"Grrrrrrr" The creature's deafening roar shook the walls, sending tremors through the floor.
"Time to go," Ryan said, as he flings a leg over the window, his movements swift and fluid.
"Fuck," Aria cursed, scrambling to follow, her heart racing with fear.
She climbed over to the window, her hands raising for the rusty sill.
Ryan reached out a hand, grasping her waist, and lifted her onto his lap.
"Careful," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
Aria nodded, not caring about their position as her eyes darted toward the door, which shook violently, as if a body was being thrown against it.
"Grrrrrrr" The sound was heard again and the door wood creaked, splintering under the creature's relentless assault.
Ryan's hand around her loosen "I would jump there," he instructed, pointing towards a damaged balcony.
The gap seemed impossible to reach. Aria's heart skipped a beat at the height.
"Are you insane?" she whispered.
Ryan's dark eyes were onto hers. "Trust me," he said.
Aria took a deep breath and nodded, Ryan lifted her off his lap as he buckled his knees and took off to the balcony.
He landed gracefully on the damaged balcony, his feet thudding onto the metal grating.
He looked up to Aria. "Jump!" he shouted, his voice carrying above the wind.
Aria exhaled sharply, her heart racing, and pushed herself out of the window, securing her backpack.
She sailed through the air, her stomach turning, as Ryan's arms stretched out to catch her.
Time slowed.
Her eyes met Ryan's.
Their gazes held.
Ryan's hands closed around her waist pulling her close and her feet landed on the balcony.
Ryan's chest was the poor soul that absorbed the impact.
"Got you," he whispered.
Aria's face got buried in his shoulder while Ryan's arms wrapped around her, holding her tight.
For a moment, they just stood there.Catching their breath.
"Grrrrrrr"
The creature's roar shattered the calm.
Aria lifted her head upto meet Ryan eyes "Move," he mouthed.
They sprinted across the balcony, their footsteps echoing off the surrounding buildings, the creature's sound waving through the air.
"Come on!" Ryan shouted, grabbing Aria's hand and pulling her along, his grip firm but gentle.
Together, they reached the railing and leapt to the ground, the distance seems to be stretching on forever.
They landed hard, the impact jarring their bones.
Ryan landed on his feet, his knees bent to absorb the shock but his eyes were already scanning their surroundings.
Aria managed to land with one knee on the floor and a hand, her palm was scraping against the rough ground, the pain shooting through her wrist.
"Ow!" she cried out quietly, wincing in pain.
Ryan pulled her up, his hands wrapping around her waist.
"Keep moving!" he urged.
Aria nodded, rubbing her sore knee, the pain already beginning to throb hard, like a pulsing drum. She winced, her eyes quizzing shut for a moment.
"Come on," They took off again, racing through the deserted road, their footsteps echoing off the abandoned buildings.
Aria's gaze swept the area, her eyes widening in dismay.
The road looked dead and devoid of any life, as if the very souls had been sucked out of it.
Cars that she believes to have been made with luxury is now laying burned and left, The cars metels hulls were littering the grounds.
Windows are shattered while tires were blown out, and the car paint is now looking chipped and faded.
The air also reeked of smoke, oil, and char, the acrid smells entwining, choking the life out of the city. Aria's breath got caught up in her throat, her lungs burning from the toxic fumes.
"What happened here?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.
Ryan's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as if the memories themselves were painful.
"Don't you know already?" he replied, his tone laced with a mix of frustration and cautious.
Aria's brow furrowed,the last time she checked earth wasn't this messed up.
"Know what?" she pressed.
Ryan's gaze swept the desolate landscape, ensuring they were alone.
"I will tell you when we get to somewhere safe" he promised.
They kept running, their footsteps pounding the ground, The silence between them growing thick.
Aria's thoughts swirled,What had caused this devastation and how did the world change so quickly, did she die for long.
And who was Ryan, he can't be a normal civilian.
They turned a corner, a city sign that has been creaked in the wind reads
"Welcome to Raven's Peak"
Aria's heart skipped a beat, She knew this place.
So this can't be another universe that she was thinking but why does it look so different from the earth she once knew or did she survive and now is in a coma, she thought.
Ryan glanced over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the rooftops.
"Run!" he barked, grabbing Aria's hands and pulling her along.
"What's going on?" Aria demanded as her body is forcefully drawn.
Ryan's jaw clenched, frustrated from all the questions.
"If you want to survive, I would suggest you shut the fuck up," he growled.
Aria's eyes widened at his harsh tone but Ryan's grip on her hand remained tight as they sprinted down an alley.
Trash cans were crashed to the ground, scattered everywhere.
The creature's roar echoed off the walls, closing in and that's when Aria knew why they were running.
Ryan's eyes darted left and right, searching for an escape.
While Aria's breath were coming out in ragged gasps, Her legs pumping hard in the run.
She was a soldier but this run with no stop was frustrating, she turned her head a little to look at the creature.
Ryan's hand tightened around her wrist.
"Don't look back!" he shouted.
Aria quickly nodded, Her gaze fixed on Ryan's back.
His broad shoulders were squared and His dark hair was whipping in the wind.
Aria's gaze lingered on his profile, strong and determined, but haunted by secrets.
They turned a corner, the city shifting around them.