The Keeper Exams

Mortality - Task One

User: a_person66

Name: Loira

The flames lick at my heels. The air is filled with ash and smoke.
It's so hot.
I hold on to Blue-my stuffed giraffe.

"Mommy! Alisha!" I sob. My older sister Alisha runs into my room.

"Loira! What are you doing? Get out!" She grabs me and pulls me out of my rom. Blue falls from my grasp.

Alisha carries me out of my burning home and onto the grass-wet with dew.
Men dressed in orange with long hoses run into my home as the house creaks, and wood collapses.

"Ali-what about Blue?" I tug on her sleeve.
Alisha looks down at me. Her usually pretty face is hard and angry.

"Loira will you forget about your stupid giraffe? Our parents are in there!" She yells at me. Tears streak down her face, leaving little trails in the soot covering her.
She bury's her head in her hands and sobs. I wrap my small arms around her shaking body.

"I'm sorry Lo." She wails.

Maybe I'm in shock. Maybe I'm crazy. Because as I watch my home crumble into ash, I don't feel anything. No emotion whatsoever.
I should be like Alisha. I should be on the ground sobbing.
But I'm not.
And that scares me.

I can see my mother. She is almost unrecognizable. She is lying next to my father who is just as burned.

Eventually the firefighters left. So did the neighbours. It's just me and Alisha now.

And our dead parents.

I walk over to them. I look down at their body's. My music loving mother and my silly father. They will never laugh together again.
I'm a orphan.

Even my 6 year old self understands that.

Suddenly something breaks inside of me. I throw myself onto the body of my mom.

"Come back mommy! Come back." I wail. I scream her name as Alisha pulls me off of her. I rest my head against Alisha's shoulder and sob. Alisha trembles as she holds me.

Everything changes in a instant.

A golden light engulfs the lawn. I turn and stare at my parents. My father is still lying on the ground.

But my mother is not.

She is getting up and looking around. But she doesn't look like herself. She looks like she's sleepwalking.
But she is definitely not dead.

I cautiously walk over to my father. I touch his hand gently. In a few seconds, the same golden light explodes out of him. I stumble back and my father wakes up.
I'm so caught up in the magical transformation of my dad, I don't notice my mother. Or Alisha.
Until I hear the scream. I look over at Alisha. She is lying on the ground, a bloody knife sticking out of her chest.
My mother stands over her, looking down at her oldest daughter.

"No!" I yell. Both parents turn to me. Instinctively I slash my hand downward. My parents crumble into dust. I run over to Alisha, but her eyes are closed and she is cold.

A loud, high pitched noise pierces the air. Over and over. Never ending.
I realize I am screaming.
I drop to the ground and sit next to Alisha.

I look down at my hands. They caused my parents to stand up. They killed Alisha.

I hate myself.

I break down in sobs. This is the worst thing that has ever happened. Ever.
Eventually I stand up and walk towards my house. Rather, the ash pile that used to be my home.