Chapter 22 : Fire

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It was the beginning of December and Jane was disappointed not to see snow by her window. She let Dog sleeping inside in case, not wanting him to freeze, but she hoped to see white landscapes the next day. Constance was awake but wasn't surprised not to see snow, it was still too hot outside.

- "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll have snow for Christmas," told the blonde teen.

- "But, what if we don't? I won't be able to make another snowman..."

- "You will, I'm sure we'll have snow soon."

- "When!?" asked Jane with excitement.

- "Um...I don't know, maybe in one or two weeks?"

- "Cool!"

Jane had small jumps of joy which annoyed the other teens sharing the room with them. Constance told them what she had to tell them before going to the garden with Jane and Dog. The blonde teen took some brioches for Jane and sat on the grass while Dog was running everywhere where Jane was throwing his toy.

- "Don't eat and throw the toy with the same hand!" grumbled Constance.

- "I'm not!"

- "Yes, you are! Wait for me here, I'll take some soap for my dirty little sister! And eat with your other hand!"

- "Ok..." sighed Jane with an annoyed tone.

The brown head kept throwing the toy while Constance went inside to find something to clean her little sister's hand. Dog was so excited that he jumped on Jane who rolled on her back and dropped her brioche in the grass. The animal began to lick her face while she was trying to push him.

- "We're gonna be in trouble, my brioche is ruined because of you!" stated Jane with a light angry tone, pushing her dog away.

She felt a bit guilty for pushing him, so she decided to take him in her arms. A weird smell was flying in the air, something like barbecue, but it was too early for a barbecue.

- "Dog? You ate sausages?" frowned Jane.

The dog began to bark in direction of their building.

- "Sssssh, Dog! You're gonna wake everyone up!"

She turned around and saw smokes and flames invading the welcome center. Jane was overwhelmed of fear and guilt, knowing it was her fault. She quickly stood and ran inside while the other residents were running outside. The smoke instantly made cry her eyes and irritated her throat. She hid her nose in her elbow, but she was still coughing, trying to see where she was going. She jumped in the flames and reached her room.

- "JANE! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!" ordered Constance.

- "NO! NOT WITHOUT MY TEDDY BEARS! THEY PROTECT US!" answered loudly Jane because of the noise of the fire.

- "I'VE THEM!"

- "SHOW ME!"

Constance opened Jane's bag where all her stuff was. The blonde teen broke the window with a chair, grabbed their bags and her little sister, and jumped through it. Constance grabbed Jane and forced her to follow her far from the burning building.

- "Why did you go inside!? Why!?" got angry Constance.

- "I had to save Mr. Bear and tiny Paddington! It's my fault if it's burning!" explained Jane with tears in her eyes.

- "What!? What are you talking about!?"

- "Tiny Paddington and Mr. Bear protect us! I didn't take tiny Paddington with me when dad lost his job! I forgot tiny Paddington when I went to Mallory's and mom died! And now, I went outside without them and the building burnt! It's my fault, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

- "No, Jane (kneels), this is not your fault—"

- "Yes, it is!"

- "No, listen to me. This is not your fault, ok? You didn't burn the building, you didn't play with a lighter or forgot a candle, right?" asked Constance with a calmer tone.

- "Right, but tiny Paddington and Mr. Bear weren't with me so the building burn!"

- "This is not your fault! Relax, firefighters will find the origin of the fire, I'm sure Mr. Bear and tiny Paddington protected us in their own way, and you know how? (Jane shakes her head to say no) Just look, we're together, and not hurt. They protected us."

- "So...it's not my fault?"

- "Definitely not," smiled Constance.

Jane had a relieved sigh before taking her sister in her arms. Constance had never known her sister was feeling guilty for her destroyed family; she would have to talk with her about this.

The firefighters arrived to control the fire, while all the residents were sent at the hospital to check their lungs and burns. Constance's right hand was burnt, but nothing bad. Now, they had another problem. There was a bunch of teens without a home now. They were interrogated by policemen. Some still had families, so the cops called them, but there were still many of them alone. Constance and Jane were sitting in the chief of the police's office when the man finally showed up.

- "Are you ok?" asked Hopper.

- "We don't have a home anymore," answered Constance.

- "Are we going to sleep outside again?" said Jane.

- "I don't know."

- "No, I won't let you go like that. We're looking for host families to place you," intervened Hopper.

- "What!? Why don't you send us directly in an orphanage!" got angry Constance.

- "We're calling known host families—"

- "No one is going to accept two kids! Especially one as old as me!"

- "It's temporary."

- "It's stupid, we lived without your help before, we can still make it!"

- "Just give us some time. Spend the night in the police station, and if tomorrow there is no family for you, I'll let you go, ok?"

Constance crossed her arms and clenched her jaw.

- "Fine."

The man showed them the cell where they were spending the night before going back to his office. He knew exactly who he was going to call, sure they were going to accept to help them.

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