I refuse to believe this arc is almost done.

Super-Jacin-t: Part Eight

Andromeda Academy, Luna

Jacin, Iko, and Kinney lost track of how long they'd been huddled together under a table as their world was shaking around them. It could've been ten minutes or a whole day since they were just huddled silently and in darkness. None of them moved until it was completely silent in the library. Then, they could hear breathing, muffled sobs, and attempts to move while being cautious of their surroundings cause they were surrounded by remnants of their beloved library.

Phone flashlights start flickering, beams of light trying to find other students and a sense of destruction. The damage surrounding them is brought to light, tables and shelves fallen and broken, books and their pages leafed everywhere, ceiling panels brought down so that only the skeleton of the infrastructure rests above them with lighting and its wiring dangling. Slight sparks fizzle from exposed pieces.

"That's not good…" Jacin mutters. They need to get out of here.

"Are you two okay?" Iko asks them, her hands grazing both his face and Kinney's.

"I'm fine."

"Same," Kinney responds. "You?"

Iko huffs. "Still breathing. I should've listened to that video in class."

Kinney shifts as their holds on each other start to loosen. He picks up a book that slid under him when they were huddled. Kinney squints his eyes to get a better look at it, scoffing when he starts reading about artillery.

The emergency lights turn on, lighting the whole library in red.

"Cadets, we will be performing our earthquake evacuation plan. Please follow any faculty on site."

At the sound of the librarians calling the cadets and telling them to make it out slowly and to report any dangers or injuries, as if they're in class on a normal day, everyone starts following orders. Cadets help each other up, someone points out any danger zones like the wiring or water pouring in from cracks in the wall.

Kinney slides out first from under their table (all glad that it kept up the whole time despite all the debris and shelves falling on it), standing first before holding out hands for Iko and Jacin who follow. They shimmy out, maneuvering their way through the distraught debris, broken glass, and furniture thrown all over the place. If the library looks like this, they can't imagine the rest of the school let alone the country.

Some of their fellow cadets are limping, helping one another. Others are bracing arms, covering gashes on their bodies. If they're covered in dust, they must be as well. They're lucky if that's all that occurred to them.

They exit the library and cadets are walking in a single-file line through the school. Jacin isn't sure where they're going but he's looking for his parents. They were here when the earthquake started since they work here. His dad is in charge of the place! If anything, his dad is at the front, barking orders but he can't hear his loud voice booming through the walls cause some walls are battered.

"Jacin," Iko says, getting his attention. She must've noticed that he spaced out cause the line turned while he kept walking straight. "We'll be okay."

Jacin nods. "We will."

"I'm still getting nothing," Kinney mutters, looking down at his phone.

"Save your battery."

Kinney pauses. "Good idea." He pockets his phone as they all enter the gymnasium.

Cadets are all chattering, trying to reach their families or getting word from the faculty. Some of Luna's emergency teams for natural disasters are in the school, handing out supplies like snacks and water, providing medical assistance, and investigating the damage. Jacin cuts through the crowd, looking around for either of his parents. He resists the urge to yell but if he gets desperate, he will.

"Come on…" Jacin mutters.

Faces blur and his heart rate picks up. For the first time, he's scared. His parents have to be looking for him too if they were here. Why were so many adults in military uniforms?

Before he bites the bullet and screams for them, he hears someone calling his name. At first, he thought it was Iko or Kinney since he ran away from them to search for his parents. They are behind them and probably have been this whole time, but Jacin turns around and sees his mother calling him. She's standing to the side with his father who's talking to the captain of the military squad here.

Immediately, Jacin runs to her. He hugs her tightly, his bigger frame nearly toppling her. She cries on his shoulder for a moment before immediately checking his face for any cuts and bruises.

"Are you hurt?" Clarissa asks, her voice shaking. "Where were you? Oh, stars, let me get you something to eat and drink."

"Mom, Mom," Jacin says, holding her arms. She stops for a second to look at him. "I'm good. We were in the library."

"Thank the stars!" She passes him a granola bar and a water bottle. "Oh, Iko and Liam!"

As she hugs them and provides some snacks, Jacin looks at his father who hugs him as well, even kissing the side of his head. When the hug parts, his father still keeps an arm around him as he continues talking to the squad captain. When the two adults go back to their groups, Garrison looks down at Jacin.

"We're figuring out the finer details as the troops look through the school," he informs him.

"Sir, I'm trying to reach my parents," Kinney starts.

"Same," Iko adds.

"I'll make sure you get in contact with them," Garrison reassures, "I've already put the word out that we're alright in the school. We're still waiting for an all-clear from all respondents before we could start moving again and you'll need to pack."

"I'm sorry, what?" Jacin asks. "Packing what and moving where?"

"We're still ironing out the details since, clearly, the school needs time for repairs. We'll be dispersing out the cadets who are in good shape following the earthquake to either join the humanitarian efforts across the country or with some of our allied bases across the borders. I'm still waiting to hear from some stations in The European Federation and The African Union, but we have to start dispersing cadets immediately."

Jacin, Kinney, and Iko just stare. They're likely leaving town or even the country. And who knows for how long ...

"Commonwealth?" Iko asks.

"Commonwealth, shockingly, doesn't have any bases," Garrison says. He looks at them longingly. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."