Chapter 2: Hell on Earth
Fire erupted in the gymnasium as if a demon had been unleashed from the bowels of the Earth. A blaze roared from the stage and spread like a devouring wave, engulfing everything in its path. The initial explosion caused a deafening crash, and the first victims didn't even have time to react.
Dylan Hughes and Emma Carter, the couple standing right at the front, were hit by the first tongue of flame. The scorching heat melted their skin in a matter of seconds. Emma screamed with an inhuman sound as her hair became a torch and the flesh on her face began to bubble and peel off in charred slabs. Dylan tried to run, but his legs were already engulfed in flames. He fell to the floor, writhing, his hands clawing at the ground as if he could tear off his own skin to stop the pain. Their bones began to crack in the heat, and the last sound they made was a sickening crack as their bodies collapsed in on themselves, melting into a grotesque mass of flesh and ash.
"FUCK, MYEONG, RUN!" Ethan grabbed her arm so tightly he almost knocked her to the floor.
Screams of panic filled the gymnasium as the crowd erupted into hysteria. Some tried to run for the exits, others pushed each other mercilessly in their desperate attempt to survive.
"CALM DOWN, DON'T RUN!" bellowed Mrs. Wilkes, the gym teacher, in her commanding voice.
But no one heard her. No one obeyed her.
From the ceiling, a burning beam split in two and fell with the fury of an executioner. The burning end slammed into Mrs. Wilkes's torso with the force of a battering ram, piercing her abdomen like a glowing spear. A spray of blood and viscera splattered the floor as the woman stifled a scream with her own blood. Her body trembled for a few seconds before going limp, her mouth still open in a last-ditch attempt to breathe.
Zack Holloway saw the scene and ran for the exit, adrenaline exploding in his chest. His worn boots skidded on the wet ground when the automatic sprinklers activated. A treacherous puddle made him slip.
"NO, NO, NO!"
The impact with the ground was brutal, but not as deadly as what came next. His head slammed directly into the edge of a metal structure. A wet, nauseating crack echoed as his skull split in two. His body shook spasmodically as his blood mixed with the sprinkler water, forming a crimson pool. His eyes, still open, stared lifelessly at the flame-covered ceiling.
Myeong could barely breathe. The smoke and despair were suffocating her. Ethan pulled her with all his might as the crowd continued to push them.
The Spencer twins ran toward the same exit as Zack, but the human tide overwhelmed them.
"DON'T PUSH US, FUCK!" Lily yelled.
"VIOLET, LOOK OUT!" her sister shrieked.
Too late.
A shuddering crack filled the air as part of the roof tore away and fell right on top of them. The burning metallic structure crushed their bodies as if they were made of paper. Their screams of pain tore through the air before slowly dying away in agonized gasps. All that remained of them were two charred hands sticking out of the rubble, as if still trying to cling to life.
Ethan and Myeong reached Maddie. Their friend was coughing, her face covered in soot.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" she begged.
Ethan and Myeong grabbed her, trying to pull her out of the inferno, but a terrifying sound chilled their blood.
CRACK.
A burning column collapsed with a hellish roar. The mass of concrete and fire fell directly on top of Maddie. A scream caught halfway in her throat as her body was pulverized under the weight of the structure. Myeong felt her blood spray onto her face before she could even let go.
"NOOO!" Myeong screamed desperately.
Jason tried to move forward, but the crowd dragged him away, and he fell to the ground. Dozens of desperate feet passed over him, crushing his body against the wooden floor.
"STOP!" he tried to scream, but his jaw fractured under a boot.
His face was reduced to an unrecognizable pulp before his last breath was extinguished.
Chloe tried to run, but a blast of fire caught her. Her fairy dress caught fire in seconds, and her body became a living torch.
"HELP, PLEASE!" her voice was a shriek of pure terror.
She staggered for a few moments, trying to put out the flames with her hands, but her fingers melted with each attempt. Finally, she fell to the ground, her body consumed by a personal hell.
Ryan ran toward them, his face desperate.
"FOLLOW ME, I FOUND A WAY OUT!"
Ethan and Myeong ran after him, but suddenly, something plummeted from the ceiling.
A metal PA speaker fell with the weight of a divine hammer, crushing Ryan's skull with a grotesque sound. His body fell to his knees before collapsing completely, blood spurting out like a fountain.
Sasha tried to scale a wall to escape, but smoke filled her lungs. She coughed and struggled for air until her body stopped responding. Her nails dragged uselessly across the surface as her vision darkened. Finally, she collapsed, lifeless.
Myeong sobbed uncontrollably, her eyes wide with horror.
Ethan grabbed her shoulders.
"WE'RE GOING TO BE OK! WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE, I PROMISE!"
Before she could do anything else, a second explosion roared through the gym. The shockwave threw Ethan through the air like a rag doll.
Myeong screamed as his body slammed into an iron fence. A sickening sound was heard as the bar pierced his abdomen.
Ethan spat out blood. His mouth opened as if trying to say something, but only a muffled gurgle came from his throat. Myeong knelt beside him, cradling his face with trembling hands.
"Ethan... please..." she whispered between sobs.
Ethan tried to smile, but his head fell to the side and his body remained motionless.
The fire continued to consume everything. Myeong, covered in blood and ash, fell to her knees. Her body trembled, her mind refusing to accept what she saw.
The last thing her eyes saw before closing their eyelids was a hooded figure in the flames.
The same Death she had seen in the car window.
And then, darkness enveloped her.