The girl had quite an attitude, andthough it was slightly offensive, Desmond couldn't help but admireit. You had to have one when things went bad like this, but it didn'thelp her any. For all he cared, he could call her whatever he wanted.Whether she liked it or not was a personal problem because – to him– she was a kid. Age-wise he could tell, so it didn't matter.Desmond did want to tell her how not listening could get her introuble when he knew what he was talking about, though it likelywouldn't have helped considering that he didn't know the girl at alland could've made shit up for all she knew. So instead, he simplywatched as the girl began to scrounge up what she could and shovethem away to tote off for later.
Desmond seemed to onlymindlessly move towards her as she asked for more light, holding thetorch higher to spread the light across the room. He hadn't theslightest clue why since it was apparent that no one would'vesurvived, and anyone even slightly conscious wouldn't make itthrough. There was just far too much damage to allow it. A shake ofhis head allowed a drip of sweat to wick from his forehead, solelythanks to the torch's fire that radiated heat. Desmond, though hewatched the girl pace away, decided to hang back just a little moreto make sure she had gotten out before him, but...But what was thatsound?
Slowly, Desmond began to look up when he felt a smallbit of dust touch against the top of his head and hesitated for onlya moment. What to do, what to do? Apparently the smart thing to dowould to get out of the way, but he was thinking of the girl, first,but it wasn't necessary since she had been the first to actually yellout what was going on and respond before he did. She was ahead of himto get out of the way, and since he had been further from the exitthan anywhere else, Desmond could only turn and sprint, the torchclutched tightly in his hand as he charged forth and followed herthrough the train to its backside. The initial collapse sounded likea war within the heavens, complete with their own nuclear bombs andWMD's, but it was so much louder than what he thought it would be.The explosion in the engine was even worse considering how it echoedand rung hard in his ears, but he had to push through it, feetpounding against the rubber of the floor before he lunged for thedoor and dived, rolling on the ground and quickly recovering with thetorch still lit.
The dark was as if a blanket that tosseditself over the torch, seeming to try to snuff out the light thatoffended it, yet the flame kept lapping and rolling at the air,devouring the oxygen that it could feed from. Desmond looked forwardand could only see the faint traces of the girl's body in front ofhim and did the only thing he really could do. The torch was liftedhigh as he began to walk towards her, spreading the light furtheraround him to capture her within the radius until he was only a fewfeet away, his skin scuffed with dirt and small bits of gravel fromhis roll, but otherwise perfectly fine.
"Kid," he calledout, his voice echoing in the tunnel. "You all right? Can you movewell enough? Stay still and let me check you over."
(sorry for the delay. u.u)