Riker's Depression

Chapter 3 : The Fire

Chapter 3

A few days later...

Riker POV

I still didn't have my laptop or phone back yet. I'd gotten into a few more arguments with Ross.

I was currently helping mom make dinner. This was part of my punishment. But it was a stupid punishment because I don't know how to cook.

I'd almost cut myself multiple times today by accident. Mom made me peel carrots and then cut them. And the peeler was like... dangerous if you didn't know what you were doing, which I didn't...

"Riker, watch the stove, ok? I have to run across the street to the supermarket and pick something up really quick," mom said.

"Ok..."

I walked over to the stove. I wasn't sure exactly what was in the pan, but I stirred it a little. I went back to my carrots over at the counter, and continued cutting them.

I started to smell something weird. And then I heard this weird whoosh sound. I turned around, and the pan was on fire.

I jumped up, and ran over to it, but then stopped. I don't know what to do!

I remembered Rydel was home. She helps mom cook sometimes.

"RYDEL! HELP!" I screamed.

Luckily, she was just in the living room.

"Riker! What happened!?"

"I don't know! Help!"

Ross came running into the kitchen.

"What's going on!?" Ross yelled.

The fire had gotten a little bigger, and nobody was doing anything.

Ross pushed me out of the way, and walked closer to the fire.

"Ross, don't get near it! I don't need you getting hurt!" I yelled.

"Well you're just standing around! At least shut off the stove, you idiot!" Ross shouted back.

He shut off the stove, and then went in the cabinet beneath, and got a lid for the pan. He covered the pan so the fire was all underneath. A minute later, he uncovered it, and the fire was out.

"What even happened?" Ross asked, annoyed.

"Mom told me to watch the stove while she was gone. And I was working on cutting carrots, and then next thing I know, it's on fire," I explained.

"So why were you just standing there doing nothing!?"

"I didn't know what to do!"

"You have to smother the fire! That's why I covered it! God, Riker... Were you just going to let the house burn down!?"

"No! That's why I called for Rydel!"

"I never caught anything on fire, Riker," Rydel said.

"Ugh!"

I stormed out of the room, and into the bathroom down the hall. I knew if I went to my room, Ross would bother me. If I was in the bathroom though, he wouldn't.

I stared out the window, watching as mom's car pulled into the driveway. She's going to kill me for ruining dinner... And almost burning down the house...

I heard her come into the house.

"Mom, dinner got ruined," I heard Ross say.

"What do you mean, Ross?"