"F*ck. This is a real earthquake. How strong is it? I need to check on the others!"
Locks' eyes darted to the growing cracks spreading along the walls. That's when it hit him this wasn't just some minor tremor.
This was serious.
His first instinct was to rush for the door, but then Kael.
He turned, cursing under his breath. "F*ck! Why do I have to carry this guy?"
Without wasting another second, he hoisted Kael onto his shoulders and sprinted for the exit.
In the living room, a young woman nineteen or so stood frozen in panic.
The entire house shook violently around her. Her mind screamed at her to take cover, to hide under something sturdy like they did in movies.
But her wild imagination wouldn't let her move.
She had smooth, deeptoned skin, her angular jawline refined and striking. Full lips and a neatly contoured nose framed a face of quiet elegance.
Her slender build gave her a graceful presence, her long neck accentuated by the diamond necklace resting against her collarbone.
Her hair was woven into numerous long braids, strands of red and copper subtly woven in, adding depth and dimension.
She wore a simple white T-shirt with a V-shaped neckline, which only made the diamond jewelry around her neck stand out even more.
She thought about hiding under something sturdy, but the image of the house collapsing around her sent a violent shudder through her body.
A deep rumbling filled her ears, the walls groaning under the strain. Tiny cracks raced along the ceiling, and flecks of dust rained down like grains of sand in an hourglass.
Her gaze darted toward the door. She could run. She could escape.
But then her mother and brother.
They were still inside.
(They can handle themselves… right?)
The thought flickered in her mind, a desperate excuse to flee. But then came another tremor stronger this time. A bookshelf tipped, its contents crashing to the ground. The sound made her flinch, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
She wanted to run. Every instinct screamed at her to save herself.
But fear had already taken hold of her. It tilted her instincts toward self-preservation, yet the worry clawed at her chest, refusing to let her move.
She was trapped between terror and responsibility.
And time was running out.
"Ivy! What are you doing? This way quickly! This place could come down any second!"
Just as she stood frozen, contemplating her next move, a panicked voice shouted from behind.
She spun around to see her mother running toward the exit.
She looked strikingly similar to Ivy, but more mature her beauty untouched by time. Long, neatly woven braids cascaded down her back, swaying with each hurried step. Her athletic frame moved with grace even in urgency, her face marked by worry.
She looked no older than she did in the picture in Kael's room.
Rushing after her was another woman, dressed in a classic black-and-white housekeeper uniform. The outfit was a bit revealing, but now wasn't the time to focus on such things.
Her wide eyes and hurried steps only deepened the sense of urgency.
Ivy snapped out of her daze.
Something was wrong.
Two people were missing.
"Now is not the time to hesitate, little sister."
She was about to ask where they were when a deep voice came from beside her.
A firm hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward with startling force. She looked up at the owner of the hand he was tall, charismatic, and strikingly handsome. His sharp eyes burned with determination, his expression unshaken by the chaos.
For some reason, her face grew slightly rosy at the sight of his firm, focused features.
But there was no time for such thoughts.
He carried someone else over his right shoulder it was Locks, who had Kael's unconscious body in tow.
Ivy didn't resist she barely had time to focus on anything except keeping up with his inhuman speed.
Locks did his best to maintain a steady pace for her, but within seconds, they had caught up with the others.
As they neared the door, Locks released her gently so she wouldn't trip.
Then, without warning, he dashed past his aunt, Celeste, heading straight for the exit.
BOOM! BOOM!
With explosive force, he kicked the door, sending it flying off its hinges.
"What the f*ck?!"
Everyone stared, stunned by Locks' sudden display of power but no one questioned it.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The moment they stepped outside the building began to collapse.
A thunderous crack split through the air as the ceiling caved in, sending large chunks of debris crashing onto the floor behind them.
A thick cloud of dust erupted from the collapsing structure, swallowing everything in its path.
The ground shook violently beneath their feet, making it difficult to keep balance.
Splintering wood, shattering glass, and crumbling stone filled the air with an earsplitting roar.
The force of the collapse sent a shockwave of wind and debris blasting out the doorway, making Ivy instinctively shield her face.
For a brief second, all she could hear was the raging destruction behind her.
Then silence.
The once-standing mansion was now a pile of rubble, a ghost of what it had been just moments ago.
Ivy turned, her heart pounding in her chest.
They had barely made it out.