rowan had a car or a bike, so they had to find some other way out of the city.

Suddenly, Rowan felt Griffin's hand grab hers. "Rowan, where are we going? What's our plan to leave?"

Rowan stopped and looked back at him for a split second.

"Just trust me."

Letting go of his hand and holding onto her backpack strap, Rowan splashed along the flooded sidewalk until she bumped into a girl about her age, sending her toppling over until Rowan grabbed her wrist.

The girl's long blonde hair was tied up into a high ponytail, her features cloudy under the dark weather.

But, from what Rowan could see, her blue eyes were flashing with anger.

Yanking her wrist from Rowan's grasp, she stumbled backwards, holding on to her backpack and staring at her angrily.

"Watch it, idiot! Some of us have places to go too!"

"Well, I can't help that /some of us/ are moving like MOLASSES in JANUARY!"

Rowan clapped back.

"Oh, and also, if I hadn't grabbed your delicate little wrist in time, you would've fallen and broken your neck!"

Just as the blonde girl was about to spit out another insult, Griffin cut her off.

"Lauren? What are you doing out here? Where are your parents?"

Coming to a realization, the blonde girl, now supposedly called Lauren, looked back at Griffin.

Rowan looked at Lauren for a second before bringing her gaze back to Griffin.

"You know this angsty girl?"

Lauren shot a fiery glance at Rowan and balled her fists up.

"/Angsty/? Seriously?"

Rowan rolled her eyes and waited for Griffin's reply.

Griffin shook his head and sighed.

"I know her from school, but we have to go. The water's rising and we have to find some source of shelter. Lauren, you're coming with us."

"Thanks, I'm g-"

Before Lauren could finish her sentence, Griffin was taking off down the sidewalk.

Rowan looked at Lauren for a split second and grabbed her hand, running after Griffin.

"I said I'm fine on my own! Leave me alone!"

Rowan looked back at her and yelled, "We're not leaving you here alone! Griffin knows you and obviously cares, and 'safety in numbers' is a phrase for a reason!"

Lauren stopped trying to get free for a second, as if pondering her thoughts.

She suddenly let her hand relax and was running along swiftly with Rowan and Griffin.

Even through the dark clouds, Rowan could tell that the sun was going down.

They'd better stop for the night.

Coming up on a building that seemed to be high and sturdy enough to go inside of, Rowan, Griffin and Lauren stepped in cautiously.

"Seems safe enough, but the water is coming up around the door. We'd better head upstairs," Rowan said.

Jogging up the stairs and looking around, the three teenagers' muscles relaxed and realized that they were safe.

For now, at least.

Rowan walked around the area, looking through the window that filtered some of the light from outside, just enough for them to navigate their way around.

How they were going to get out, she didn't know.

But at least they could take a breathing moment for now.

So who was this Lauren?

Obviously an acquaintance of Griffin's, but Rowan had never heard him mention any Lauren's.

Glancing at her, Rowan realized she had her arms wrapped around her knees, staring at the floor, Griffin beside her.

She was scared.

Rowan felt a stab of pity for her in her stomach.

Even though she didn't like this girl very much already, she walked over and sat on the other side of her.

Griffin was whispering something to her.

Rowan barely heard it.

"It's gonna be fine. I'm here for you."