Reign ✔

XIV

The heat of the blazing fire in the kitchen almost burned my skin. I didn't know what to do, with Eliza knocked down on the floor. My brain stopped working. My body was hot. My eyes were filled with the sight of fire. And my heart suddenly stopped.

"Eliza!" I gasped, turning her body upward. Red blood oozed out for a sharp wound on her forehead. I flinched. I rubbed her cheeks, "Eliza, answer me!" My body was numb. Though Elizabeth could be annoying, I couldn't bear the thought of loosing her. Last time, she wasn't hurt. But this time, she had lost blood. Her eyes were shut and breathing was low. So low I almost thought she was dead.

The fire, I saw, was spreading. I had to get out. With all my might, I scooped off Eliza's body from the floor onto my arms and quickly ran out of the cottage. She was heavy for me, and I had to struggle to get out. The kitchen burned to ashes as we reached the door. It took me extra time to get out then usual. Once out and away from the cottage, I dropped Eliza on the ground, carefully. The cottage, our cottage, was up in flames. The side of the kitchen was just down in ashed, the walls black with the soot. The rest was burning, still burning. I slumped on the floor, knees first, and buried my face on my hands. Then, the tears came out, drop by drop.I had never in my life till date thought that I'd lose things like this. My entire home was burnt. My clothes, the jewelleries, the long, flowy gowns, the food, the house . . . everything was destroyed. Elizabeth was still unconscious. And the cottage was still burning.

Wiping off my tears with the back of my palm, I started waking Eliza. I shook her, rubbed her, caressed her, but she would not wake. The blood on her wound had dried up. I examined her deep scar; probably she was hit with a sharp object.

"Eliza," I whispered as I tried to open her eyes. I searched for water, but where was I to get water in the open? Minutes ticked my. No amount of my shaking her was successful enough to wake her up. It seemed as if she was in deep sleep. Loosing energy and hope, I snuggled up on the ground, next to a tree, and slowly closed my eyes, letting the tears of loss flow out.

***

"Sarah," a faint, familiar voice was calling out my name.

"Sah-rah," the voice called out again, breaking my name into two.

"Sarah," it called. I opened my eyes to a darkness around me. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I spotted Elizabeth squirming on the floor, her hands pressed to her head. I crawled up to her, my eyes drowsy.

Elizabeth was whimpering in pain; squirming and struggling to get up. "Eliza, are you-are you alright?" That was all that came out of my mouth. I was too much in shock from everything to ask a stable question. Eliza groaned as I helped her sit up.

"Are you okay?" I asked her again.

"What?" She winced, "I have been knocked off to death and you ask me if I m okay?" She literally shouted. A smile appeared on my lips, Eliza was back. I just stared at her, not having the least idea of what to say.

When she was comfortably sitting and her pain seemed to cease, she asked me, "What happened?"

I flinched. "Someone burned down our house." I replied. Eliza's eyes suddenly widened as she scrunched her nose.

"Oh no," she gasped, "we have to go!" Then, she started standing up. I stared at her; sometimes, I really didn't understand Eliza.

I grabbed her before she could fall. "Eliza, you need to rest!" I stated.

"No, we have to get out of here!" She stood up again. This time, she didn't fall.

"But why?"

"Because we were nearly burnt to death!"