Gray was thrown against the bar and pain arched up her back. Ash and smoke billowed through the room and she coughed into her arm. Blood specked her sleeve.

Bleary-eyed, Gray slid to the floor, among the rubble. The ash in the air was so thick, Gray could barely make out her hand in front of her face.

Em, she tried to call out, but the word caught in her throat and she choked on it.

Trying to steady herself, Gray put a hand on the bar floor, but hissed back. Speckles of shattered glass sparkled in her palm.

Suddenly, a figure, stark against the cloud of ash, loomed out at her. Gray jerked back, biting down the pain, but it was just Em.

The little girl was crawling on her hands and knees. Ash and dried blood streaked her face. Gray searched for any sign of injury, but other than the dabs of blood, she looked fine. Weird. The little toy bot swung from her belt. Milk trickled down the side, but not nearly as fast as it should be when it was perpendicular to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Em rasped.

Instead of answering, Gray pulled the little girl against her, trying to shield her small body with her own.

Em let her, taking one of Gray's hands in her own. Gray assumed it would be for reassurance, but the little girl bent over. She murmured something and Gray gasped at the sudden sting. In another moment, though, it faded and the shards of glass digging into the heel of her palm were gone with it.

Gray lifted her gaze to gape at Em. The little girl returned her stare, her eyes pleading.

"Please," she said. "I can explain everything, all of this." She waved a hand around, stirring the ash in the air. "But you have to help me."

Gray slammed her eyes closed. Her head was spinning and her chest ached. She could barely think.

Slowly, so slowly, she nodded.

Em let her breath spill out and grinned at Gray. 

"Alright then," the little girl said. "Let's get out of here.

[END]