Chapter One

Every inch of her body felt as if she was roasting over a fire.
'Why is this happening?' Avianna  wondered silently, hoping her inner conscious would respond to her but recieved no answer. 'Are all the conspiracies true?'
The fire inched closer, mocking her life-long thoughts of safety from mother nature's wrath. Just minutes before, the small country house was calm, a cool fall breeze passed through while it carried the sounds of farming tractors at work. Avianna was sprawled out on the living room couch at that time, recovering from a stomach ache (or - more accurately - buying herself time to study for the history test she forgot about). Her four year old cousin was playing in the yard with a kid he had met at daycare, both being supervised by his mother. The remainder of her cousins were either at school or away on a trip, as well as her uncle being out of town for work. This left Avianna alone in the old victorian - styled house to watch the news. Of course she had no desire to watch the nearly three hour long newscast, but she wasn't sure where the remote was. And seeing that she was 'sick', she wasn't about to blow her cover by tearing the living room apart to find it.
"There is new light on the supposed Natural Disaster Controversy," rang the sickly sweet voice of the female news anchor.
Avianna rolled her eyes at the comment. This controversy had been on the news for the past few months getting more attention than she thought it needed. It claimed Earth was now at a closer position to the sun and moon than ever before, making the world more apt for natural disasters. She thought all of it sounded straight out of a movie; nothing seemed more ridiculous. 
"Through all of our scientific research, it's concluded that this idea is simply impossible," remarked a scientist after a lengthy speach on how childish the controversy really was. "To think of something so catastrophic is simply child's play."
"I couldn't agree more," Avianna mumbled as she sat up in an attempt to stretch out her muscles from lying there all day.
A horrifying scream filled the air. She started towards the door to investagate, confused at the sudden outburst. Flames met her gaze through the glass window, flooding her with realization. Adrenaline filled her veins as she ran to the front door and swung it open. She was met with flames that were pushing their way inside like unwanted visitors. There was absolutely no chance of her getting out the door without being burned to a crisp. And nothing was more haunting than turning her back on the screams of her family. But what was the point of running to them only to die in the process? There was none.
'Logic,' she told herself. 'Simple logic.'
But her said logic didn't prevent the wave of guilt that washed over her. Avianna cried without stop while stumbling through the smoke infested house. Everything was falling apart - literally. Every picture and decoration were eaten greedily by the fire's flames. Every wall caved under the relentless heat. Every peice of furniture and appliance burned slowly, almost as if the fire was savoring their taste. With the flames closing in, it didn't take Avianna long to find herself cornered in the hallway where it refused to let her escape.
She tried her hardest to stay awake. But as the seconds passed to minutes, her attempt proved to be in vein. Her vision started to soften to a blurry and fuzzy sight, but she wasn't sure if it was the accumulating smoke or the lack of oxygen (although it was without a doubt a combination of both). But she continued trying to find a way out despite her current condition.
"I can, I can make it," her voice said shakily as her burnt hands reached to grasp onto something uneffected by the fire but found nothing. "I just, just n-need to find the-" she fell to the ground, completely drained of any energy she was holding onto. Her body felt as if it was heavier than lead, unable to keep herself standing or move in any way. She couldn't open her mouth, let alone the strength to utter a single syllable when  voice called out to her.
"Avi!"
Avianna tried to make out who was calling for her through half lidded eyes. All she could see was a blurry outline. The mysterious figure ran to the dying girl, swiftly picking her up. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if someone came to save her. Maybe it was Death himself, here to take her to the grave. Or maybe Uncle Bram was back and stumbled onto the scene of the fire.
As soon as the duo were in the ashy air of the outside, she was taken out of the arms of her rescuer. Her small figure was placed carefully onto a gurney and an oxygen mask strapped to her face. The next moments happened in a blur. She vaguely remembered the paramedics, ambulance ride, and getting set up in the hospital, but she was to out of it to recall the memories fully. It wasn't for a long while until she learned what had happened. A spontaneous wild fire sparked in the field next to her house and grew faster than anyone would have guessed. 
"You're lucky to be alive," the nurse said as she changed the bandages on Avianna's 3rd degree burns.
"What about my aunt?" she questioned, speaking for the first time since arriving there. "And my cousin and his friend?"
A sorrowful look washed over the woman's gentle features. That was more than enough evidence to Avianna that they didn't make it. Deep down she already knew, but she didn't want to believe it. Tears dripped down her face as the nurse muttered an excuse of sorts and left, leaving her alone to cry.
"Avi?" a voice called from the entrance.
She looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes. She quickly recongized him as Caspian, her oldest cousin's fiance. "Cas?"
The moment he saw her tears, he ran to her bedside, wrapping her in a comforting hug. He knew what had happened: he saw the burnt bodies when he arrived at the house after following the firemen.
"Just let it out," he said calmly. "Let it all out."
"Is Uncle Bram here?" she asked after all the tears she could possibly shed were out. "And Arty?"
"Bram took Arty to the hotel across town, they'll be up here soon," Caspian said as he released her from the embrace and sat at the foot of the hospital bed. "I just got off the phone with Quinn. She's getting on the first flight back here from New York."
Avianna nodded. Quinn was her closest cousin, as well as Caspian's fiance. And with two of her family members dead, it was natural to come home at the first chance.
"How bad are the burns?"
"Second and third degree. There's scarring on my lungs, but not too bad. Or so the doctor said."
"Well, at least you aren't glad. I'm just glad I got to you in time."
Her eyes widened. "You saved me? I thought it was a firefighter or-"
"They didn't think anyone in there would be alive. But I knew you were in there."
"How?"
"I just did."
The two sat in the silence, absorbing the events of the day that would go on to start the events that would change their lives forever. Neither knew the horrifying phenomenon that laid in wait for them, or the dark secrets they each bore. 

Reviews

[matrixmark]

Great sense of danger from the off. Such a unique and different sotry to read and what a pleasure it was to read too. I loved the sun closing in on earth (what a great idea you have here.

Your sentences are short and punchy - just what a reader likes to see.

Your dialogue is well set out and flows really nicely.

Overall a good piece and a pleasure to read. I beleive there is going to be a follow up to this and i look forward to reading it.

Mark.