Chapter 15
Chapter 15
I overslept. I know that because an alarm and blinking lights wake me up. A robotic voice calls out a time, warning of something to come. My magic is going crazy so whatever it is, it must be bad.
Asher isn't in the room with me but I hear running feet in the hallway. Voices are shouting out in fear, most clustered in a room near the elevators. I grab my bags, snapping my backpack in place, hoisting the gym bag over my shoulder and looping a belt through it and the messenger bag so I wont drop them.
I find most of the group huddled in the computer room, looking around in a panic. They're all just standing around like fools. What are they even waiting for?
The doctor has already given up, you can tell just by looking at him. He's not even pretending to help them, he's just waiting to die. How do they not see it? Don't any of them have ANY survival instincts?
With an annoyed huff, I push through to where Asher is curled in a chair being ignored. I guess that since he isn't theirs, they just don't care. He shouts my name the moment he sees me, nearly falling out of the chair in his haste to leap to me. I catch him, holding him easily although his foot does kick the gym bag to swing.
"We're leaving," I tell the group, pushing back through them with Asher held tight. "Everyone should leave NOW!"
"We wait for Rick to get back," Mrs. Lori snaps angrily, actually trying to grab at my backpack to stop me.
I throw her an incredulous glare, channeling professor Snape's scathing tone, "This is NOT a fairytale, Mrs. Lori, where we wait for prince charming to arrive on a white stead. Either save yourself or die but you will NOT kill me and mine!"
Merle, Daryl, Rick, and two others run up then. Merle give me an odd look, "Ya alright, kid?"
"Run while you can, Merle, because we don't have much time."
Mr. Rick looks panicked at the group as he admits that there is no fuel and the generators are dry. Lori grips his arm, asking what they should do. The others are looking at him, just as lost.
"You go, we'll catch up, kid," Merle nudges Daryl, the both of them racing down the hall to the rooms.
I shove open the door to the stairs, shouting back, "Just Run already! You can't stop whatever it is so RUN!"
Asher keeps his face buried against my neck as I start up the stairs. The lights are still flashing, a robotic voice counting down. My magic keeps crackling nervously, urging me to go faster.
I'm huffing and red faced by the time I burst out into the lobby on the ground floor. I still don't slow down. I race away only to panic at the thick crowd of dead banging on the glass doors and windows all around us.
Bloody Hell! How are we supposed to get past them?
The lobby is empty, nothing here to help us except the guns I found on the bodies before we came in still piled up near the elevator where the dr made us leave them. Even if they are all full of bullets, it won't be enough. There are too many, all pressed too close.
I look around but there isnt anything here to help us. I NEED to do something. How do I get us out of here? How do I get rid of this many dead?
The elevator hums to life so it seems the others are finally trying to leave. I was honestly starting to wonder if they were planning to stay and die here. It might actually be better because none of them are survivors. They're too sheltered to survive long with the world is as it is. Still, if they're going to try, maybe they can get better.
I still have time, if I'm quick. Bombarda is a destructive spell. It's a punch of concentrated power, an unstoppable strike that can shatter stone and break steel. It could easily take out the glass and several of the dead. It would also leave an enormous opening for the dead to rush through.
I have strong magic. I know that I do. I cast a corporal patronus last year, something many adults can't do. I have the power, I just have to direct it. If I power the spell enough, like how I scared away the dementors, maybe I can destroy enough of the dead to give us a chance.
Shifting Asher a bit more to my left, I draw my wand. What did Hermione say? "You magic is connected to your emotions. All you have to do is visualize it, believe it, and you can do it."
Letting my breath out, I cast the spell. My magic surges forward, as fast and fierce as a bludger. Normally, you cast and release but I don't this time. Instead I push and push, feeling it swells as it speeds forward.
It grows larger, stronger, taking out the double doors and a good portion of the ceiling. I keep pushing, feeling my magic straining as it barrels through the crowd, completely destroying all in its direct path. It rolls outward, digging deeper and spreading wider. Only when it's rolled the length of half the courtyard outside do I release the spell, letting it wither out.
The elevator dings, doors opening and the group spilling out with Merle and Daryl in the lead. They all stumble to a stop, eyeing the destruction with fear and befundlement. I point at the guns, telling them to grab them and get moving. Mother of all surprises, they actually listen.
I race out, not waiting for the others. Merle shouts for me to get to the truck and for Daryl to drive. The others are shouting back and forth. Somehow, we get everyone in a vehicle and speed off, only barely outrunning the explosion that leaves a crater where the building once stood.
"So, kid, what exactly did ya do to make that much damage?"
Should I tell them the truth? Should I lie? They're good people, rough and wild but good. If I travel with them...
"Only, I've seen lots of things, 'specially when I served, but I ain't never seen nothing do that."
The group is dangerous in the worst ways. They're too sheltered. They want someone to save them when they should be learning to save their selves. They're focused on their drama and not even trying to really work together like a team.
But the brothers, they are strong. They adapt. They will survive.
And, maybe... maybe they can be part of my group. If I can trust them.
"Magic," I answer simply, "I have magic."