“Amy!” Natasha yelled as there was a secondary explosion.
Something shrieked in tortured agony close by, and both Tash and I were jolted violently. Above us, sprinklers activated suddenly.
I reached for Natasha’s hand, but I was thrown backwards as a wrenching sound was heard. Natasha scrambled for me as we tilted at a ninety-degree angle. Suddenly, there was an even more terrible noise; I couldn’t describe it, and flames burst into life above me. Smoke filled the air.
Around me, people panicked and tried to find shelter.
And then I was falling.
A few seconds passed before I realised that the section of the restaurant I’d been sitting in was in freefall. We headed towards the ground like a missile, and I closed my eyes. People lie when they say their life flashed before their eyes when facing death. AllI could feel was cold air, a paralysing fright, and then nothing apart from a loud bang.
I don’t know how long I lay there, but when I opened my eyes, I wished I hadn’t. The sky was lit with orange fire, and there were horrifying noises. Around me, the cackle of flames and intense heat.
I was under what remained of a table, and I slowly crawled out. Had I survived, or was this Hell? There was an awful smell of burned flesh mixed with the scent of burning rubber. I rolled to one side and threw up.
I wiped at my mouth. Such a shame. That had been such a great dinner.
Nobody was moving, and that frightened me even more. Where was everyone? Gingerly dragging myself upwards, I still felt no pain and decided that had to mean I was dead. Because surely, I should be feeling something? Where was Tash?
“Natasha!” I screamed. My voice faded into the noise surrounding me. Who’d have guessed that flames were so loud?
Tash had to be close. Was she in the wrecked gondola I’d been in? I began searching, crying out several times as sharp metal cut into my hands. I discovered a leg, followed it, and shrank back when I found a woman I didn’t know. Unseeing eyes stared at me, and I shrieked and cringed away. Everything told me to run, hide, and come out when it was safe. But Natasha was here. She had to be. We’d been eating at the same table.
I kept searching and discovered two dead men. Natasha must have fallen out, as I couldn’t find her. I scrambled out of the debris and began walking. She had to be here somewhere. My best friend would be looking for me, too, and knowing Tash, she was probably worried sick.
Despite the orange glow of the flames, it was hard to see. I tilted my head. Was that fire the remains of the zeppelin? Had it crashed? I rubbed my forehead, puzzled. If the airship smashedinto the ground over there, why was I over here? Things were getting confusing, and I staggered towards the fire, but it was too hot, and I moved away.
Nope, Natasha wouldn’t go near them either. Shadows danced in the firelight, making scary shapes, and sometimes I thought they were human. I’d investigate, but they were always something else.
A couple of times, things close by exploded, and I flinched in fear. I wished the roaring would stop, as it was so loud that I wouldn’t hear if Natasha were calling me. I stumbled over something and fell to the ground. In dismay, I gazed at an arm. Just an arm, nothing else. I heaved again, but there was nothing left, and I scrambled away from it.
Climbing back to my feet, I called Natasha’s name again, but she didn’t appear. Desperate for some human interaction, I jumped when a figure emerged from the darkness. Unsure if he was real, I made a little noise of surprise. This was probably just another shadow, I decided, and I tried to walk around him, but he got in my way.
“Ma’am, are you hurt?” he demanded as he reached out. The sensation of his hands touching my skin jolted me, and I realised he was real. Oh God. He was alive. I clutched hold of his hands.
“The airship blew up,” I gasped.
“Yeah. Are you injured?” There was concern in his voice, and I responded. Someone was here, in this hellscape, and they were talking to me. Somebodysawme.
“Don’t think so. Might be in shock though,” I replied as I tried to focus on his face. He was tall, and the flames made his hair orange, which meant he was fair-haired, I thought. Why the hell did that matter?
“What’s your name? I’m going to check you over quickly for injuries,” he stated, and I nodded. Competent hands patted medown and checked my limbs for any breaks. Gentle fingers pried around my skull.
“Amy Wright. I was on the zeppelin having a late dinner with a friend. I can’t find her,” I said as he continued his checks. Finally, he stepped back and seemed satisfied that I wasn’t hurt.
“We’ll keep looking,” he promised.
“Her name is Natasha. She’s blonde with green eyes, and about five feet six.” How did I tell him about Tash? Her sense of humour and daring wouldn’t help him find her. What had she been wearing? I couldn’t remember and had only seen her minutes ago.
“Amy, we’ve got a triage tent over there. Can I walk you to it?” he asked.
“What about Natasha?” I replied, looking around me. Was she close by? Was she hurt? I wanted to continue looking, but I understood I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. Shock was setting in, and I was alert enough to recognise that.
“I’ll call for someone to keep searching here,” the guy said.
Patiently, I waited while he did that. He set a flare up and spoke to people on the radio, and within seconds, another massive guy appeared.
“Shall I take her or you?” he asked.
