Bombastic pt 16

“I just realized something Rabbit …” Vas said out of the blue.

“What’s that?” Serena asked, trying to keep him upright.

“I forgot to ask what you name is …” Vas said as they stepped of the pile and on to the safer, more secure landing.

“Serena,” she told him, rolling her ankle on some loose debris. “But you can call me Rabbit an’ I’ll answer, on account of they’re the best.”

“Vas. You can call me puppy just not in front of the other hounds. They’ll rag on me till the day I die there hear anyone calling me puppy.” Vas smirked. “Homestretch.”

“Erinyes made fun of me too,” Serena admitted. “On account of they said I talk too much.”

“I think you talk just fine.” Vas said feeling the door, just in case. The last thing he wanted was to make it this far and get careless and then flambeed in a backdraft.

“You say that now,” Serena told him, “Just… give it some time.”

“How much time?” He asked absently, Not feeling anything warm he tried to open it but it was stuck fast. Jammed? Locked? Hard to tell. Vas frowned thinking if there was another open then violently ripping the damn door off its hinges. He already knew the answer but he at least wanted to LOOK like he was considering other options.

“Do we gotta go back up?” Serena asked in a small voice.

“No …” Vas stepped back and charged at the door slamming his shoulder into it. The whole thing dented and dust trickled down from above. He rammed at the door again, the sound of debris being moved from the other side. He beat at the door a couple more times the whole thing now twisted and misshapen from the abuse. Vas reached at corner of the metal door and using his weight to pull and widen the gap, the door protested with a groan but Vas was having none of it.

He peeked into the gloom of the hole he just made. “Looks like a partial collapse. But I can see the exit from here. You might fit through easy enough but it’ll be a tight fit for me.” He motioned for Serena.

Serena looked at the exit and back at him. “I can’t just leave you,” she told him. “You wouldn’t leave me.”

“I was going to be a tight fit for me not that I wasn’t going to follow.” Vas repeated giving her a playful boop on the top of her head. “Lemme give you a boost.”

Serena stepped onto his laced fingers and easily squeezed through. “I can see outside!” She told him happily.

“Right? Literal light at the end of the tunnel.” Vas smiled gently helping the girl in the hole. “We're almost outta here.”

“You’re coming right?” Serena asked, scooting forward. “You fit?”

“I’ll squeeze myself through once you clear.” Vas replied. “Safer that way.”

“Don’t leave me,” She pleaded.

“Where would I go?” Vas laughed. “Less talky more crawly Rabbit.”

Serena had little trouble crawling through the debris. “I’m out! She called back, as another part of the building exploded.”Hurry!”

Vas looked at the tunnel warily. He hemmed and hawed a little, Vas wasn’t claustrophobic or anything but it was more than worrisome. The young hellhound took a breath and squeezed himself in. It was either this or finding another longer way around and he felt like he was already pushing his luck as it was. It was not a pleasant ordeal. The only time he could move was when he exhaled and even then he couldn’t take a full breath in. Using his arm to move himself along was impossible and instead had to wriggle like a damn worm. It was tiring and hot, and more than once Vas thought he had gotten stuck. The trifle of dire made his heart race and the distant grinding and shifting of the debris made his heart race. He did not want to die by being buried alive! It felt like an eternity as he neared the end, the puff of cool fresh air on his hot and sweaty face felt amazing!

Serena pulled on the shoulders of his shirt, trying to help him through. “I… got… you…” she grunted.

Vas with a final push fell out of the hole gasping, lading right on top of Serena. “Lets … Not do that again …” Vas said wiping his forehead after rolling off Serena, he looked her over hoping he hadn’t crushed the poor girl.

“You’re bigger than you look,” she coughed.

“Thanks?” Vas laughed and sat up. “No time to relax yet … get some distance from this place so if it collapses we’re nowhere near it.”

“And find a phone?” Serena added.

“And find a phone.” Vas nodded and with a groan got up to finally exit the hellhole of a building. He was all too happy to get out of this place and he couldn't help but sigh when they finally walked out the building both looking like hell.