Harsh Embrace

Yeah, Tsagi knew a way around the police and SWAT men; he just never said it'd be underground in an abandoned sewer system.

Apparently, the seemingly abandoned construction where Lake Vomit was also had a sewer that I never knew existed. Apparently it was one of the countless attempts the city made to drain Lake Vomit. Surprisingly, it didn't smell anything like Lake Vomit.

"Yeah and that's why this sewer is considered a failure," Tsagi said. "For some reason, the water from Lake Vomit never came through here when they released the valve,"

"Valve?"

Tsagi shot me a 'duh' look. "How else do you think they were gonna move all that water? Anyways, if my guess is correct, we go through this sewer and pop right back out not too far from the neighborhood,"

"And if your guess is wrong?"

Tsagi grinned proudly. "I'm never wrong!"

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "On with it, then!"

The sewer was approximately 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide, so we had no need to crouch and just booked it. Tsagi ran full speed ahead of me while I paced behind him, our pants echoed throughout the sewer as we ran, and my footsteps reverbed throughout the tunnel.

As I had guess, the entire tunnel was extremely clean. Only a few cobwebs and bugs were seen, but excluding that, this was a well-preserved drainage or sewage system.

After a few minutes of running, it had began to feel like there was no end to the tunnel. The athletic Tsagi had no problem absolutely dominating the tunnel and sprinting continuously at full speed while I could barely keep up. I was athletic, yes, but just not to the same extent as him.

"Don't stop running, I think I see a light!" Tsagi shouted.

Since I was behind him, I couldn't really see for myself the light he was talking about but I decided to trust him and continue running.

"How much further?"

"Uhh, not that far up I think…"

After running for what felt like an entire day, my pace became sluggish. I couldn't breathe and my sides began to ache, but nonetheless I kept running. For my family, for everything I loved, I had to keep running.

"Light up ahead!" Tsagi shouted again.

As we approached the source of the light, the tunnel widened, revealing a small opening that led to the surface. Gasping for breath, I followed Tsagi's lead and emerged into the cool moonlight. It took a while for my eyes to get adjusted to the light, but when it did, we found ourselves in a secluded alley, hidden away from prying eyes.

The air felt fresher, and the sounds of the city filled our ears. Tsagi and I exchanged a triumphant glance, knowing we had successfully evaded the authorities. And luckily, I recognized this alleyway; my house was just a walk down from here.

"Ezra…look behind you…"

I turned around and saw, to my horror, rows upon rows of houses up in flames. It looked like a hellscape, the rows upon rows of houses engulfed in flames. The weird thing is, I couldn't feel the heat from it. Maybe I was hot from running and that was why, but something felt off about this fire.

"We have to keep moving," Tsagi said. "Your house is a walk down from here, right?"

Still mesmerized by the flames, it took me a while to gather my words. "Y-Yeah…let's go,"

I nodded numbly, still in shock from the sight of the raging inferno. As Tsagi and I hurried down the alleyway, the flames seemed to dance in the corner of my vision, their orange glow casting eerie shadows all around us.

The closer we got to my neighborhood, the stronger the smell of smoke became. But there was something strange - I couldn't feel the scorching heat that typically accompanies such a massive blaze. An unnatural chill ran down my spine as we broke into a sprint.

When we emerged onto the street, the full horror of the scene was revealed. My neighborhood was engulfed in an all-consuming fire that seemed to swallow up everything in its path. Windows exploded as the flames consumed the insides of homes, raining shards of glass onto the pavement.

Disturbingly, there were no fire trucks or firefighters battling to contain the inferno. We seemed to be the only souls on these streets. As I scanned the area in a panic, searching desperately for any signs of life, Tsagi grabbed my arm.

"We have to go, it's not safe," he urged, his face sweaty and riddled with guilt. "Shit, this was a terrible idea.."

I knew he was right, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the nightmare unfolding before me. My home, and everyone in it, was being devoured by those strange blue-tinged flames that gave off no heat. Just then, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the night, shaking me to my core.

A familiar scream.

"Tsagi…TSAGI, SHE'S IN THERE! SHE'S IN THERE!"

As I was about charge into my burning home, Tsagi grabbed me.

Tsagi's grip on my arm was like an iron vice, holding me back from recklessly rushing into the inferno.

"Ezra, no! It's too late, the whole place is engulfed. You go in there and you'll die too, dammit!" His words cut through the panic and desperation that gripped me, but I still struggled against his hold, desperate to save her.

Another agonized scream rent the air, and I thrashed wildly, nearly breaking free of Tsagi's grasp. "I don't care, I have to try! I can't just leave her in there!"

A shot of adrenaline shot through me in an attempt to escape Tsagi's iron grip. I was lost in the panic and I could not think straight; every fiber of my being, every cell in my body, wanted to rush into that fire and save my sister.

Everything else became a blur: me breaking out from Tsagi's grip, running to the flames, Tsagi's ear-splitting cry. It all became a blur as I raced towards the fire. I frantically grabbed a burning wood plank and threw aside with ease and barged into my house.

I scanned the inferno-ridden surroundings, trying to spot my sister.

"CHLOE! CHLOE SHOUT IF YOU CAN HEAR ME! CHLOE!!"

I began to cough and choke, the smoke was finally getting to me. But I wouldn't let that stop me, even through the searing pain in my legs and eye, I kept pushing on. The pain Chloe was going through was worse than mine…

"CHLOE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, SCREAM, SHOUT, DO ANYTHING! CHLOE!!"

I started to lose hope. God forbid Chloe had already…no, no she can't be…I just have to keep looking, keep calling out for her…I can't lose her…

"CHLOE! PLEASE, SAY SOMETHING IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!"

"e-Ezra…?"

Out the corner of my eye, I saw the body of Chloe on the floor near lifeless. Her lower body had been completely burned; her flesh on her legs being charred and the blood surrounding it dried and crunchy. Luckily, her upper body was somewhat intact, except for the massive slash on her chest . I nearly vomited, but I rushed over and held her gently.

"Y-you idiot…" she said. "Why did you come back…?"

"To save you, now let's get out of here,"

That's when common sense dawned on me; I had ran into a burning building with no exit, essentially trapping myself. I cursed myself under my breath, but quickly found out that I couldn't do that as the smoke had begun to fill my lungs.

FuckFuckFuckFuck! I rambled my brain, trying to figure out how to get out. There's got to be a way…

The fire and smoke around me quickly became overstimulating me to the point where I began to feel like I had vertigo. It took a lot of strength just to keep Chloe in my arms and not buckle and yield to the pain.

I heard a snap and a sharp pain emanating from my shoulder, and when I glanced at it, it turned out a metal beam that gone right through my left shoulder.

I finally saw a way out: the window. Without hesitation, I made a dash for the window, and with the last of my strength, threw Chloe out of it.

"Ezra…!" I heard her call. "Big Brother…"

That was the last thing I heard before I lost the ability to hear. I had used the last of my strength to chuck Chloe through the window, and I finally yielded to my wounds. I dropped pathetically to the floor as the last of my strength left my body.

So this is how it all ends, huh…how pathetic.

My vision began to wither as the flames around me got blurrier and blurrier, and I stopped feeling the pain of being burned alive. As life began to fade from my body, I heard the voice of Tsagi screaming my name. My heart dropped, why was he here.

I couldn't cry out, I couldn't move my body, I couldn't even see anymore…

All I could do was die peacefully.

As I closed my eyes for the last time, I felt the cold and breathless hug of death. My body felt like it was dumped in an ice bath filled with liquid nitrogen. In my mind, I said goodbye to my sister I would never see again.

I hope she can forgive me.