Flares » Isaac Lahey [Book 3]

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 » light 'em up

Smoke filled my lungs and I coughed, swinging my legs round from the bed.

My bare feet touched the cold wooden floorboards as I tiptoed to the door.

As I was staring through the crack, someone's eye came into view.

In fright, I jumped back. The door opened and Peter entered.

"Shay we have to go" he said, grabbing my small hand.

There was a dark powder on his skin. It looked like ash.

I hugged my teddy tighter to my body as Peter took me out of the room.

As soon as I stepped outside, I was bombarded by heat.

"Where's my mommy?" I tugged on his hand.

"I'll find her. You need to get outside, okay"

"Don't leave me" I pleaded, looking up at my uncle with my big, brown, pleading eyes.

"Come on" the two of us started to head down the stairs but orange flames roared, blocking our way. "Okay, this way" the two of us ran back to my room.

"I'm gonna go find your mommy. You need to climb out of the window and wait for us outside, okay"

"I'm scared" My lip quivered.

"You're going to be okay. I have to find mom. I'll be back. I promise"

He left me.

I stood by the window for a moment or two before following him.

I headed to moms room because that's where I thought she'd be. When she wasn't and I tried to head back down the hall, the flames were staring me in the face.

My throat felt tight and I started to choke.

I stepped backwards but the floorboards creaked. Eventually, they gave way and I started to fall.

Luckily, I reacted quick enough to grab hold of banister.

But I'd dropped my teddy.

I screamed, shouting for help. Nobody came.

And when I eventually pulled myself up and climbed out of the window, nobody was around.

I was so scared that I ran.

I ran until I bumped into my sister, who must have come back from school.

The one day I didn't go to school and this happened.

We both ran.

And didn't turn back.

Because we believed that our whole family were dead.

"Shay!" Somebody was shaking me. "Shay!"

I gasped for breath, sitting upright.

"Scott?"

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

"I um-" I wiped away the tears falling from my eyes. "I remembered something. It was like a flashback?" I said, still unsure of what actually happened.

"What was it?"

"The fire. When my family died in the fire"

Scott sighed and pulled me into a hug.