Ethan's POV

As Stern begins to absorb the Lucifractor, everything rumbled like an earthquake.

"We gotta go," I said. I yanked Benny off the ground and followed Sarah and Jesse. All of us ran as fast as we could through the hallways. Pieces of the ceiling nearly crushed us from above and the burning air was choking me.

"Jesse, Sarah, you two fly away as far as possible," I commanded. "Go!"

"I'm not leaving without y'all," said Sarah.

"We'll find a way out, alright," said Benny.

"Come on, Sarah," said Jesse as he yanked her arm. Both of them flew up into the air.

"You know where to go?" Benny asked me.

"That way!" I pointed to the left hallway.

The walls were beginning to crumble. A toxic gas in the air was nearly suffocating us both as we coughed in agony.

"It burns so much!" Benny gagged.

Suddenly, my senses were going out of control. Black spots were appearing in my vision and I couldn't hear anything. I kept running but I didn't know where I was going. Finally, my vision was clearing up. I was still in the building. Wait! Where's Benny?

"Benny!" I choked. "Benny!"

My eyes searched for him. Benny was nowhere to be found. I continued to look for the exit but I can't leave Benny.

A flash of light blinded me in the moment. The weight of an unbearable force crushed my body against the floor. Moments later, I realized that parts of the burning ceiling had collapsed onto me.

I tried to escape, but it was too heavy for me to lift. This was too much. I was loosing my strength. My body…weakening…weak.

Before anything else could happen, my arm reached up to the sky and I screamed to the top of my lungs, "HELP!"

As my last breath of air left my mouth, my arm dropped to the ground. My shaking body was weakening to a stop.

A lot of memories flashed before my eyes. Where did Benny go? Are all the vampires safe? What about Sarah? Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. I won't live with myself if anything happened to her.

Looks like this is the end for me. At least I achieved some of my goals. I made it to high school; I made new friends; I encountered dangerous creatures; and I finally had a date with Sarah. Nothing made me more happier than to die still being me.

Unexpectedly, something from the sky came down to me. It looked like a bird—a giant bird. This bird was so bright and it looked like it was made…of flames.

I will protect you, my child, said a ghostly voice in my mind.

A big flash came from the building. Its destructive noise sounded like a bomb going off.

Rory, Erica, and Anastasia emerged from the woods. The three of them gazed at the burning building.

"Oh, no!" gasped Erica. "Sarah?!"

"We need to find them!" Rory ran towards the burning building. A dark figure caught their attention standing up from the ground.

"Benny?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, it's me," answered Benny.

"Where's Ethan," asked Erica.

"Guys, my senses were blocked while we were in there," panted Benny. "I lost Ethan."

"What?!" shrieked a voice behind Benny. They turned around to find Sarah and Jesse. Sarah's eyes were beginning to water.

"He's still in there, isn't he," asked Jesse.

Rory took a quick sniff in the air. "I can't smell him anywhere." said Rory.

After a moment of silence, Sarah cried out, "No! ETHAN!" She dashed towards the burning building.

"Stop her!" commanded Anastasia.

All of them ran towards Sarah. Erica reached out for Sarah until Sarah swung her arm at her own best friend. Once Erica fell to her knees, Rory grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Jesse immediately locked his arms around Sarah and lifted her off her feet.

"Let me go!" Sarah cried out. "God dammit! Let me go!"

As Sarah struggles to escape, Erica mumbles to Benny, "Benny, blind her."

Sarah abruptly stopped struggling. Her face grew blank and she looks around as if she didn't know where she was.

"Give me my sight back," she hissed. "Give it back!"

Jesse drops Sarah to her knees, but keeps his arms around her. Anastasia leans towards Sarah and murmurs, "He's gone, Sarah. I'm sorry but Ethan's gone. You can't bring him back."

"Ethan!" cried Sarah. She breaks down in tears as Benny gives her her sight back.

Jesse lets her go and Benny walks over to Sarah. Sarah stands up and yanks Benny into an emotional hug.

"I'm so sorry, Sarah," whimpered Benny. "I left him in there. I'm such an idiot!"

"Benny, I heard what you said," sobbed Sarah. "I know you would never leave him."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

A figure unexpectedly appeared from the burning building. The mysterious stranger was walking with a limp.

Sarah pulled back from Benny and turned around. Her watery eyes lit up and she smiled victoriously.

"Ethan?" She mumbled.

"Missed me?" He smiled.

"Ethan, you're alive!"

Sarah ran to Ethan and hugged him. "You're alive, Ethan," said Erica. "How?"

"I don't know," answered Ethan.

"Ethan, you couldn't have possibly survive that," said Jesse.

"I guess just a stroke of luck," chuckled Ethan.

"Your leg doesn't look good," said Benny. "Let's get you to the hospital."