Spirit Fire: Part 3

The last epic climax of Spirit Fire is here!! I hope you all enjoy!

Looking for Part 1? Click here

Spirit Fire

A ladder was built into the wall, leading up to a hole in the ceiling.

Silas gripped the rungs and pulled himself up, emerging on the roof. A bitter wind screamed through his thin hoodie. The last rays of the dying sun spread faintly across, painting everything a red gold.

“I had a feeling it was you.”

The soft voice sent anger and fear flooding through him. Silas’s hands grew cold as he turned, his eyes burning like sparks in ash.

The man’s back was to him. He was standing at the edge of the building, watching the sunset.

“You see, Barr always had a soft spot for you.”

He turned slightly, the sun silhouetting his face. “He would never do anything stupid unless you were doing it first.”

Silas pushed down his tears.

“You killed him.”

“Yes?”

Silas reached down and slowly drew out his dagger.

The man turned and faced him, a smile on his face, a mocking gleam in his eyes. “You want to go down with a blade in your hand? Well, that is understandable.”

Silas gritted his teeth and tightened his clammy hands around the hilt of the knife.

“The police have your gang.”

The man flicked a hand over his black shirt. “A shame.”

Silas shouted, lifted the knife, and rushed forward.

The man leaped to the side, catching his knife-wielding hand and bending it backward. Silas felt his wrist snap and pain scream through the broken bones.

The man flipped him over his shoulder, and Silas hit the low wall on the edge of the building’s roof, the concrete rim digging into his ribs.

Black spots swam in front of his eyes.

The man grabbed him and rolled him onto his back, wrapping his fingers around his throat.

Silas gasped for air, his eyes ensnared in the violent green of the man’s eyes.

“You have one last chance,” the man whispered, his voice delicate, like the tip of a poison dart.

Pain lanced through Silas’s body. He tried to breathe, but there was no air, no light…

A cold gust of wind stirred the rooftop, and as Silas’s vision faded, a thin beam of sunlight slipped from the man and warmed his cheek.

“No,” he whispered, twisting in a lopsided smile. “Never.”

The man’s eyes hardened.

“Fine.”

He let go of Silas’s throat and pushed.

Silas toppled over the edge of the roof, the cold air embracing him as he fell. Kissing his broken bones and guiding him earthward.

Silas closed his eyes, and for half a second, a dim image of his sisters flashed through his mind.

Then he saw Barr.

His brown eyes were tight with pain, but he was smiling.

Smiling.

He was holding his hand.

“Silas.”

Silas opened his eyes.

Barr was dangling over the roof’s edge, clutching his hand in a vise-like grip. Above him, someone was holding his feet over the edge.

“Don’t fall.”

A tear coursed down the side of his cheek as Barr was slowly hauled up, dragging him up as well.

On the gravel rooftop, Silas sank down next to Barr, the small rocks biting into his knees. Barr leaned against the edge of the roof.

“You jumped after me?” He asked, his eyes stinging.

Barr smiled softly, “Of course.”

Silas looked around. A plainclothes officer was snapping handcuffs on the prone figure of the gang leader. Two other cadets were speaking in hushed tones.

Silas turned back to Barr, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Barr clutched his side, blood coating his fingers. He locked eyes with Silas, his scarred face filled with an expression Silas had never seen before.

Joy.

A soft breeze carried over the roof as Barr reached out and put a hand on Silas’s shoulders.

“Thank you.”

Silas bowed his head, tears rolled down his cheeks, staining his shirt. “You don’t understand Barr, I am nothing. I am worthless.” Thick grief stained his words, “I let them kill them! My mom, my Dad. I let them kidnap me, and I worked for them!”

Silas shuddered.

Barr raised his head and smiled. “You are not worthless.”

Silas shook his head.

Barr reached out and lifted his chin, his liquid dark eyes meeting Silas’s like a clash of steel.

His jaw tightened. “You are free now, Silas, so don’t forget that. They might take everything away. They might even kill you.” He smirked, “But there is a fire in you, Silas. Such as I have never seen before.”

Barr’s voice dropped to a whisper, “Kindle it! Nothing and nobody can take away your spirit. But you must share it! Share the spirit fire.”

Silas choked… “Barr!”

Barr’s hand slipped from his chin, and he slumped to the side, his brown eyes closed.

Silas collapsed beside him. “Barr! No! NO!”

A hand rested gently on his shoulder.

He looked up. A cadet was standing beside him. He looked about seventeen, and his dark hair and dark eyes glittered softly.

He held out a small bundle of light blue fabric.

It was his sweatshirt.

“He said he wanted you to have it.” The cadet said.

Silas buried his face in it to hide his tears. For a second, he was shrouded in the comforting smell of the soft fabric.

He looked up at the cadet again.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “What is your name?”

“Will,” he said.

Silas nodded, smiling through his tears.

“My name is Silas.”

He looked down at Barr’s still form.

“His name is Barr. He kept me alive when the gang kidnapped me.”

Silas dug his hand into the gravel. The feeling was returning to his ribs and broken wrist.

Slowly, he stood and walked to the edge of the roof, wincing, feeling blood drip down the side of his face.

Burying his hands into the sweatshirt, he breathed in the cold night air.

Free.

Barr had told him what was right, and now he was never going to let go of his dream.

He would free people like him. He would free the city.

One last tear escaped, carving a crystal path down his soiled, bloody skin.

Light the spirit fire.

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