Aᴘʀɪʟ 2, 2024
"Alan." Alexa states and the redheaded, freckled face boy turns to his team and signals for them to put on their gasmasks. "Phillip." He waves to his group and they spread out into the church with blowtorches. Thunder claps above after a flash of lightening brightens the place. "Hurry up and let's get this over with."
She stands at the doorpost, machine gun out and her hood pulled back, watching Alan get to work and Phillip on standby. Their plan is to drop smoke bombs down the trap hole after breaking open the door. The noise itself would get their target's attention, but by the time they should move, it would be too foggy for them to see and Alan's group will go in and take them out. When all is taken care of, Phillip and his crew will burn the place down with the bodies.
What will Alexa do? Nothing. She has always done something and decides that it's their time to shine now, plus it's graduation. They deserve to shine. She stands at the entrance on lookout.
A girl comes forward from Alan's side and shoots up the old would of the trapdoor, before kicking it in. The smoke bombs are let loose down the hole, canister after canister, clanging against one another and on the metal ladder.
There's a flash of light through the windows and open doors, followed by the everlasting roll of thunder. Gunshots pierce the air of the cold night, bullet after bullet, as the targets whip out guns of their own shooting in confusion.
Probably killing each other.
Everyone else stands aside, patiently waiting their turn.
"They're falling back, so we're going in!" Alan announces, then jumps down into the thick smoke first, the rest follows and the distant sound of bullets begin again.
Alexa looks at Phillip who lights up his torch, which the others do in sync. Anything flammable that their eye catches are set to burn.
The rain comes, beating on the rotten, wooden roof of the church and some parts inside that aren't covered at all, immediately gets wet. Phillipeño curses, throwing his hands beneath his cloak. He calls out to his team as the rain washes away their work and they spread out, heading to the back in search for gasoline.
"You might not find any. They keep everything underground." Alexa announces and the boy shrugs.
"It doesn't hurt looking, does it?"
For a second, she sighs when he uses almost the same words he said to her earlier before Petro called the meeting. "Lexy, let's run away on the mission," he had pleaded, "together."
"Why? It wouldn't make any sense. Today is our last day, then we'll be free."
"He'll still be able to know our whereabouts. We're not free, we're just privileged."
"Phillip, no."
"Katya did it successfully, why can't we?! I don't want to be here anymore, Lex! I want Petro Moskal out of my life for good!" She stared up at him with wide eyes when he grabbed her shoulders. "It wouldn't hurt to try, would it?"
"Would it?" She thinks aloud.
Suddenly, the ground grumbles and a vibration runs beneath her feet in the earth. What's this? Lightening streaks across the sky and thunder booms overhead. Alexa is overcome with a fear of the inevitable and as soon as she screams the blind boy's name, a force throws her back.