"Jamal?"
"Jamal, is that you?" Her voice trembled.
"Eli…"
Before I could say her name again, she rushed at me, tears streaming down her face. She held me so tightly I could barely breathe.
"Ouch, you're hurting me," a small voice whispered between us, soft and delicate.
We both chuckled in embarrassment.
"Oh, sorry," Eliana apologized, loosening her grip. She turned her attention to the little girl between us, scooping her gently into her arms, releasing her from mine.
"What's your name, little one?"
I stumbled slightly, still healing from my wounds. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around both of them, pressing my forehead to Eliana's. Tears welled in my eyes, and for a moment, I let them fall. I could only imagine the pain she had suffered.
The little one broke the tension again, wrapping her tiny arms around us both.
"Aww, she's so cute. What's your name, sweetie?"
"Lily," she said softly.
"Aww, Lily, like the flower?"
"Yes."
Her voice was like the morning mist—gentle, soothing, melting away the lingering tension. Eliana smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"That's beautiful, Lily. You're as lovely as the flower."
Lily's face lit up with a shy smile, snuggling deeper into the hug. The three of us stood there, wrapped in warmth, as the chaos of the world faded—just for a moment.
Then reality hit.
"Where are your parents, Lily?" I asked, keeping my voice calm.
"They took me from my mami. My daddy wasn't around," she said softly, her British accent slipping through.
My heart clenched. "Who took you, sweetie?"
Lily's eyes dropped. "Th-the bad people."
Eliana and I exchanged a glance.
"Jamal, we have to get out of here," she said, firm but gentle.
I scanned beyond the walls, searching for an exit—then I spotted them. Soldiers, just seconds away from rounding the corner.
"Eliana, we've got company!"
She clutched Lily tighter, her expression hardening.
"Hold Lily," she said, her voice taking on a husky edge.
As the soldiers turned the corner, I almost felt sorry for them.
Eliana lifted them off the ground with nothing but a flick of her wrist. Their screams pierced the air. I quickly covered Lily's eyes, storming toward the exit as the soldiers dropped lifelessly to the ground. Eliana followed close behind, and I won't lie—I was a little terrified.
"What was that?" I asked, clutching Lily like a kid with a teddy bear.
"Telekinesis."
I tried to process that as we sprinted down the hall. "Like in the movies?"
"Yeah, something like that," she said, way too calm.
The place was a damn maze. We kept running until the sharp cracks of laser fire echoed from a nearby room.
As we neared, I curled a steady stream of electricity in my palm, careful not to zap the kid in my arms.
We stormed the room, ramming through the doors.
Their eyes locked on us, and just like that, their laser sights followed.
I barely had time to think. "Eliana—catch!" I tossed Lily to her and unleashed a bolt of electricity that cracked through the air, sending soldiers flying. The thunderclap that followed was almost an afterthought, a low growl beneath my fury.
I looked at Lily, expecting fear—only to see excitement.
Eliana looked… intrigued.
A soldier stumbled forward, his fingers barely grazing the rifle…when a sudden sonic wave detonated through the room.
His body flung backward like a broken doll, bones snapped mid-air before he slammed into the wall with a wet, sickening thud. Blood spattering everywhere.
Lily's scream tore through the chaos, high and piercing vibrating through my skull.
And here I was thinking she'd be scared of a little bolt of electricity.
More soldiers burst through the doors, firing blindly. Eliana took the lead, tearing through them as we pushed forward. Lily clung to me as I held her close.
We kept running, weaving through the wreckage. The whole place was in ruins, flames lighting the way as explosions roared through the facility. Smoke thickened the air. The power was out. Bodies—some injured, some worse—were scattered everywhere.
It was utter chaos.
But then we saw it.
The sunrise.
Salvation was just a few steps away.
We crossed the threshold, stepping into the light—only for my stomach to drop.
Everyone who had escaped stumbled forward, coughing, blood trickling from their noses, eyes red and unfocused.
I moved fast, covering Lily's nose so she wouldn't breathe in the toxic air.
The whole city was shrouded in thick, swirling gas. The morning sun barely cut through the black smoke.
This wasn't salvation.
This was hell.
The air itself was a death sentence.