Third Night: Fire

Chapter 3 for: 'Parasomnias: The Night Terrors of Tomorrow'.

"Maybe this is what happens, when a inferno meets a volcano. All I know is I need you, All I know is I will never leave you.  Even when I'm the one engulfed in flames."
~Kenji

I sat there with him right beside me, his head on my shoulder and myself running my hands gently through his hair.

A strange smell interrupted his focus from the t.v.

I looked at him then followed his gaze.

Smoke was heavily filtering through the air from the hallway.  He instantly got up.  "We need to get out of here!" his voice in panic.  He ran to the bedroom, for what I didn't know.  I stood and followed him, only to find him frozen in panic.  Flames surrounding him and growing stronger and stronger.

I exchanged glances from him to the flames back to him.  I watched him in fear of something happening in which he would get hurt.

The floor boards burning in front of us and the smoke lifting through the ceiling boards above us.  I could hear the wood weakening quickly.  Then suddenly, a loud crack and I lunged forward pushing him out of the way as the ceiling above gave way.  Most of which was just cinder dust and ash.  A piece of loosened wood hit me on the head and I fell.  Flames caught my shirt and began eating at my flesh.  I screamed in pain agony with my eyes shut tightly.

I opened my eyes and looked at him "Get...Get out of here!"  He looked back at me, "I'm not leaving you!" He tried to run towards me but he was cut off by a line of flames.  I shouted in agony as the embers burned my flesh and began picking at my muscle, slowly and painfully melting and burning them away til nothing but bone enfolded to sight.  "Love!  Go!  Get help!!" i called just barely, I began coughing as the smoke and ash filtered and entered my lungs.  A sharp pain peircing them.

"I'll be back with an ambulance!!  I promise!!" he shouted and ran through the now broken door and out of the house, shouting, screaming for help.  Smoke exited the door along with him.

Another crack from above and a few more pieces of ceiling came crashing to the floor.  My eyes, burning.  My lungs, burning, barely able to hold another breath of air.  My body, numb and now engulfed in flames.  The embers reached my neck and my eyes gave up.  I couldn't see.  Only hear what was going on around me.  I could hear sirens, I could hear our neighbors gasping and mumbling amongst themselves.

I could hear him trying to get back inside the house but officials wouldn't allow.  "LET ME IN!" He shouted.  "THAT'S MY WIFE!!"

"I'm sorry sir, we can't allow you inside the property until it is completely stable." the man said.

"MY WIFE IS IN THERE!!" he shouted again.  The man turned to his partner and nodded.  His partner run inside the building as the man held back my husband.  I could just barely hear the mans voice calling out, "If you can hear me, Let me know where you are!"  I screamed in agony as the flames raged on my back and body.  The man called out.  "Let me know where you are!!" as he neared me.  I screamed again in blood-curdling pain.  The man had found me just barely conscious.  Hanging on by a mere thread.  I gasp and choke on the smoke.

Alas my breath ceases and I disappear from consciousness.  My husband runs through the door and we catch one last glimpse of each other.  I look at him whispering as my last breath exits my mouth, "Even flames won't keep me from you."


I wake in his arms and breath heavily.  He sits up and looks at me rubbing my back, "What happened, love?"  I close my eyes and sigh.