Chapter 10.

2 Years Later: All characters are now 23 years old.

The place was in flames. Red, Amber, Orange colour swept through the house as if a breeze was blowing. The smoke was thick and caught in your chest, squeezing your lungs, getting rid of every ounce of oxygen.
"Liz, c'mon, quick we gotta get out of here."
Max grabbed her arm and they ran to the back of the house. They quickly dumped their belongings out the window and then climbed out themselves.
"Max, how could this happen, I mean, why didn't we know about this?"
"They must've known we were on to them. They're getting smarter."
They landed safely on the ground and made their way to the car, bags in tow. Fireballs were being thrown at them. Liz screamed as one narrowly missed her and landed at her feet. She jumped into the car as Max started the engine. They sped off into the night.

"Alex I'm so scared, I'm so scared."
Alex held his fiancé in his arms and stroked her smooth blonde hair. They were hiding behind the fence of the house next door. They were trying to get out undetected but were finding it difficult.
"Isabelle, I need you to be strong for me right now, ok? We can do this."
He held her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. Her eyes were frantic and scared but the determination in his calmed her down, almost at once she felt safe.
"I'm gonna go over to the car and I want you to follow close behind me, okay?"
She nodded. Alex crouched down and made his way to the car. He looked behind him every two seconds to see if she was still there. His heart was beating so fast and his terror was so great that he could no longer feel her hand in his. When he got to the car he threw their things in. They were safe inside the car; it was only the starting of the engine that alerted the enemy to their presence. Alex looked at Isabelle and smiled, she smiled softly back. He put his foot on the gas and didn't take it off until they were out of sight.

Maria was trying to climb back up the drainpipe. Michael had a hold of her legs and was pulling her back down.
"Michael, let me go, I have to get it," she started sobbing, "it's my mother's ring I have to get it."
He pulled her to the ground and looked at her.
"Maria, if we don't leave now, we will die! And I mean WE because I'm not leaving you on your own. Do you understand?"
She nodded very slowly.
"Good."
He looked around him, you couldn't see anyone but he knew they were there. It was the feeling of hundreds of eyes watching your every move. The darkness and crackling of the fire gave him an eerie feeling.
"We're gonna make a run for it, you ready?"
She nodded again, wiping the tear track stains from her cheeks. He grabbed her hand and ran. When they reached the car, the skins came out of nowhere. One was on the other side of the car. Michael blasted him away. Another came from his side. Michael grabbed his arm and twisted behind him and punched the little button at the base of his back. He turned around to see if Maria was still behind him. She was a couple of feet away. He watched as she grabbed an arm from behind her and tossed the skin over her shoulder. He lay face down in front of her and she stepped on his back. Another came from behind her, one arm around her waist and the other around her neck.
"Maria, duck!!"
She brought her heel back up between the skins legs and fell to the ground. Michael blasted the skin. Maria hopped up off the ground and ran to her side of the car. Michael started the engine. As they drove off, Maria looked back at the house that had been their sixth home in four years. They had never been attacked though. Max and Michael had always come home and known when they were going to strike, they had always got out before anything could happen. Maria felt an overwhelming sadness. She had taken her mother's ring the night she had left, the night Kyle had died. Maria gulped down a sob. She had gone in to whisper a good bye to her sleeping mother and the ring had just been lying on her bedside table so she took it. She felt lonely without it on her finger. She looked over at Michael. He didn't look at her but instead held his right arm out to her. She smiled and rested her head on his chest as he placed his arm protectively around her.
"It's okay now Maria, it's okay now."
He stared out at the open road and she let the tears fall.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, you guys are great. All Maria fans - the next chapter's yours.