The smoke vented out of the hole in the circular room.

Florence clenched her fists, rubbing it into her right thigh. The red eyes dotted across the brick wall watched her. The bruises and burns on her face stung her nerves under the skin. The waves rushed in, washing over her feet. In front of her, the humanoid silhouette clad in armor marched out of the bubbling water.

Her swollen ankle and knee wobbled, aching with every inch of movement. She grabbed Jack, who was standing next to her.

Aisling, Stella, Sam, Feno, and Holland lay on the cracked concrete floor and fainted under the spiral staircase.

“I think this will be good practice for you, Florence,” Jack said. “It ain’t much. But it’ll work.”

Florence pointed at herself, widening her eyes.

“Yes, graduation,” Jack said. “You’re an Ability User… unfortunately.”

Florence shrugged, thrusting her hand forward in a stabbing motion at the humanoid silhouette clad in armor.

Jack rubbed the side of his television head. “I ain’t sure what you mean by that?”

A jet of fire sped towards them.

Jack pushed Florence.

The flames crackled past them. The heat lingered on Florence’s skin.

Florence thudded onto her side. Her eardrums rang with crashing waves and the clangs of metal boots. She rubbed the side of her skull, pushing herself up.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor entered through the hole. Blazes of tendrils whipped around in the air from the gaps of its protection. It towered over Florence and Jack.

Florence waved her hands in the air, widening her eyes at Jack.

“What’re you trying to do? Sign languaging that monster to death,” Jack said.

Florence slapped her forehead, stinging her nerves.

The tendrils lashed out, spitting across the air. It emitted wisps of embers.

Florence lifted her apron up and above her head. The blazes blackened the fibers of her clothing.

“Think, Florence.” Jack jabbed his finger at the side of his television head. “What’s your biggest fear?”

Florence raised her eyebrows.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Jack said.

The flames darted towards Florence. Immediately, she rolled out of the way as it scorched the cracked concrete floor.

“I really ain’t ready to be barbecued alive today.” Jack rubbed his lower back. “And I’m sure I ain’t ready to eat one.”

Florence widened her eyes, staring right at Jack.

Jack scrambled onto his feet. “At least, I’m being honest,” he said. “Where’s our leader anyway?”

Florence shook her head, waving her hands. She pointed at her own mouth. Her facial muscles throbbed, freezing in place.

The ground rumbled beneath her, budging her bottom.

The fires slipped in between the fissures, snaking to Florence and Jack.

Florence tumbled backward. From where she just sat, an inferno erupted. It spiraled upwards, scorching the ceiling. The concrete pieces spiraled through the air, shattering against the brick wall.

A blast shoved her. She rolled, colliding into Feno and Holland.

Florence groaned, tapping Feno’s shoulder. But, still, Feno didn’t open her eyes.

The clanging of metal boots rang, approaching closer to Florence from behind.

Florence grabbed and shook Feno on the arms, jerking her head back and forth.

A tug on Florence’s hair pulled her back. Her head slanted up where a shadow cast over her. Standing behind her, the humanoid silhouette clad in armor glared down at her.

“Why’re you with her? Tell me,” the humanoid silhouette clad in armor said.

Florence yelped, catching it in her throat. Her muscles tensed.

An eerie silence filled the room as the flames crackled.

A few seconds later, a whistle echoed.

From the corner of her eye, those bodies in olive coats and helmets emerged from the waves. Those bodies marched through the hole in the brick wall as their skin peeled off. Their chest was covered in gun wounds, oozing out blood and pus. Droplets of water dripped down from the bayonet that was stabbed through their bones and muscles. The redness faded away from their eyes. Their mouths gaped wide, crying out loud.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor wheeled around, letting go of Florence’s hair.

Florence froze. Her muscles tensed up. The air exited her lungs. She fell onto her bottom, scrambling across the floor until her back bumped into the brick wall. Her spine shivered. She clenched her heart, inhaling and exhaling acrid smoke.

The bodies charged, tripping with their arms stretched out towards Florence and the humanoid silhouette clad in armor.

Florence closed her eyes, covering her head with her arms.

Fingers wrapped around her shoulder.

She flinched.

“Look at me. Nothing will hurt you,” someone said in a familiar voice. “Because I am here now with you. You are going to be safe.”

She opened her eyes, turning towards the source of that sound. In front of her face, Martine smiled, wrinkles appearing in the corners of her eyes.

Florence sniffed. “How?”

The fires slithered out of the glowing fissures in the concrete, wrapping around those bodies’ legs. A steam hissed as the water evaporated. The olive coats got set in a blaze, burning those bodies to the bone. A putrid stench wafted from the char.

“You see, none of this is your fault,” Martine said. “Sometimes it just happens, and sometimes you cannot do anything about it. But sometimes you just have to do what you can and keep moving forward.”

Some of the bodies fell face-first to the floor. But most forced their way forward, trampling those who went down.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Florence shook her head.

The humanoid silhouette, clad in armor, wheeled around. The body’s knuckles cracked against its head.

The bones snapped, piercing through the skin of those bodies’ arms.

None of them flinched. They stared down the humanoid silhouette clad in armor.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor grunted. A jet of blaze shot out from the gaps of the protection. The fire burned through those bodies, turning them into ashes. But the flames then crackled towards Florence.

Martine lunged, pushing Florence away.

The inferno separated Martine and Florence. Once, it died into wisps, leaving only soot on the brick wall. But… Martine vanished?

Florence slapped her own face. Her mouth and skin dried up. The waves of searing heat unfurled across her skin, boiling her blood. Her nerves shrieked as if she underwent combustion.

The stench of burning cotton filled her nostrils.

Jack dashed. He kicked the humanoid clad in armor between the legs.

A bellow rang.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor dropped to its knee with a clang, covering its crotch.

Florence sank her nails into the ground until her fingers whitened. Her mind raced. Martine… that smile of hers with those wrinkles at the corner of her eyes… no longer could Florence ever talk to her. Or even spoke to her ever again. Could it be possible that… Florence shook her head. She wrapped her brain around her situation, focusing on what must be done now. She chewed her lips, slowing down her heart rate to no avail.

The fire climbed up her apron and dress. Immediately, she gritted her teeth, ripping the lower part of her clothing away and stopping the spread of the flame.

Behind the humanoid silhouette clad in armor, Jack stomped on its back.

“How did you know that?” Florence asked. She let out a shaky breath.

“I can’t hear you,” Jack said. The crack on the screen spread out in his television. “Could you try not to speak? It ain’t because of… you know.”

Florence shrugged.

Jack snapped his finger. “Exactly.”

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor pressed its palms against the concrete floor.

Jack swung his foot again, slamming it into the humanoid silhouette clad in armor between its legs.

The humanoid clad in armor dropped flat, covering its crotch.

“Works like a charm.” The cracks on the screen in Jack’s television head spread. The glass from his monitor fell, shattering on impact. “Anyways… have you figured out how to activate your Ability.”

Florence shook her head, circling her face with her finger.

“I guess… you still figured it out,” Jack said. He placed his knucks on his hip, kicking the humanoid silhouette clad in armor for the third time.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor groaned.

“It ain’t great. But we can’t just keep kicking his nuts every single time,” Jack said.

Florence stumbled onto her feet. Her legs trembled. She waved her hands around, pointing at the hole in the brick wall that led into the ocean.

“I mean, what else are we going to do? Fly?” Jack rubbed his lower back. “Of course, our exit is through there.”

Florence pushed her hair back, rustling it.

“What? It ain’t that bad,” Jack said.

Florence crouched, breathing in and out. The acrid fumes stung her throat. She stood back up, brushing her dress.

A tap on her foot sent shivers up her spine. She tilted her head down.

Feno somehow dragged herself across the ground without Florence noticing. Then, with her hands stretched out, Feno poked Florence on the toe.

Florence kneeled, patting Feno’s head.

“This took longer than expected,” Feno said. “Also… what exactly happened?”

A static played on the screen of Jack’s television head. “It’s a long story. And believe me when I say that.”

He punted the humanoid silhouette clad in armor on the crotch… again.

A howl rang throughout the circular room.

Florence placed her hands in front of her, spreading her fingers apart.

“So, you want me to stop? Or do you want me to give you a high five?” Jack asked.

Florence raised her eyebrow.

“Of course, she meant it as in stopping kicking that monster in that area,” Feno said. “It couldn’t have any children at this rate.”

Jack scratched the side of his television head. “Are you sure that it can have offspring?”

“Fair enough.”

“Because if it can, I do not want to find out what its children could do with fire.”

Florence coughed, limping towards Aisling, Yuze, Stella, and Sam, who still lay on the concrete floor. She glanced over her shoulder.

Jack raised his foot above the crotch of the humanoid silhouette clad in armor.

A bright orange glow exploded behind Florence. A wave of heat propelled her, rolling towards Aisling.

Jack flew across the room from the eruption, spinning through the air. His television head smacked onto the center of the room.

The pressure of that moment thrust Feno and Holland through the brick wall. The rubbles splashed into the waves, and flames engulfed Feno. She and Holland submerged into the water.

Florence bit her lips, pulling Aisling to her feet. Then Florence carried Aisling, limping towards Yuze, Stella, and Sam.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor stood up, stomping closer to Florence and Aisling.

The tendrils of flames lashed out. It spat in front of Florence, blocking her path.

The clanging of metal boots rang behind her.

She spun around.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor towered over Florence and Aisling, casting a shadow over them. It wrapped its fingers around Florence’s neck.

Florence choked, gasping for breath. Her feet lifted off the ground. Her grasp on Aisling softened.

“Why? Tell me,” the humanoid silhouette clad in armor said.

Florence kicked the humanoid silhouette clad in armor between its legs.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor roared, falling to its knees. It clenched its crotch, releasing its grip on Florence.

Florence dropped to her bottom with a thud. She dragged herself, carrying Aisling. Florence inched nearer to Yuze, Stella, and Sam, who still fainted on the concrete floor.

The humanoid silhouette clad in armor charged at Florence. Smokes vented through the gaps of its armor as the whips of blazes slithered out.

Florence picked up her pace. Her swollen ankle and knee screamed at her with each limping step.

A spear of fire propelled towards her.

She ducked. The projectile flew past her in a spat. She tripped, sliding her face across the ground toward Yuze, Stella, and Sam.

Above them, the spiral staircase creaked.

Florence glanced up, scooping Sam under his belly. She wrapped her other arm around Yuze and Stella, lugging them over her shoulders.

The tendrils of flames pulled at the supports for the steps, and in the blink of an eye, the stairs collapsed.

Florence tripped, dodging the debris that clattered behind her. Her muscles ached. The extra weight on top crushed her.

A static played on Jack’s television screen as he cracked his knuckles, pulling himself up.

Florence crawled towards the waves, rushing through a hole in the brick wall. Her nails clawed at the concrete floor as it trembled, and the stomping of metal boots inched closer behind her.

A grip tightened on the back of her neck, burning the fingerprints on her skin.

“Where do you think you’re going? Tell me,” the humanoid silhouette clad in armor said. It lifted Florence, pushing Aisling, Yuze, Stella, and Sam away.

She screamed. Her leg swayed, clinking on the armor.

Jack dashed forward. His fist cracked against the plating on the humanoid silhouette’s neck. He kicked the humanoid silhouette clad in armor on the ankle, tripping it.

The grip on Florence slipped away. She twirled upwards through the air, crashing back down on the Aisling.

A clang shook the concrete floor.

Florence pushed herself to her feet. She hauled Aisling and Stella.

Jack ran over to her side. He wrapped his arms around Yuze and Sam, carrying them towards the hole in the brick wall.

Florence gritted her teeth as she followed right behind Jack.

A whistle echoed.

The waves lapped on their feet. The bubbles emerged from the liquid surfaces.

Jack tossed himself into the water with a splash, dragging Yuze and Sam into the ocean.

The hands with skin peeling off emerged from the tide. It gripped Jack, Yuze, and Sam. They sank into the depths.

Florence limped knee-deep toward the waves. She set Aisling and Stella floating on the bubbling sea. The fingers surfaced, clawing their nails at Florence, Aisling, and Stella.

A bright glow burned behind Florence.

She glanced over her shoulder.

A jet of blaze scorched her back.

She collapsed face-first in a splash. She submerged deeper into the sea, holding tightly onto Aisling and Stella.

The water flooded Florence’s mouth. A salty flavor exploded in her tongue.

Everything around her faded into darkness, stinging her skin.

Someone’s voice echoed in her ear canal. It said, “Stella… wake up.”