Samantha's Point-of-View
-Present-day
The impact had knocked the wind out of me. Looking up at the blue sky, it takes me a moment to remember what has happened. Yelling and screaming surround me as I turn my head slightly. Smoke instantly fills my lungs.
I begin violently coughing as I try to turn, but the pain radiates all over my backside. I must've also gotten whiplash because my neck starts to hurt.
Mustering some strength, I turn and look where I have landed. A windshield is wholly shattered underneath me. I landed on someone's Jeep.
Joe had hit the edge of the hood on the same car, backflipped, and fell onto oncoming traffic. I try screaming for him, but no words are coming out. A few vehicles can swerve and miss him while he attempts to stand. He also has a look of confusion on his face—blood coming out of his left ear.
I roll onto my side and touch my nose, feeling something drip down my face. I examine my hand and notice I am bleeding. Looking up, I see how angry the fire is. The first floor is completely engulfed in flames. The same fire is heading to the second floor.
I put my hand up as I feel the heat against my face. Joe staggers as a car skids to a halt, almost hitting him.
Joe makes his way to me, holding the side of his head.
There is also blood on the side of his mouth. His shirt is ripped on his left shoulder, a noticeable gash on the arm near this shoulder. He yells in pain as he throws himself onto the car, grabbing my hand. Joe is so hurt that he isn't able to pull me off.
Just then, a man runs out of the inferno. The bottom portion of his body is covered in flames, screaming in agonizing pain as the flames begin to rise towards his chest.
It must've been the pure adrenaline that makes me pull myself off the car, thanks to Joe's hand. As I pull his arm, he groans in pain.
"I'm so sorry, Joe! I'm sorry!"
I know it's causing him pain, but I have to get off the hood of the car.
When I finally stand, it feels like pins and needles are stabbing me all over my back. I groan as I try to stand tall. The windshield must've cut me. Tears are falling down my cheeks.
"What the hell just happened?! Did a bomb go off?! A gas leak?!" A bystander yells as he runs toward Joe and me!
Joe starts hyperventilating as he looks at his apartment building. The first two floors are entirely engulfed in flames now. I grab onto him as he begins to sway. He looks on in shock as another explosion occurs near the second floor.
"No, Joe! We have to move!" I begin to yell as the heat from the fire starts to sting my skin. We are way too close to the building!
It suddenly becomes harder to breathe. I look around and see a crowd forming. Men, women, and children are all horrified at the scene playing before them.
Just then, a gust of wind starts to blow the black smoke at us, making us both cough. We have to move and fast.
"Ma'am, are you all right?! I saw you hit the car! Is your boyfriend okay?!" A man yells as he begins to yank Joe.
I shake my head. Joe trips and falls as he looks at the body engulfed in flames in front of us. The poor man that ran out of the building lying motionless as the fire continues to burn the skin on his body black.
Sounds of more explosions occur as the flames rise and begin to surround the third and final floor.
Everyone yells and ducks. Realizing we are way too close, I cry out to Joe. "Get up, Joe! Please!"
A civilian runs up to Joe. It takes two men to drag him across the street.
I follow, but I am in so much pain that I trip and fall. A woman rushes to my side and helps me up. She puts her arm around my back as I yell in pain.
When we make it safely across the street, Joe is lying on the ground. He looks at me with wide eyes and shakes his head. Defeated,
I sit then to him.
"Samantha," Joe whispers as the fire continues to engulf the entire apartment building. I put my arms around him as we continue to watch the whole building burn.