"Trying," he said tersely. He was literally battering his way through with his shoulders and arms, which wasn't easy for him to do, thin as he was. He started hitting harder with the darkness, and people began to get the message and out of their way. Better, but still not great. Half a block back, another building exploded, this one outward onto the street. Debris showered the people unfortunate enough to be stuck in the mob.
Then, finally, something encouraging. The crowd ahead seemed to be thinning out the further they got down the block. They were soon out of the worst of the traffic jam of people, and Monster started to run, not letting go of her, even as another deafening boom sounded somewhere behind them. "Come on!"