81. Nightmare

It was utter chaos. No one knew what was happening but people were running everywhere - looking for an exit. Any window, and door, or anything from which they'll be out of the place. It was like someone tied firecrackers behind each and everyone and lit them up causing all the people to go haywire and run for their lives.

There were screams, cries, and whatnot. Many were running, many were trapped inside rooms, many were trying to rescue them, but it all felt like a bunch of Tauruses were on the loose - like a rampage.

There were two familiar faces - John and Emily. They were in a familiar building but not too known - like a blur - while everyone was going crazy, running for their lives, John and Emily were standing still inside what felt like a mall - observing the actions of each individual from the 3rd floor - the topmost floor - and somehow in that utter chaotic scene, both of them were calm - calm like trees in winter - dead looking but life inside.

John and Emily placed their weights on the railing as they heard someone cry for help, "Help, please, anyone? My babies are still inside the store and the door is stuck. Please, anyone?"

Even though they saw the desperate woman, crying for help, they didn't even move - they just stood there watching.

"Run for your life!" Came the sound of a young man who was running with a little boy on his shoulders with a young girl, who seemed like his wife. "The fire's gonna engulf everyone!" He screamed.

Somehow, John smiled looking at their desperation and their helplessness.

In the midst of the crackling sound of the fire and the destruction that it was causing, came a sound of something falling down with a loud bang and a loud shriek and cries of a baby - cries that continued on and on.

"Please, someone help me! I'm stuck inside with a baby. The fire had burnt almost all the clothes and the smoke inside is..."

"So, sad..." John clucked his tongue with an atrocious expression on his face - an expression that said, 'I don't care. I'm enjoying the view!'

"Henry!" A man called who appeared to be a chef from his attire. "Did you close the nob of the cylinder and the burner?"

Wide horrifying eyes of a mid-aged man running by his side told him that he forgot which caused the chef to roar in anger.

"What the hell, Henry! How could you be so irresponsible? You're gonna burn this whole place down - with 'PEOPLE' inside! Arggh!.... What? There's no time now. RUN!"

Emily looked down, her hands were crossed on top of each other as they rested on the railing.

"Emily, why are you grinning? We have got to run! C'mon!" John said, but Emily kept smiling.

Amid all the stampede, a loud bang came from the 2nd floor, and then a scream merged with the screams of people trying to save their lives from the monstrous fire.

John and Emily looked down. Through the transparent doors of a store, they saw a man coughing due to the smoke, trapped within the fiery flames of doom. As much as he tried to escape, the flames burnt down something which fell down and thus blocked his way.

"Run for your life!"

"We're doomed!"

"This is it..."

"I don't wanna die!"

"There has to be a way out!"

"Help! Please!"

Came shouts from the helpless and chaotic crowd - all mixed up and non-harmonized in the stampede.

There were sand buckets, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and more, but the fire ate it all away.

When people went to get those that remained intact, the blazing fire didn't even get them a chance to even make a move - burning everyone who came in its way.

People were being crushed, rescued, forgotten, but everyone had only one thing in mind - run and save themselves.

Then, there was a huge loud bang, which came from the basement. A sound, so loud that it shook the entire mall, weakening it so bad that it would be only a matter of few moments when it all falls down.

There was a huge crystal chandelier that hung in the middle of the roof of the mall. Due to the effect of the blast, it swayed back and forth, becoming weak.

The whole 1st floor was only a few minutes away from being destroyed as the fire from the parking lot joined it - all the cars, bikes, scooters, and all the vehicles which were parked in the basement blasted in flames taking away all the lives which were there with it.

"Some... One.. ple... ase.. he.. l.. -"

John looked down smiling wickedly. Emily followed the source of help.

On the 1st floor, they saw a man, lying on the floor, in the middle of the building, extending his burned and trembling hands for help, but people didn't have time to save the person with more than half-burned body - even his face was so burnt that he was unrecognizable. The skin of his hands and face turned all black and wrinkly which felt like it began to rot.

Suddenly, the chandelier which was shaking from the loud blast, fell down on that burnt man, with only his hand - which he extended for help - outside.

The sharp shards pierced the skin of the people near it and the scene turned even more chaotic as the blood of people dripped and painted the white tiles.

"John! Wake up, son!" Rose shook John by his arms. "John!"

In a trembling body, John rolled his body as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Mom!" Seeing his mom in front of him he hugged her so tight.

"It's ok, it's ok," She patted his back with love as she tried to calm him down. "It was just a nightmare. Don't worry."

She kissed his forehead and said, "Emily had a nightmare too. I just woke her up and she's outside getting some fresh air. Maybe you should too." Rose smiled.

"Oh, ok," John replied weakly getting up and sitting on the couch - he must've fallen asleep. He was still shaking a little. "What happened? When did Emily come?"

"She arrived not long after we came back inside. You were tired so I told you to take rest. After a few moments, Emily arrived. She was exhausted from all that driving. So, I told her to rest too."

Taking a deep breath, and rubbing his sleepy eyes, John placed his hands on the sofa and stood up.

"Did she tell you what happened?" John asked.

"She was about to tell me if she found anything from Father Murphy, but I insisted that she take rest first."

"Ok, I'm gonna go and check on Emily. If you need me, I'm here."

Rose nodded.

After a few minutes, John found Emily strolling outside - not too far away. The wind had gotten strong causing the trees and the leaves to move in a way that seemed like they were roaring in anger.

"Emily, come inside, the weather's getting worse."

Emily turned around hearing John. "I love the stormy weather, don't worry, nothing will happen - especially not when I saw the most horrifying dream!" She shivered a bit and John knew that it wasn't due to the chilly wind.

"I had a nightmare too," John replied.

"What did you see?" Emily asked coming inside the building and standing near the empty reception.

"It was... it was.." John began. "The most terrifying nightmare I've ever had. You won't believe, we both were in it and - "

"Mine was so frightening that I'm shaking a little even now. See?" Emily raised her hands in the air in front of John. Her fingers were shaking. "And, you and I were in it too. And you know we were in a mall that was on fire! And the strange - "

"Wait!" John cut Emily. "Did you also had the nightmare that we were trapped inside a mall that was being engulfed in the fire?"

Emily nodded slowly looking alarmed.

"And the strange thing was that when I told you to run and save the people, you just smiled and looked at their despair."

"Me?" John pointed towards himself sounding defensive. "What are you talking about? You were the one who was smiling all wickedly."

"What? Anyway.. there were cries for help and blood and people were trapped and burnt and the chandelier -"

"The chandelier?" John asked in fear. "Did it fell on a man who was asking for help extending his burnt hands?"

"How did you know?" Emily was taken aback.

Both stood there in silence, gulping their saliva in fear.

"So, we both had the same nightmare?" Emily paused for a brief - trying to process her thoughts - and said in a low and cautious tone, "What could it mean?"