When the Crowd Choses the Wrong Hero

His fist hit the side of my jaw, hard. My head snapped to the side, the pain blinding for a second.

I heard Zaara scream.

The hit was real. Not staged. I could taste the blood.

I stumbled back, my vision blurred, blood pooling in my mouth…but I caught myself. Swallowed the pain.

Perfect timing.

I stormed to the corner, yanked the fire extinguisher off the wall…and turned back.

Theo's chest was heaving. He looked ready to come at me again.

I didn't give him the chance.

I pulled the pin.

FOOM

Blasted him straight in the face with the thick, choking fog. It hit Theo square in the chest, knocking him off balance. He cursed.

But I didn't stop.

The white cloud exploded, engulfing the room in seconds…swallowing faces, limbs, beds, screams.

Everyone was coughing. Yelling.

"Vincent, what the hell!" someone shouted.

"I can't breathe!" Someone wheezed.