Chapter 21: A night to remember.
The fire alarm was deafening. The Principle shouted down the microphone, "Everyone file out in an orderly fashion." In keeping with tradition, the students completely ignored him and began to stampede out of the hall, in various directions. The hall smelled like a barbeque and there were shouts and screams flooding the hall as the students began pushing and shoving one another. In the chaos, Spike lost Buffy. He spun on the spot looking in every direction, his heart beating like a drum. He couldn't see her anywhere. He leapt onto the buffet table to try and see over the crowd. Nothing, he was really starting to panic now. He promised he'd keep her safe. Spike stayed where he was for as long as possible. As the crowd thinned and there was still no sign, he could only hope that she was already outside. Jumping down from the table, Spike headed for the doors.
In the rush to exit the gym the group of friends battled against the crowd outside trying to find one another. Their voices rising across the cacophony of shouts and screams. "Everyone ok?" Spike asked breathing a huge sigh of relief when he found Buffy, with Xander and Cordelia. A couple of feet away he spied Oz, surrounded by the rest of the Dingo's.
"Yeah we're good, "Xander spluttered with his arm proudly around his newly announced girlfriend, "all present and correct?" he asked trying to lighten the mood. Spike smirked and Cordelia rolled her eyes. Buffy clung to Spike's hand but her eyes were darting around the crowd madly; a worried look covered her face, "Willow," she said and then continued with growing urgency, "where's Willow?"
They looked all around, but the she was nowhere to be seen.
Willow had just turned the tap off when she heard the fire alarm. She headed over to the door and tugged at the handle. It wouldn't budge. She tugged harder. Nothing. Willow felt her worry levels rising. She'd been locked in. "Probably just a drill," she whispered to herself trying to rationalise the situation. At that point she heard the screams emitting from the hall, "ok," Willow breathed, "not a drill." Her mind started to race as she went through various options. 'What would Xander do? Scream like a girl… not helpful…what would Spike do? Kick down the door… no not strong enough…What would Buffy do?' A memory flashed through her mind and she heard Buffy's voice, "you're the smartest person I know Will, every time I'm stuck I just think, 'what would Willow do?"
'What would Willow do?
Willow smiled "ok, what would Willow do?" Her smile faded, "Oh no…I'm Willow," she muttered, as thin, wispy waves of smoke started to seep underneath the door.
In the court yard, the gang were becoming increasingly worried. The seconds had ticked by like centuries. There were fire engines and paramedics arriving and the glow from the gym was no longer caused by the disco lights. Spike felt Buffy's grip on his arm tighten as they continued scanning the crowd. An entourage of cheerleaders waddled passed and they caught the tail end of a conversation. One of Ashley's groupies was muttering something about locking someone in the toilets. Xander became deathly white when he realised Willow must still be inside the burning building.
Without hesitation, he ran straight back in; Spike hot on his heels.
Buffy felt Spike's hand slip away, "No don't!" she screamed as she made to run after them. As quick as a flash, Cordelia grabbed her by the arm and yanked her backwards with a force no-one would have thought her capable of. Buffy looked back to the building, "Spike… Spike!" she yelled with tears starting to fall down her cheeks. It was too late. Both boys had completely disappeared from view. Buffy went week and began to shake. Cordelia fought back tears; it would do no good for both of them to break down. She gripped Buffy tightly trying to offer comfort, but it was of little use when three of the people they loved most in the world were still inside.
Willow, although normally shy and quiet was a very bright and resourceful young woman. After her initial panic, she had opened every window possible, cursing her luck that they were all too small to fit through. Then, she bashed open the storage cupboard and grabbed the towels, soaking them with water she wedged them tightly in the cracks of the door. However, as soon as she ran out of practical things to occupy herself with, the panic started to set in again as she slid down against the wall. She lay as close to the ground as possible and tried to keep her breathing steady. She'd stemmed the increase of smoke for now, but she could feel the room getting hotter. She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she considered the very real possibility that she may never see her friends or family again. She couldn't be sure how long she'd been lying there for, she was starting feel tired, her eyes flickered shut; just 5 minutes.
"Willow!" she heard the sound of her name. It was faint and muffled. She opened her eyes, 'Is that God? Am I dead?' she asked herself.
"Willow!"
There is was again stronger and closer this time. She recognised that voice, she thought she's never hear it again and tears of joy started to flood down her cheeks. It came again. 'Definitely not God!' She hauled herself up, "Xander!" she croaked.
'Thank god smoke rises', thought Spike as he raced after his friend. Xander was like a man possessed; he sprinted through the corridors towards the gym and the girl's changing rooms. Nothing was going to get in his way.
"Willow!" Xander yelled as loud as he could, Spike echoing his calls. Finally, they reached the changing rooms, "Willow!" he continued yelling.
"Xander! Bloody shut up and listen" Spike commanded after a couple of minutes. The smoke was starting to get thick now and the boys were using their shirts to cover their mouths.
"Xander," a voice croaked.
"In there!" Spike yelled.
Xander charged into the door attempting to shoulder barge it open. The young man greatly underestimated the weight of the door and rebounded back onto the floor. Spike looked at his friend and threw his head back in despair. Thank god he did. As his eyes shot skyward, he noticed the mettle exercise bar screwed into the wall. "Stand back!" he yelled as he took a run up. He leaped up, grabbing the bar with his hands and his two black boots swung into the door with his full body weight behind them. The door crashed open with a mighty thud, revealing a very relieved looking Willow.
Xander went to hug her but she simply shoved a wet towel at him and another at Spike, "Run now, hug later," she chided. Covering their heads with the wet towels, they raced out of the changing rooms, through the second gym to avoid the bulk of the fire and into the maze of corridors.
It was starting to get really hot, sweat was rolling down their faces and the thick smoke was penetrating their eyes and seeping into their throats. With aching limbs and blurry vision, they kept going; Xander in the lead, Spike bringing up the rear. The smoke was so thick now it was almost impossible to see anything.
Suddenly, Xander yelled "I can see the door", he grabbed Willow's hand, and quickened his pace. A loud rattling could be heard and as they were passing the door to the science lab, it blew off its hinges.
Time seamed to speed up. Spike shoved Willow forward and she fell on top of Xander. They rolled on the floor and then scrambled to their feet, relief flooded over them at seeing the open door. Xander manhandled Willow in front of him and she ran straight out of the building, coughing and spluttering. "Come on Spike," he said as he headed to the door. There was no answer. Xander stopped and glanced back. Spike had vanished.
Panic set in. "Spike! Spike!" He shouted again and again. Finally, he saw a streak of blonde and black pull himself up from the floor. Xander heaved a sigh of relief and allowed a smile. It faded fast. The path between him and Spike was blocked by a wall of flames; not low enough to jump but also not high enough to block their view; but they were climbing fast. Xander was almost catatonic.
Spike heaved himself up off the floor and squinted through the thick dense smoke and bright orange flames. He quickly realised his path was blocked, but he'd be dammed if Xander was going to roast with him, "Go!" he yelled. Xander still didn't move. Spike looked around for something, anything.
He removed his leather duster, screwed it into a tight ball and threw it high over the flames with immaculate aim. It collided straight into Xander's head, bringing him back to reality. "I swear to God Harris, you don't get your lazy arse out of here…I'll … I'll bloody come back and haunt you!" Spike yelled and fixed his friend with a hard stare that showed he meant it. "Take care of her!" he said sternly.
Xander nodded, turned and ran out of the door.