Sinners Paradise

Chapter 16 : Animals

The sun was setting allowing a bright pink and orange sunset to cover the sky. The lights on a distinctive porch fluttered causing the scene to look eerie as If from a horror film. The chipped red paint from the old front door swung opened as a young boy ran out of it jumping from the porch straight to the ground missing the small set of steps. His head swiftly turned back as as smile was plastered on his face. A woman stood in the doorway with a small girl right next to her as she wave her hand in the air. "They close in twenty! Be quick ok Dante!." The woman shouted as a tiny smile crossed her face as she saw the huge smile that covered the young boys face as he wave back at the two females on the old warped porch.
"I'll be back in less than ten mom!." Dante darted down through the lawn and out onto the sidewalk as he ran fast up the sidewalk reaching the corner of the street in only seconds before making a sudden turn heading towards the edge of town were some shop lights were still on. The woman sighed to her self before patting the girl on the shoulder motion her to move inside were it was slightly" warmer out as a gently cold breezes blew by.

Dante made a sudden stop right in front of a small shop with the half lit sign the read 'Bills Markets'. Dante pushed the door open to only hear a jingled of a bell above his head and the meowing of a cat. A huge tabby to be exact with the name on the collar reading 'Rudy'. The cat stood up and did a stretch that made him have a hump in his back like a camel. Dante reach his hand out and scratch the furry felines head quickly before searching for what he actually came for. Only taking a few steps in from the door. A old gruff voice suddenly spoke from the back of the small store. The man stood hunch over revealing the grey hairs on his chest as the first couple buttons of his blue checkered shirt were un-button as he held a cane in his right hand as he move closer to the boy. "Dante! Boy it's late out and I close in fifteen minutes..your mother forgot something again?."
"Hey Bill..yah..she forgot to get the onions and cucumbers for some salad."
"We'll you know we're everything is at. So hurry your ass up." The man spoke with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he sat down on a stool that sat behind the cash register were the big tabby cat was guarding.

Dante jog back towards the corner we're the vegetables we're at and grab the two things he was sent to get. His hand slowly reached up towards a rack with different types of potato chips hang from it.
"That's all."
"Yep."
"Ten dollars exactly." The old man spoke as he held his hand out as Dante placed a crumbled ten dollar bill in his hand.
"You good to go kid. Get home safe."
"Have a good night Bill."

Dante waved back at the old man as he used his other hand to push open the door. The bell jingled once more as the door closed loudly as Dante sprinted down the sidewalk. A cold breeze blew through the air. Dante suddenly came to a stop as he look up at the sky. A faint smell of smoke blended in with the air. Dante's eyes slowly followed the trail of smoke to were it was coming from. With his eyes glued to were thick smoke was rising from. His legs moved on there own as he reached the corner of the street.

His arms dropped to his sides dropping the three items he held order his arm as the rolled around his feet. His eyes widen as his jaw dropped as his breathing grew rapid. "Mia! Mom!." Dante drag his feet a few inches before springtime down the sidewalk towards the burning house. Flames shot out of the small house as they reach high in the sky. Some people were brought out onto there porches and lawns as they were drawn by the brightness of the huge flames.

Dante's body came to a holt as he stood right next to there mailbox that was broken off of its pole. Dante's eyes only glanced at the mailbox as they shot straight back at his house as he stood frozen as the whole house was engulfed with flames. His legs move on there own yet again as he move closer and closer towards the house. Pieces of timber rolled out onto the yard in front of his feet but ignore it as he was only inches away from the first porch step.His hand reach out towards the flame as if reaching towards someone. With his breathing uneven and his hand shaky. He didn't even realize the presence of somebody behind him. A arm suddenly wrapped around Dante's waist and was lulled back into a slim torso. Dante's head snapped up thinking and hoping it was who he wanted it to be. But was wrong as it was a guy that lived across the street from him.
"Dante! You can't go in there. There's know way anyone could survive a fire like this."

Dante's eyes dilated as his face scrunched up as salty tears brim the corner of his eyes. His hands shakily grabbed the man's forearm as he tried to escaped his grasp. But failed as his body grew weak as if all of his energy was sucked right out of him. "But..but..But...Mia and mom are in there! I can't leave them in there!."
"It's to late Dante..." the man quietly spoke as his eyes sadden as he watch Dante fall to his knees.
"How..how..did this happen." Dante's vision was blurred with his tears as his fingers curled as his head hung low.

"Yo! Didn't think flames could reach that high!."
"Look at that little shack! Didn't even take a minute for it to turn into ash."
"Straight up garbage for a structure."

Dante snapped back out of his zone out stat as he heard voices coming from behind him. He pulled himself up from his knees as blood trickled down from his scraped knees as his head slowly turned to face the tree individuals he head talking. The neighbor guy took a few step back as a woman that must have been his wife walk up next to him as both of there eyes were on Dante as his face turned into pure anger and sadness as he glared at the three teens that stood like hooligans. "Your the bastards that did this!." Dante teeth gritted as he darted strait at the guy that stood in the middle. With only a split second. Dante's fist was bawled up as he leap up in the air to reach the guys height and slammed his fist straight into the man's face as he plummeted to the ground. The other two with him shriveled up as they back away like they were going to run but instantly froze in there places as they watch this kid come at them with inhuman speed. Dante eyes snapped up from the guys bloody face towards them.
"Wait a minute! People actually live in that thing! The hell!." The chubbier looking one out of the bunch yelled out as he kept taking steps back but Dante was already back on his feet as his hands swayed back and forward in front of his body as he move in closer.
"You better go to fucking hell for this!." Dante screech at the top of his lungs as he lunged forward at the chubby man as he fell right on his ass as his hands moved up to his face in a defensive stance, but was pointless as Dante swung his leg up and slammed it into the side of his head.

People stood around and watch with there arms crossed and eyes amused. The girl of the bunch was frozen in place as Dante stared her down. Her dark mascara and eyeliner was completely messed up on her face as she look as if she was crying as she feel to her knees as Dante stood up, only inches away. "Please..please don't hurt me..this want my Idea-."

Dante's eyes were clouded with anger, sadness and tears as he swung his fist into the girls face. The repeated harsh sound echoed in the night as the flames were slowly dispersing. Dante slowly walked away from the girls out-cold body towards the remains of the house. His bloody hands dropped to his sides as he stood in front of were the porch steeps were at. He stared deeply into the remains searching with his eyes for his mother and sister. "There's a good chance there's no remains Dante..the fire probably turn there bodies into ash by now.."
"I..I need..I need some time alone.." Dante muttered as he say with his legs crisscrossed. His eyes not looking away from his home.
"I'm..Mia..mommy.."

A stream of tears fell down Dante's cheeks as he sniveled, but only in time did those quite tears turn into sobbing. As everyone in that small neighbor could hear him the entire night til morning. As he was found asleep with tears staining his cheeks.