Marrow

Drenched in cool sweat, Carissa finished the last few feet of the hike. A breeze filtered through the mountainous foliage, causing a shiver to ripple over her.

Without a word, her brother reached into his pack and retrieved their shared water bottle.

"Thanks," she breathed heavily. The cool air paired with the water refreshed her more than she had expected. "You were right." She was smirking now, her blue eyes alight as they focused on the overlook. "This view is stunning." Her golden hair had loosened from her clip.

"Worth it, eh?" Ian shared his sister's blue eyes; however, his hair was a darker brown, deep and rich, and shaggy-momentarily unkempt.

The view was of the city, and as the sun crept higher into the sky, the city began to awake. Carissa stretched out in the sun, letting its beginning rays warm the chill she had resentfully accepted.

"Here." Ian gathered two plastic bags from his backpack, each containing a sandwich and grapes. Carissa's mouth watered eagerly.

"You are always prepared." Her praise made Ian smile with a mouth full of food.

"I have to be. Otherwise you'd make us leave earlier than I want."

"Oh? And how long do you want to stay here?"

"Meh, not that long."

She blinked at him, pushing him with her elbow. "Alright, well, we're here. Was there any reason you wanted me to come up here with you?"

"Sorta... I just wanted one last adventure with you before I leave for school."

"Oh." Carissa brought a leg up to rest an arm on. "I knew you had ulterior motives. So this is like a send-off tour."

"In a way... but I will be back."

"Yeah. I know that." She bit her lip. "I'll just miss you."

"Maybe next year you'll join me?"

"Yeah, maybe." She breathed, "if we can get Andrew on board."

"Speaking of that son of a... gun," he amended, filtering himself, "where did you say he was today? I feel like he's been avoiding me since I kicked his ass at Mortal Kombat."

"Oh no, he isn't," Carissa laughed, "he's just been busy. They have some new guys that just joined, so they are doing... something." She waved her hand dismissively. "Training adjacent."

"The whole fire department went, or just the new guys and Andrew?"

"No," she smirked slyly, "a few others."

"Good... how's it been living with him?"

"It's been great, actually. Like waking up every day with my best friend."

Ian pretended to gag to Carissa's annoyance.

"Just because you are forever alone doesn't mean we all are destined to be."

Chuckling, Ian leaned back, relaxing on his arms. "Just kidding... he's a good guy."

She hummed in agreement, popping a grape into her mouth.

"...what is that?" Carissa asked, startled, having moved her eyes away from the bright sunrise and catching a strange sight to the north. A distortion that made her blink rapidly to try and clear.

Ian's brow furrowed, and before he could mutter even a coherent sound, he was on his feet.

They watched the light shift over the outskirts of the city. It crossed the farmland, then the warehouses. Carissa's stomach dropped as they watched it make its way into the city. It covered miles in seconds.

It was fast.

For a moment, everything was silent. A hum began to grow from the light. No. Not a hum. It was the faint sound of thousands, hundreds of thousands of...

Screams.

Carissa blinked, staggering back. Tears formed in her eyes. "Wha-" she nearly sobbed, looking for Ian.

He was gone. His instinct told him to run, and that was what he did.

But Carissa couldn't move, frozen, standing and staring at the mass.

It grew closer.

"Car!" Ian yelled from a few yards away. The call summoned Carissa back into the moment, and she began to run.

Something like a thundercrack sounded in the distance where the Light touched. Birds burst into the sky, screeching with warning. Their swarm blocked out the sun momentarily.

Ian willed himself to go slower, to help Carissa as she staggered down the steep slope. He glanced at her, saw her fall. The Light was so close he could smell its unnatural metallic scent.

The hair on his arms stood up, instinct taking over as he lunged for Carissa.

"Carissa!" Ian screamed, reaching for her.

The golden, weightless mass covered them like flames-intangible, but chaotically overstimulating.

Gripping the earth as if it could save them, the two screamed in pain. Ian closed his eyes so tightly his facial muscles twitched at the strain; he felt as though he were on fire.

Carissa's entire body went so tense and rigid she couldn't even draw enough air to scream. She then fell to her side, seizing, convulsing violently; thick, coiling masses appeared and disappeared beneath her skin like snakes had somehow entered her.

White foam oozed from her mouth, slowly churning out of her and into the dirt. Just before her eyes rolled back and she escaped into sweet darkness.