Chapter 3 EXPLOSION

The warehouse reeked of metal, sweat, and something rotting.

Nate was slammed into a chair under a harsh hanging bulb, blood dripping from his nose.

"Where is it, Nate?" one of the masked men growled, punching him again. "Where's the drive?"

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

CRACK!

Another hit. His head snapped sideways. Blood sprayed the floor.

"Leave him alone!" Seraphina screamed from where she was held. "He doesn't know anything! Please!"

"Seraphina, shut up!" Ivy hissed, struggling against the ropes. "Stop talking! Don't give them a reason!"

But Seraphina couldn't stop. "He's innocent! Please!"

"He's not worth it-just let us go! Please, I'm begging you, shut up!" Ivy yelled through gritted teeth, clearly annoyed at her dumb best friend.

One of the guards lifted his gun and aimed it at Seraphina. "Keep running that mouth, sweetheart, and you'll be next."

Her voice died in her throat. She shook in silence.

Nate spat blood. "You've got the wrong guy."

"You're Roman Callahan's kid. That makes you the right guy," the interrogator sneered.

Seraphina froze, "R- Roman Callahan?"

"See? I told you his family is into shady business!"

The steel door creaked open.

Everyone paused.

A man stepped in - older, composed, dressed in all black. Not masked. Not rushed. He had authority in his silence.

He whispered to one of the guards.

Then he turned to Seraphina and Ivy, his tone surprisingly calm.

"I'm sorry you girls had to go through this. Truly. This isn't about you."

He turned to Nate. "But your boyfriend and his family... offended someone important. Now, they have to pay and somehow, you were with him in that moment which also makes you an enemy."

"W- Wait-what? What does that mean?" Seraphina cried. "What are you going to do?! We didn't do anything!"

Ivy who had tears running down her cheeks yelled, "You cowards! We are innocent! You should have just take that bastard alone! Why take us? Now you're using that dumb excuse to justify the fact that you kidnapped two young girls?"

The man didn't answer. He simply nodded.

The guards moved fast.

Three logs were dragged in - thick, splintered, old.

One by one, Nate, Seraphina, and Ivy were separated and tied to them, arms bound tightly behind their backs.

"What are you doing? L- let go of me!" Seraphina yelled as she struggled to break free from their grip.

On the other hand, Ivy thrashed around until she was silenced by a hard slap.

Seraphina thrashed. "Don't touch her! Don't you dare touch her!"

A guard slapped duct tape over her mouth.

Ivy screamed behind her gag as they strapped her to the far side of the room. Seraphina was in the middle. Nate to the left.

Then came a container. Although it was sealed, it reeked of fuel.

Sloshing sounds.

A match was struck. The flame flickered like a devil's grin.

"Light it," one of the men ordered.

A lackey obeyed. The fire was set. Smoke curled around them. Heat pulsed against Seraphina's skin. Her lungs screamed. Her eyes burned. But her mind was sharp.

"This was it. Fight or die."

She remembered everything: the metal bracelets under her sleeve, the broken nail that loosened the rope just enough.

Her wrists bled, but she freed herself.

She yanked the duct tape off her mouth with a cry of pain.

"IVY!" she gasped. "Hold on!"

Ivy's eyes widened in hope.

But then-

"Sera..."

Nate's voice came, weak. "Help me. Please... I can't breathe..."

Seraphina froze.

Ivy thrashed, screaming through the gag, shaking her head violently - don't you dare. The flame gree intense, making it hard for either of them to breathe.

"Seraphina, don't listen to him!" Ivy sobbed inwardly. "Please, help me! Don't let me die! I don't want to die!"

But Nate groaned louder, coughing blood. "You love me... don't leave me. I need you. You said you'd never leave me. You promised."

Seraphina stood between them, amidst the black smoke. Torn. Heart racing. Eyes wet.

"Ivy-" she whispered, tears falling. "I'll come back for you. I promise."

Ivy's face crumpled. Betrayal. Horror.

Seraphina turned.

She chose Nate.

She ran to him, sliced his ropes, yanked him to his feet.

"Come on!"

They limped toward the door as behind them, Ivy's muffled scream pierced the smoke.

"SERAPHINA!!"

She looked back.

Just once.

But she didn't go back.

They crossed the threshold-

BOOM.

The shed exploded, heat throwing them forward, fire roaring into the night sky.

Ivy's scream was gone.

And in its place, silence.

Seraphina lay on the ground, trembling.

Smoke in her lungs.

Ash in her soul.

Nate clutched her hand, "we survived. We survived, babe."

But Seraphina didn't feel like a survivor.

"I- Ivy..." she staggered as she stared at the burning shed. "N- no no no! I'm coming for you..." she gasped as she dashed for the shed but she was stopped by Nate.

"Are you fucking crazy! That shed is engulfed in flames and you are just running into it? Don't play hero, Seraphina. Save yourself first!" He yelled as he held onto her shoulder and shook her but Seraphina was long gone in her head.

"Eh- sh- she... my best friend!" She panicked, "I need to go in! I want to go in!" Tears trickled down her face. "Please! I want to save Ivy!" She struggled to break freee from Nate's grip but she couldn't.

He held her face tightly and glared at her. "You dumb friend is dead! Damn it! She is gone!"

"No she's not!" Seraphina yelled as she broke down in tears, "leave me alone!" She shoved him away as she turned to face the shed. The heat did nothing to her compared to the pain she felt im her heart. "I should have saved her first. I should have at least cut her rope..."

Nate heard her and scoffed as he angrily grabbed her arm, "are you seriously regretting saving me? I can't believe you!"

Seraphina panicked, "No! No I'm not regretting. I- it's just..."

"Don't stand there stuttering. We need to get out of here!" Nate hissed as he pulled her away from the scene. Seraphina, although had escaped the fire, she didn't escape the trauma of allowing her best friend to die.