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Left!
Again, I freeze, my heart pounding in my ears. This is probably a sign that I’ve breathed in far too much smoke, but what the heck?
I turn left, cautiously making my way through the debris.
Right.
Again, I obey.
This continues on for some time. The voice, orecho,telling me which way to go, and me obeying it.
Waving a hand in front of my face as a particularly thick waft of smoke billows around me, I stop mid-wave to squint through the haze.
A soft ray of early morning sunlight filters through the dust to rest on soft auburn-colored hair lying among the ashes.
“Luci,” I breathe, stumbling toward him.
Thankfully, in real life, the ashes don’t pull me under as I collapse to my knees next to Luci’s body. Tentatively, I reach out to turn his face toward me, the stillness of his face more terrifying than anything.
“Luci?” I whisper, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. “Luci, please, please don’t be dead.”
He doesn’t move as I look around frantically for something to help. Of course, there’s nothing but smoke and debris, what remains of the building creaking and groaning as small fires crackle.
My hand moves from his face down to his bare chest as I lean forward to press my head to heart.
Nothing.
My own heart skips a beat in my chest as I will myself to hear something.
Still, nothing.
We were too late.Iwas too late.
“I’m so sorry,” I say in defeat, dropping back onto my heels as I stare in open-mouthed shock at Luci’s motionless body.
My heart aches as I imagine how he must have felt. How alone. How broken.
Once again, I reach out and gently caress his face with my hand. My thumb brushing ash and soot from his cheek as my eyes search his face, lingering on his lips.
Leaning forward, the smoke and ash blowing over his body, I close my eyes as I press my lips tenderly to Luci’s. A spark passes between us, and I pull back as his eyes slowly open to look up at me.
“Evi?”
“You’re alive,” I gasp.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m exactly where I need to be.” Luci struggles to keep his eyes open as I lean over him, his focus growing more distant by the second. “Please, Lucien, let me help you.”
“Lucien,” he says with a half-smile. “She always called me that.”
“I know,” I say giving him a soft smile. “She sent me.”
His eyes shift to me, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“Anna? How?”
“Yes, she led me to you, Luci. She wants me to save you.”
