Page 248 of Fragments
Eyes creeping open, I peek in his direction. He’s slumped on the ground, fuckingsizzling. There’s smoke coming from his body.
Holy shit, he actually got struck by lightning…
I can’t believe it. I’mstunned. My heart is jumping so fast in my chest, I think I’m having a heart attack as I crawl closer to observe the damage.
It fried his hands bloody…
Okay, that is disgusting.
Tilting my face upward, I peer into the dark night sky, wondering ifGodreally just struck this guy down to save my life.
Was that divine intervention…?
I shake my head…No way. I’m a rational mind. I don’t even know if I believe in God…
But Idoknow that the chances of getting struck by lightning are like one in fifteen thousand. And the chances of getting struck by lightningright aftersomeone warns you about getting struck by lightning… Now, that just seems highly unlikely.
So maybe someone is watching out for me…
I blink up at the sky, basking in the cool rain hitting my face, the breeze brushing my skin, the actual ground beneath my fingers. For the first time in five years…
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Kicking back into action, I scramble over to the bodies. I’d like to get far away from this pile of corpses, but unfortunately, I need the keys to the cuffs and shackles. Getting them out of the dead guy’s pocket with my hands behind my back proves difficult, but eventually I find them and manage to unchain myself.
Immediately, I’m on my feet, jogging in the direction of the giant hole in Alabaster Penitentiary.
I need a plan.
I can’t just storm in there. If another one of the Warden’s guys sees me, then I’m back to square one.
But I need to get Ren… I can’t wait one more second. What if he’s trapped, or hurt??
I’m really starting to freak out the closer I get to the prison. The place is fucked the hell up…
Is everyone alright? What about Kang?? Felix, Lem??
Joy, Rook, Velle…??
It’s hard to tell how bad the damage is from where I’m standing, becausedamageis all I can see. It looks like the entire East Wing has been wiped out, maybe even into solitary… Or more.
What if the whole prison collapsed??
“Oh God, Ren…” I whimper, rubbing my face. “Where are you, baby?Pleasebe okay… I need you to be—”
Pop!
My face jumps. Wide eyes stick to the sky, where green embers fizzle and fall through the darkness.
Thump… Pop!
There goes another one… It’s blue.
My lips curl into a delighted smile, relief like strong booze warming me inside.
Thunk… Bang… Whoosh.
The sparkly white ones. My favorite.
