Your Heaven's Trying Everything To Keep Me Out

["Chazz" Yokai]

Raibaru "Chazz" Yokai``

BREATHE YOUR LIFE INTO ME
^{i can't feel you i'm falling, falling faster.}``

It didn't take long for Chazz to get everything ready to go. He quickly got dressed, and nixed breakfast so he could tend to all the dogs downstairs before they left for the city. Brooklyn was quite a ways walking, so the subway was the way to go, considering driving was a disaster out in the fray of New York.

There was a good reason that Chazz rarely ever left Brooklyn. He hated the subway. The shuffling around of people in the dark reminded him of his experience in prison, and he always felt like people were watching him. He did his best to keep his cool though, for Maddie's sake.

Unfortunately, things never went Chazz's way... the train suddenly stopped in the middle of a tunnel, and over the loudspeakers, the driver announced that they were experiencing a power outage. Chazz groaned audibly, and then turned his attention to his girlfriend, asking her silently, "Why did this have to happen?"

[Maddie Leighton]

Maddie briefly gasped when the lights went out. The conductor came onto the intercom and made the announcment that they'd have to evacuate the train. She heard Chazz whisper why these things happen. She grinned at him in the dark.

"That's New York for ya," she laughed at him.

They carefully made their way off. The tunnel was dark and stank of staleness , urine and other odors which Maddie didn't really want to recognize exactly. She stepped over the railing. Her ears suddenly alerted her to a roaring sound. There was another train coming for them.

Sure enough the headlights rolled over the tunnel wall and washed over them both. Maddie froze for a moment as the train got closer. It was on the same track as their own train that was stuck completely dark. Maddie's face lit up with horor as she realized this second train never got the message about the power outage. Her hair whipped back over her shoulders as it got even closer.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the front of the oncoming train collided with their train. A fireball erupted sending bits of glass, metal and other debris flying into the air. Maddie did a 180 degree and grabbed Chazz, throwing him to the ground. She dove with him.

On her back she could feel the searing hot heat lick at her clothing. She knew she would be burned on her back but didn't even have time to cry out or anything. Bits of metal and debris showered them. Thankfully most of the passengers on their train were gone, but the ones on the oncoming one were probably dead right now. The train skidded on its side a few feet, narrowly missing Chazz's feet. They had landed in a little nook off to the side of the tunnel.

After several moments of screeching metal and groaning, the entire tunnel was dead silent except for a burning 4 or five cars.

["Chazz" Yokai]

Raibaru "Chazz" Yokai``

I CAN'T FEEL THE WAY I DID BEFORE
don't turn your back on me, i won't be ignored.``

It all happened so fast, Chazz wasn't even sure his brain had processed it all until everything had quieted down. This whole thing
seemed like something out of a thriller, a movie he'd seen when he was a kid maybe, and Chazz didn't like that he was so desensitized to it all. Maybe it was because it was so overwhelming, so fast, it was kind of surreal in a way. As soon as his brain started to work properly, he realized Maddie had been the one to save him.

Eyes wide, Chazz stood up, picking Maddie up with him, "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice now in a state of panic. Around them was the flickering of flames and the muffled sounds of screaming. Chazz winced visibly, but otherwise didn't pay attention to his surroundings. Maddie seemed to be alright... a bit of scorched clothing, but otherwise... nothing terrible. He sighed in relief after that, and it was only then that a shriek broke his concentration.

He whipped around at the shrill sound, and only then did he realize that someone was pointing to him. "Wh-what?" he stuttered, hoping he wasn't about to be accused of being a criminal again. He'd had enough of that for a lifetime.

"Y-your neck. Th-there's a piece of glass in your neck!"

Chazz blinked. He hadn't even noticed. Bringing a hand up to examine the wound himself, he immediately flinched at his own touch. "Oh god, fuck," he yelled. "That hurts." Chazz checked his hand, noticing it was now covered in red liquid. "I don't think I'm in bad condition yet... but uh... Maddie, you got any medic friends?"

He was oddly calm for some reason. Maybe because he knew he was lucky in this situation, to only have gotten a bit of class lodged in his throat. There were sure to be worse injuries in a train crash like that....

[Maddie Leighton]

Maddie turned and spied Chazz's neck bleeding. Her back burned like hell and new she had atleast a first degree burn back there. Her clothing was scorched and she knew that her bra strap had been undone in the blaze. But right now her focus was on Chazz.

"Oh shit" she breathed and gently sat down on the ground, avoiding the third rail. She generally kept some form of first aide on her in her purse, which miraculously survived the accident. She reached into her purse and pulled out the small first aide kit.

"Never leave home without it" she cracked to him deadpan.

She pulled out a pair of tweezers and gently turned Chazz's face away from her.

She exhaled.

"Dude, you are so lucky. This just missed the carotid artery otherwise you would've bled to death. It's just 2 inches below it" she whispered to him quietly as she gently grabbed the shard of glass with the tweezers and pulled.

Once it was out, She grabbed a bandaide and applied it. After that she gently cleaned up any excess blood and applied a small pressure bandage over it, taping it down in place.

"I think I should check you over to make sure that there is no other surprises" she said to him.

In her eyes the fire reflected in it. They were filled with concern and fear. She didn't care much about her, but it was Chazz she was worried about more.

"Take off your shirt" she instructed. Thankfully, the tunnel was still silent and empty. She knew rescue agents would be coming in soon, so she had to make sure that he wasn't nude when they arrived. Her hair was dirty and she had soot stains on her cheek.

["Chazz" Yokai]

Raibaru "Chazz" Yokai``

ALIVE AGAIN ANOTHER DAY I'M NOT AFRAID TO GET OVER
never stop cuz we're only getting better, i'll be fine.``

Chazz groaned in pain when he felt the tweezers yank the obstruction out of his neck. Maddie applied a bandage quickly though, much to his relief. However, what she said next made him feel a little uncomfortable. In normal circumstances, he wouldn't care too much about having to strip off his shirt, but there were so many other people around who could judge him for all the symbols on his back, "I think I'm okay thanks to you, really," he said. Though one more stern glare from Maddie and he wondered what would be worse. Inducing her wrath or risking judgment from all the people behind him.

"What about you? Maddie, are you okay?" he asked, changing the subject completely. Aside from a few bruises, Chazz didn't think he was any serious condition. He was more worried about his girlfriend, and secondly, anyone else still gasping for help. He cast a glance behind him, his eyes filled with concern, "Maddie, I think you better help some of these people. They need it more than me. Just tell me what I can do."

[Maddie Leighton]

Maddie took his word for it but she shook her head and turned her back to him, lifting her hair up for him to see.

"I got a first degree burn. It burned my bra strap away too" she said quietly, wincing as she released her hair and it tickled her back.

She nodded and slowly got up, approaching the other people that were injured. She assured them that she was an EMT and showed them her badge.

After a few moments, the rescue team arrived as well as the fire department and began putting out the fires.

Maddie was now sitting on a gurney. The paramedic tended to her back. She winced in pain as he applied some creame on it. Chazz was seriously lucky. She turned to the paramedic.

"Thanks Jill. Chazz needs about two stitches in his neck. It just mised his carotid artery. I stabilized him for the time being." she said softly to her co worker.

Once she was set, Maddie remained sitting on the gurney just trying to relax but her nerves were frayed. She spied Chazz's injury and tears immediately flooded her eyes. She began crying softly.

"I should've never agreed to go! You could've been killed!" she sobbed burying her face into her hands. She felt so guilty for agreeing with him to come. Perhaps if they had taken their car or a cab, it might've been differently.

She reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"These poor people' she said her voice breaking badly as she looked around at the remains of what was once two trains. There was nothing left of the train they were on. She knew the conductor was probably dead more than likely. She turned her eyes onto Chazz, the tears streaming down her cheeks

["Chazz" Yokai]

Raibaru "Chazz" Yokai``

THERE'S A PIECE OF ME IN EVERY SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE DAY
but if that's true then tell me how it got this way.``

Chazz was ready to get out of the hellhole called the subway as soon as his stitches had been put in. Looking around for Maddie, he spotted her sitting alone away from the group. He could tell even before he finished walking up to her that she was upset. How could she not be? Chazz at this point was a little too numb to feel bad for anyone else around him, at least, not with his whole being, but he didn't want to see Maddie feel so bad.

"I should've never agreed to go! You could've been killed!" she screamed. Chazz blinked in shock. Was that why she was upset? Over him? A bit of guilt welled up when she said that, and he sat down beside her, wondering what he could do to help. There were no words inside his mind that he thought would sound helpful in a situation like this. Telling he he'd been closer to death probably wouldn't help the cause... or that he wasn't afraid to die. None of that seemed like a good thing to say. He sighed inaudibly, thinking hard until she cut him off again. "These poor people."

He could hear her voice crack, and at the same time, Chazz felt his heart tear in two. Immediately, he stopped trying so hard to find comforting words, and instead turned Maddie's face toward him, gently wiping off her tears before planting a kiss on her lips, "It's okay. It was my idea in the first place you know. And I'm still here Maddie. I'm still here. Don't worry, everything is fine. You're the one that told me to focus on the future and not the past... and our future is wide open...." He trailed off, standing up tall before offering her a hand, "Come on Maddie, we don't have to stay here. Let's go up top and take a walk, okay?"