Chasing Shadows | ✓

Part Two: Chapter Eleven

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two souls don't find each

other by simple accident

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BLACK SMOKE SWIRLED AROUND ME, OBSCURING MY VISION.

My lungs contracted with such a strong force that I was afraid they would collapse into themselves. The seat-belt of the car dug into my skin painfully, but I couldn't seem to move. Mu body was frozen - whether in fright or otherwise, I wasn't sure. I could only watch through frightened eyes as the windshield glass suddenly shattered, like a waterfall cascading down on me. Small particles of glass pierced my skin all over, prickling into my skin. My mouth opened to let rip a scream, but nothing came out.

Flames burned a ferocious red and amber, almost a livid purple around me. They jumped up into the air, licking the wind and flickering from left to right. The nascent fire played amid the kindling like a child with a new toy, its flames leapt in excitement, its quiet crackling like giggling in the woods. My heart thundered inside my chest the closer they got - only inches from my trapped body.

Like lightening had struck the car, the thick smell of smoke and gas filled my nose. I let out a forced cough, the smell clogging in my throat. My body ached, a stabbing pain in my leg, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't speak nor move a single inch.

"NATALIA!"

Blood welled into my throat from the tongue I had bitten down on. Colorful spots contoured the sides of my eyes, my body threatening to give out from the pain. The voice that called out my name sounded familiar; so close, yet so far away.

"NATALIA! I'M HERE!"

A plume of fire exploded into the blackness, the flame rolling outwards like the smoke of a mushroom cloud. I let out a tortured cry as I was pushed back into my seat, flickers of flame landing on my extended leg. This time, I let rip a scream so loud, my brain feeling like it was being shredded from the inside. My body jerked from side to side with every roll of the car, feeling like I was being crumpled like a piece of paper.

And as more thick smoke flowed into my lungs, my eyes began to flutter shut as pain completely overtook my senses, and everything went dark.

***

"What are you thinking about?"

I sat curled up in a pool of soft blankets on my couch, with Travis sitting cross-legged on the floor below me. His black hoodie was far too big for him, flowing over him like a blanket, and his curly-wavy hair was pushed back, but a few shorter strands fell down, stopping just above his eyes. I smiled internally at the way he was sat, gazing up at me with bright, wide eyes, looking so innocent. Strangely, he looked both young and old at the same time with his dark eyes filled with obvious pain and hidden trauma, that glistened in the tiny haze of light that radiated out off the small, flickering flame of the candle.

"Huh?" I blinked.

"Everything alright?" he asked, and quickly frowned at my stretching silence, "Are you feeling okay? Do you need something?"

"No, no," I shook my head when he went to stand up, "I'm just thinking, I guess."

Although not often, there were times that I felt like the entire world was slowly disappearing in front of me. Or maybe it was me who was fading away; I wasn't sure. Either way, it was moments like these that my lungs felt empty and burned; my heart hitting against my chest so hard, I was afraid it would break my ribs.