Up in Flames

**Rated Teen, deals with some mature themes***

    "Fire blazed in front of my eyes, blinding me in a bright orange and yellow light." Cora whispered in a small voice. Her fingers subconsciously stroked the angry scar on her right arm. It tingled ever so slightly whenever she thought about her 13th birthday, which was very often. She drew her grey eyes up timidly to observe the man sitting before her. He had a gentle, fatherly face- the kind she had never known- with grey streaks in his neatly trimmed beard. He watched her with an acute focus that made her shift in her seat; a notepad sat lazily on his lap. Cora hated attention- she was only here because she had to be.

    "Go on."

    Cora took a deep breath and blinked away tears. You don't deserve to cry she scolded herself like she had many times before, there are people who have it much worse than I do. Taking a deep breath, she resumed her story. "It didn't surprise me. Fire's all I know, I've kinda lived with it for a while- ya know?"

    "No, I don't." The man said, tilting his head. "Can you explain?"

     Cora nodded a bit. "Um, yeah. Ya see, my dad is- sorry was- a fireman. Everyday he'd go to work and we weren't sure if we'd see him again. Mom always got so worried for him, but me?" Her voice dropped even lower. "I sorta hoped he wouldn't come back." Her voice weighed heavy with shame and she could not meet the man's eyes.

    "Why dear?"

    Cora bit her lip. Why? Years of neglect and abuse flashed before her eyes. Dance recitals forgotten, birthday's with no gifts because he'd blown the money on drugs, school day missed of the bruises she'd gotten from drunken slaps. And how could she forget the countless whispers that taunted her in the nights her mother was away. The phony, blonde woman he brought into there home in secret, hushed voices saying he loved her, she was everything to him, the screams that followed through the night, and the panicked threats lashed out to Cora warning her of the horrible things her father would do if she told her mother.

    "Cora?"

    Brought out of her reprieve, Cora mumbled simply. "He hated me." The man wrote in his notepad silently for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

    "I see. Now, can you tell me what happened the night of your 14th birthday?" He asked softly.

     Cora gritted her teeth at the memory; her arm stung with pain. "He was drunk...or high; probably both. Mom had been called out of town for business. That left just me and him. I guess I didn't count as good enough company for him so he called a friend of his- Theresa- and asked her to come over. Mom had bought me a birthday cake, so I lit the candles and just watched the flame dance when Theresa came over. When she saw me and the cake, she got disgusted at my dad for wanting to fool around on his kid's birthday; slammed the door in his face and told him not to call her." Here Cora let out a shuddering breath. "He got pissed. Came at me with a fire in his eyes so fierce I couldn't move from my chair. 'B***h!' He shouted, spitting in my face. I cried out and tried to run, but her grabbed me and forced me on top of the kitchen table. 'I don't care whose birthday it is or ain't, I'm gettin' what I need.' He growled at me menacingly and fumbled with his belt. Now my mother didn't raise me stupid- I new what was about to happen and it scared the hell out of me. I screamed for help, desperately tried to get to our phone but only my birthday cake and the curtains were in reach so..."

     "So," he mused, never breaking eye contact, "is that why you started the fire?"

    At this, Cora burst up from her chair, "I DIN'T START THE FIRE!" She screamed vehemently, causing the man to lean back in alarm. "HE DID! With all the lies, all the hate, all the whiskey and meth he loved more than me- his own daughter! I couldn't- I wouldn't just sit around and be his punching bag anymore. How was that fair to me or my mother? With everything he'd done to hurt our family..." She panted heavily, shaking all over. A muted apathy chilled her bones as she sank to her chair. "That monster deserved to die."

    "Cora..." The man murmured as soothingly as his shaken nerves would allow, he pressed a small button on his desk and looked at her sadly. "Cora dear, no one thinks you deserve to go to jail for what you did."

    "I didn't-"

    "However," He cut her off, holding up his hand patiently, "Your mother thinks that, in light of all that happened to you, some deeper help may be good for the both of you."

    Cora's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, doc?"

    Two men dressed all in white came in quietly and grabbed Cora's arms. Her head whipped wildly to the man she's been speaking with, fear pounding in her chest. "D-doc?"

    "Now Cora," He said, tenderly stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "These nice men are going to take you too a new place- a temporary home in a way. You'll be with other people just like you and get all the help you need, okay."

    Cora slumped in the men's arms. "Y-your taking me to an asylum? You think I'm crazy? I-I"m not crazy!" She cried hysterically, "It was him! He was the crazy one. D****t this is all his fault!" She thrashed wildly against the men's grip. "I hate you! I HATE YOU!" She shrieked to no one the others could see. The men looked at Doc Arthurs for an order. He gave a curt nod and Cora was pushed against the wall and forced into a straight jacket.

    The doctor stood close to Cora's trembling figure. "He won't bother you where your going, child. He can't get you there."

     Cora looked up at him with tired eyes, "Yes he can. He always finds a way to get me."

     Doc Arthurs shook his head sadly. "Time to go, take her away boys."

    The men nodded and hauled the lip girl into a hallway. "Wait." Cora whispered, looking over her shoulder at the doctor. He waved a hand for her to speak. Cora swallowed against the dry ache of her throat and asked, "W-will I get to see my mom?"

    Doc Arthurs sighed in remorse. "I'm afraid she's asked not to see you like this."

    Cora nodded, void of all emotion. The doctor waited for her to say anything else before sending the threesome away. 

    As Cora as dragged down the last warmly lit hallway she ever thought she would see, she finally allowed herself to cry.

Author's Note

written for a contest.