Don't Forget To Smile

Prologue

I watched in horror as flames licked the door of my bedroom. The walls were blacked with soot, and smoke billowed up and surrounded me, like a thick fog coating all of my surroundings.

I coughed with the intrusion of smoke into my lungs. I had to escape. All logical thoughts fled my head, all except one. My family.

I had to get them out. Ignoring my silent cautions to crawl and get away from the harmful smoke, I bolted out the now fallen door, trampling over it with no care.

I covered my mouth lazily with the back of my hand. I briefly saw ash coating my fingertips.

Smoke and flames were all I could see, shrouding my view of anything. I used my free had to guide me through the long hallway that lead through to my parents room.

I squinted to aid my tearing eyes, watching as I made my painstaking progress down the corridor, passing the bathroom before finally reaching the familiar door to my parents room. Distantly I could hear their pleas for help.

I ignored the scorching pain in my hand as I grasped the brass doorknob and twisted it, successfully opening the door.

The view before me was horrifying. My mum lay on her side heaving, while my father looked on in concern, he was bleeding heavily from his forehead. I could barely see the small, still form of my baby brother Carter, delicately wrapped up in my mothers arms. He was silent.

I gasped and brought my hand up to my mouth, my mum's bottom half was crushed under their fallen bed, which was still fueling a greedy fire.

My mum looked up at the noise. "Quinn!"

"Babygirl you have to go. Me and your father can't leave. We're stuck. Get out Quinn!"

"No mum! I can't just l-leave you!" I choked out. I went to approach her but the creaking of the ceiling made me look up. It trembled with the effort of holding itself up.

"Quick sweetheart, get out. We love you." My dad said, looking at me intently with sad, sincere eyes. I shook my head. No, no. No.

The ceiling creaked again in warning.

"Go, fast! And remember babygirl," I was crying heavily now, a mix of smoke and feeling that were smothering me, "don't forget to smile."

As if on cue, the roof caved in.

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