The beeping noise was like the throbbing of a headache. It started almost unnoticeable, and then went louder and louder until you couldn't ignore it anymore. It had been really soft at first- soft enough where neither boy had heard it. And then... it had gotten louder. The elder brother heard it first- his face contorted with confusion. He turned, his eyes widened as he realized what the sound was. The younger boy heard it just then too, following his older brother as he ran towards the sound.
The building was completely ablaze- fire was almost falling from the windows. The sky was a smokey gray and there was a haze around the building, making it difficult to look at. Once the shock wore off, the elder boy sprinted towards the building, the younger close behind.
"Are you okay?!" The older one yelled, running up to help a woman stumbling away from the burning building.
"Yeah, I'm okay, b... But Professor Callaghan's still in there!" She pointed back at the building, then ran away. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He started forwards, the other grabbed him... "Tadashi, no!" Seconds passed- precious seconds. "Callaghan's in there... Someone has to help." And then- he was gone. Ripped from existence, leaving the younger boy alone.
One single thing was left- a hat. It felt onto the ground. The younger boy ran forwards, a panicked expression filling his face. He looked up at the face, then sensed what was about to happen before it did. He felt the air get hotter, felt everything shift slightly... He blindly reached out with his right hand, screaming, "NO!"
But then- everything flashed before his eyes.
He saw Tadashi running back at him, except backwards. His hat flew off the ground, then back onto his head. Tadashi kept running backwards until he was in reach of... himself. Hiro grabbed him, watching his face as he turned towards the building, then back... Then the woman was running back. Everything was happening so fast...
And then he and his brother were gone, running backwards until they were behind a hedge. He watched as people ran backwards into the burning building, and then watched as the flame diminished- slowly, and then it was gone, as if never there.
Hiro's arm was tired- he wanted to let it down. His head was starting to ache...
His arm fell...
And suddenly he was back where he started.
Tadashi turned towards him, smiling. Then... Hiro strained himself to hear it. There was the beeping.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Hiro's eyes widened and he turned, running forwards before Tadashi. "Wha-" His brother yelled, running after him. "Hiro, wait!"
Turning the corner, Hiro staggered to a stop. The building was completely engulfed in flame- as it had been before...
Tadashi turned the corner also, gasping. "Jesus-" He ran forwards. Hiro sprinted afterwards, eyeing the same woman Tadashi was going to help. He could recite the conversation in his head... Seeing as it had already happened.
"Are you okay?!"
"Yeah, I'm okay, b... But Professor Callaghan's still in there!"
And then she ran- leaving them.
Hiro grabbed Tadashi's arm before he ran in. "NO! Tadashi, no!"
Tadashi looked over at Hiro, his expression terrified and worried. "Hiro-"
"No!" Hiro tightened his grip on Tadashi, not daring to let go. "I'm not letting you go!"
It all happened so quickly- the heat changed again. And then-
BANG!
The last thing Hiro saw before blackness was his brother falling, side by side, with him.
His eyes opened and he heard the sirens of ambulances and fire engines. His head ached- everything was so hot... He felt the warmth of fire on his face. And... the hardness of brick. Slowly, the boy lifted his head. Tadashi was next to him, a bleeding gash on his forehead. Alive.
Looking up, Hiro's eyes widened. There was a giant fire, the blaze died down, but still going strong. Everything was so hot, burning... Hiro's head ached furiously, but he forced himself up onto his feet. He was shaking- but...
What the hell happened?!
"Sir- back away!" A shrill voice screamed, running towards me. Slowly, Hiro turned. A woman with brown hair was running, her hair flying back in a pony-tail. She was an EMT- Hiro knew that much. Hiro's hand was twitching. He held it up, wanting to grab her hand to keep himself from falling. He groaned, his head aching as...
As she started running backwards.
Everything was blurring together, everything... Hiro couldn't see straight. He felt blood coming from his nose and his hand fell back, his legs gave out and he was on the ground... Everything unblurred at once. Hiro coughed, his stomach cramping and his head pounding. He heard the same voice screaming- "Sir- back away!"
Hiro's heart was pounding so hard he was shaking. Everything had a black tint to it and his head was throbbing so terribly he was going to be sick. He gently put his fingers to his nose and pulled them away, covered in blood. He slowly looked up, his eyes glazed over. The EMT was in front of him, her brown hair was a mess. Her legs gave out next to me. She was saying things... But Hiro couldn't hear them. He saw her lips moving... And then... Everything went completely dark.
