Chapter 72 - Bright flames (1/2)

I stared at the small gold band on my ring finger. I haven't taken it off since the day they gave it to me. Demos' large hand closed over mine covering the ring. His warmth seeping into my cold shivering hands. I can't believe this is happening.

”It's going to be ok,” he gave me a tight smile. In the background, the scared tenants were sobbing. Only a few minutes went by from the call of Mr. Ramdin. Grant stood in front of the exit door, it was wide open and a tall artificial wearing a blue uniform stood on the landing peering down. Some of the other artificial ventured down the fire escape to access the situation of the lower floor. But they came back quickly with a grim face. From what I heard, the stairs have melted away and a good portion of the front of the lower building has blasted off. I was surprised it was still standing.

”Liliane, it's going to be ok,” Demos repeated like a mantra. Somehow I clung to his words, it was my lifeline. An old man in stripe pajama bottom abruptly stood up. He had taken off his shirt to cover his mouth. He was one of the tenants we saved from the upper floors.

”We are all going to die here! I don't want to die. You said that they are rescuing humans at the top of the building, right?” he pointed at Grant who slowly nodded. ”Then why are we waiting here?” Grant turned to face him with a solemn expression. The man was gleaming with sweat, we all were except for the artificial who appeared at ease with the rising temperature.

”I'm not preventing you from leaving. If you think, fighting off other humans to get on a limited seat craft to get out of this hellfire is something you are capable of doing, you are free to do so,” he paused with one hand in his pocket. ”But know that the stairs case to the upper floors is packed with smoke. You've seen it with your own eyes. And it's a long wait up those eighty-eight floors. Also, the maintenance lift only goes up to floor seventy and I'm not sure the backup generators are still on. There are too many unknown elements in this equation for a save outcome on in this situation,” the man frowned and squeezed his hands into fists.

”I'll take my chances instead of waiting here for a rescue that won't probably come,” he turned to the other persons clung together in a corner of the corridor. ”Who is coming with me?” two young men got to their feet followed by a reluctant middle-aged woman in a yellow dress. A sudden explosion startled the group making the situation more urgent.

”We must go!” shouted the young man with blond hair and blue highlights. ”Those artificial, no one is going to save them...but we, at least, we can make it. Get up, let's go before all the helicopters leave,” he urged the other tenants. A couple more joined them out of sheer fear. The prospects of dying weighed heavy in their decisions.

”Liliane, you can go if you want,” whispered Grant standing next to me. I didn't notice when he had moved. My eyes were solely on the group preparing to leave. My hands gripped Demos' shirt and faced Grant silvery gaze. Did he really want me gone?

-Of course, I don't want you to leave. I just want to give you the option of saving your life, if the transport happens to come too late.

He face was riddled with concern, I held out a hand which he eagerly took. The contact was so reassuring. For a while, I thought he hated me. He acted so coldly that it broke my heart. He gently pulled my hand and pressed it against his cheek.

-I don't hate you. I have new priorities that I can't overlook. I'm sorry that I may have seem cold towards you.