Jay's POV
The world had turned into smoke and screaming.
Parents were running.
Some crying.
Some dragging children.
Some frozen.
I couldn't even hear properly. Everything sounded like it was underwater. Muffled. Distorted. Wrong.
But I could see.
And what I saw made my stomach twist.
Some families were safe. I saw my famiky. I saw Keifer's brothers. I saw Chantelle's family being escorted out.
Thank God.
But not everyone made it out.
Students were still inside.
Teachers were shouting instructions.
Section E wasn't running.
We were pulling people out.
Move. Don't think. Just move.
I saw a girl pinned under a fallen pillar. Her leg was trapped.
She was crying.
"I can't feel my leg… I can't feel it…"
"It's okay," I said, though my hands were shaking. "You're okay."
Am I lying?
I tried lifting the pillar.
It didn't move.
Come on. Move.
Why is it so heavy?!
My arms trembled.
Then suddenly Keifer was beside me. Adrian too.
"We've got it," Keifer said.
His voice was steady.
How is he so steady?
Adrian helped lift while I pulled the girl's arm. With a final shove, the weight shifted.
She screamed.
Then she was free.
Adrian lifted her carefully. "I'll take her out."
Before I could even breathe—
BOOM.
Another explosion.
The ground shook.
I stumbled—
And Keifer pulled me into him.
He turned his back to the blast.
Shielding me.
Heat slammed into us.
His arms tightened around my head.
Why is he protecting me first?
We pulled apart.
Then I heard it.
Crying.
Small. Thin. Terrified.
A child.
"I hear something," I said.
Keifer looked at me.
He heard it too.
We followed the sound through smoke and broken chairs.
Under a collapsed table were two small figures.
Twins.
A boy and a girl.
Maybe seven years old.
They were crying so hard they couldn't even breathe properly.
"It's okay," I knelt down. "We're here."
There were pillars and tables blocking the way.
Keifer and I started clearing them.
Wood scraping.
Metal screeching.
My hands burned.
Don't think about the pain.
Just move.
Finally I crawled under the table.
"It's okay," I whispered again. "Big sister is here."
Why am I saying that? Why does it feel so real?
I pulled them out one by one.
Drew, Felix, and Endrix rushed over.
"Take them!" I said.
Felix grabbed the girl. Drew lifted the boy.
They ran.
Good. Good. They're safe.
We kept moving.
I saw David and Ciel helping someone whose arm was bleeding badly.
Keifer and I joined them.
Pull. Lift. Drag. Guide.
Every second felt like ten.
Finally…
We were out.
Smoke pouring from the hall.
Sirens everywhere.
Then a woman ran forward.
"My son!" she cried. "He's not here! He's still inside!"
Her voice cracked.
The kind of crack that tears your heart.
I walked to her.
"Where did you last see him?"
"The cafeteria…"
Cafeteria.
Section E looked at me.
"What now?" Yuri asked.
I didn't hesitate.
"I'll go."
Aries grabbed my wrist.
"You can't go back in! You're already hurt!"
Hurt?
I looked down.
My arms were scratched.
There was blood on my dress.
When did that happen?
"Don't look," Keifer said quickly. "There's blood."
Aries' grip tightened.
"Jay—"
"Let me go," I said softly. "I'll be back."
Will I?
I pulled my hand free.
Then I ran back inside.
Ignoring the voices screaming my name.
Smoke swallowed me.
The air burned my throat.
Another explosion rocked the building.
I bent low.
How many bombs did she plant?
How far is this going to go?
I forced myself forward.
Step by step.
"Hello?! Is anyone here?!" I shouted.
Silence.
Then—
"I'm here…" a weak voice answered.
Relief flooded me.
I followed the sound.
Through the haze I saw a boy pinned by something heavy on his hand.
I couldn't see his face clearly.
"Please… help me… I can't move…"
I knelt.
It was heavy but not crushing his bones completely.
"On three," I said.
He nodded weakly.
"One… two… three!"
We pushed together.
It lifted enough.
He pulled his hand free.
He gasped in pain.
"Come on," I said, wrapping his arm over my shoulder.
He was heavier than he looked.
My legs felt shaky.
Don't collapse. Not now.
We moved slowly.
Another explosion.
The building groaned.
Are we too late?
I finally saw the entrance door through the smoke.
I waved.
A firefighter ran in and took the boy from me.
Good.
He's safe.
I turned to leave.
Then—
My dress caught on something.
I looked back.
A nail had pierced through the fabric.
Seriously?!
I tugged.
It wouldn't move.
I pulled harder.
Then I saw it.
Behind the door.
Another bomb.
Are you kidding me?
How many bombs did that bitch put here?!
My heart pounded so loudly I could hear it over everything.
I yanked my dress free.
It tore.
I didn't care.
I ran.
The gate was right there.
Outside, people were watching.
"MOVE BACK!" I screamed. "EVERYONE MOVE BACK!"
They started stepping away.
I crossed the gate.
One more step.
Then—
BOOM.
The explosion hit.
Heat swallowed me.
The force threw me forward.
The world turned white.
Then black.
I hit the ground hard.
Pain exploded through my body.
Sharp. Burning.
My ears rang.
I couldn't hear anything.
Just a high, endless ringing.
Am I alive?
I tried to move.
Nothing responded.
Voices.
Distant.
Calling my name.
"Jay!"
"Jay wake up !"
"JAY!"
"JASPER JEAN MARIANO !"
"Jay we still have fun things to do "
"Jay-jay !"
"Miss Mariano !"
"Jay dont!"
"JAY!"
The voices sounded far away.
Like they were fading.
Why is it getting quiet?
Why can't I open my eyes?
Don't sleep.
Don't sleep.
Stay awake.
But everything was getting darker.
The voices…
Fading.
And then—
Nothing.
End of Chapter 75🔥