She didn't want it to be a fire.
She didn't want it to be a fucking fire.
She wasn't sure she was ready for it to be that. She knew what she had told Sid, what she had Soul, but underplaying fear was kind of one of Maka's talents.
Not that she wanted it to be.
But as she slowly slid out of the passenger seat of her ambulance, she couldn't look away from the blazing inferno in front of her.
The old abandoned factory was sending tall flames into the air, smoke blocking out the sun almost entirely. If the flames weren't so bright and hot, Maka was sure they'd all be in shadow.
They had been separated from the truck for only a few blocks, but already it looked like the firefighters had been on the scene for hours. Most of them Maka couldn't spot, the truck was parked haphazardly across the boulevard—hose out, Liz and Patti were spraying at the building while Kid screamed orders into his walkie-talkie.
Maka scanned for Soul, but he wasn't there. He must be…
She sighed in relief as figures started emerging from the inside. Grabbing her med bag, she jogged quickly over to them. Soul and Black Star were both hauling people out, arms under their shoulders.
"What the—" Maka leaned under the teenage girl on Soul's arm, hooking under her shoulder and pulling her away from everything.
"Teenagers fucking around, lighting shit up!" Black Star roared, furious. Soul shook his head, muttering something under his breath.
"Please…" the girl on Maka's arm looked up at her, tears streaming down her face. Under the dirt and burns, she was pretty: long blonde hair, an expensive looking dress, "my friend, she's still—"
Before she could finish what she was saying, a large explosion rocked them. Fire shot out from the large double doors, a few large windows smashed out towards them. Kid and Liz both swore in unison.
Without even having the chance to respond, Maka and the girl were knocked to the ground. It took her a moment to realize Soul had dove onto them, shielding them with his body. His hands on both of their heads, his mouth was near Maka's ear.
"You okay?" He turned to her, worried. She nodded, eyebrows furrowed.
"Don't… go back in there." She whispered.
He didn't respond, just looked at her for a long second before standing to his feet, dragging both Maka and the girl up with him.
"The barrels!" Kid shouted over to them, "The barrels inside, they didn't clear them out! They're—"
Another explosion made Maka stumble forward, arm up quickly to protect her face.
"They're 'spolding!" Black Star bellowed.
"… Yes. They're—fuck, just move!" Kid shouted back.
Black Star was already helping the two teenagers he'd pulled from the wreckage towards Tsubaki at the ambulance. She ushered them inside.
"Maka!" She called.
This was the first time she'd experienced something like this.
But, for the first time in her life, she didn't forget her surroundings. She didn't drop everything and rush over to the injured. Her mental 'fuck it,' didn't click in.
Instead, she turned to Soul.
"Please." Was all she said. Again, he didn't respond, but he didn't have much of a chance. The girl in his arm tore away from him, screaming.
From the ambulance, the other teens starting calling after the girl.
"Anya!"
"She's still inside!" Anya yelled, running headlong toward the building.
Soul swore loudly, Liz dropped the hose, both running for the girl but she was fast. Their clunky gear just slowed them down as Anya crashed through the large double doors. Liz stumbled back, falling and pushing herself away from the searing heat.
But Soul didn't.
Maka watched in horror as he followed the girl closely, not hesitating as he ran straight into the building.
There was a moment of stillness. Of not knowing exactly what had happened or why it had happened. All anyone knew was:
It was bad.
It was like everyone broke out of their trance all at once, a few things happened so quickly.
Kid was shouting into his walkie, yelling for Soul to get out of their right fucking now!
Maka wasn't thinking, her usual fuck it fuck it fuck it FUCK IT kicking in full force—she hardly knew what she was doing as she starting running, tripping but running towards the building. Tsubaki was screaming something to her, Liz was to her feet, catching Maka before she could make it any farther.
"Let go!" Maka wailed, fighting the woman.
"No! Listen to me!" Liz was pulling her away, arms locked around Maka, vice-like. The small girl could do nothing against the firefighters grip, but still she struggled.
"But Soul is—"
"Soul is a firefighter! He's going… he's going to be fine!" But Maka caught the waver in her voice, caught the fear in her eyes as her grip loosened only the slightest bit.
Another barrel exploded, more glass falling around them, a fireball shot into the air. Maka screamed his name again, her eyes welling, throat tightening.
"Fuck. THIS!" It was Black Star, walking quickly towards the building.
"Don't you fucking dare!" Kid tried to stop him but was shouldered roughly by the blue haired man, determined.
"Useless no good motherfucker," Black Star was mumbling in a voice that was the furthest thing from a mumble.
Maka felt a strange hope spread through her body.
It was going to be okay.
Everything was going to be fine.
It was all just—
The next explosion blew everyone off their feet.
Maka's head spun, her vision swam. She'd hit her head.
Voices came back to her slowly, sound was delated…
Black Star was dragging Liz away who was unmoving. Patti had run to his side, both hauling her into the ambulance. Tsubaki was fretting over her. Kid was shouting into something else, not his headset.
He was…
Calling for more help?
Maka sat up, gravel biting into her forearms as she lifted herself.
She turned around.
Her stomach dropped.
There wasn't a building anymore. Just a pile of rubble and flames, a heap of twisted metal and loose bricks.
And Soul had never come out.