labyrinth

22 | Golden

"Come here you little cutie!"

Laughter bubbled out as the little boy raced excitedly around the room, striking light gray eyes sparkling as he skillfully dodging his mother's outstretched arms, giggling when she chuckled, running after him.

"Ha! Mama's never gonna catch me!"

"Are you sure about that, bub?"

He screamed in laughter, wriggling around, trying unsuccessfully to avoid the dangerous tickling fingers flitting over his sides, sending tingles up his spine.

"Mama! Mama, stop!"

She looked down, a soft smile dancing on her lips as she watched the little boy shift in his sleep, turning over and hugging his pillow tighter. Threading her fingers through his hair, her eyes shone with happiness and love, the little boy she'd do anything to protect relaxing even more into his sleep at the sensation of his mother's soft touch through his dark brown locks.

"I love you, my little boy."

And with that she leant down, a soft feather-like kiss on his forehead making his face scrunch up before he turned over. Though not without throwing his pillow out of the bed, hitting her face.

The fire had spread through the house, everything burning up into bright red and orange hues in the night. People shouting outside; worry, shock, helplessness evident in their voices as they waited for the firetruck, but to no avail.

It never came.

"Ezra! Go! Get out of here!"

She'd screamed, running behind him, when the first tile came crashing down, right next to where the little boy was crouched, shivering as his huge little eyes took in the blazing flames stretching higher and higher, devouring half the room in the moment it took his mother to reach him. Scooping him up, she squeezed her eyes shut as a groan pushed its way past her lips, gasping for air as she tried to help her little boy make it out, past the burned out door and searing hot hinges; past the giant teddy bears, won at a local carnival by a mother for her son; past the framed pictures, smiling faces and laughing memories caught forever.

Hissing as she stepped on a shard of glass, she raised her head, continuing on with her now-limp son in her arms.

"P-please...."

Desperation laced through her voice, darkness creeping up the sides of her vision.

"No...n-no...."

With one last attempt, she managed to shove open the backdoor, her son rolling out of her arms onto the cool grass as she gasped, falling down, a sickening crunch sounding from her leg as the roof caved in.

"Ezra.....run..."

"Make Mama proud, baby...."

Light brown eyes flew open with a gasp as he shot upwards, eyes roving around the backyard desperately until they laid upon the half-blackened figure lying limp, half on the grass and half still in the house.

The house that was now ashes and burnt wood on the ground, trapping the figure's lower torso.

"M-mama?"

He croaked out, trying to get up but falling back down, dizziness washing over him as black spots danced in his vision. Crawling towards her, he managed to grasp her hand.

"M-mama! Get up, we're out!"

"...mama?"

She didn't reply. She didn't move.