Ignite

Part One - Daniel

        So this is how I'd die.

        I was being burnt alive. The flames licked at my skin and clothing. Honestly it didn't hurt like i thought it would, it was mainly just uncomfortable. The fabric burnt away in tattered bits. I don't know what caused the fire. It was probably those idiots downstairs, this was a crazy party after all, anyone and anything could be to blame. Looking down i was surprised to see my skin seemed unburnt. There was no bubbling or angry red burns.

        That means there was still a chance. I quickly scanned the room looking for a way out. Fire danced in every path of the small room. Besides the window and the door to the hall leading downstairs, it didn't seem as though there was one. I ran over to the window, tearing off what was left of my shirt; whipping it against my leg to put out some of the flames that were left on it. Wrapping it around my hand I quickly punched out the glass so that I could fit through. With one hand on top of the sill I hoisted myself up, crouching on the sill steeling myself for the jump.

        Then someone screamed nearby. So I wasn't the only one in here. The firemen would arrive on scene and they'd get her, I told myself. I heard those sirens though and they still just sounded like whispers in the cool night. I jumped off the sill back in to the room and started with a cough. I raised the rolled up shirt to my mouth and nose to try and block some of the smoke.

"Hello?" I yelled out with a dry voice. "Where are you?"

        I listened but there was no sound other than the fire crackling and the wood losing its hold. Then out in the hall way I heard it. "Help me!" I ran toward the door. Bracing myself I raised my shoulder and flew against the door, cracking it open. Flames flew in above my head from the hall. Fire had engulfed the hallway, the worst of it was coming closer with each passing second. The flames painted the hall orange with ghostly shadows near the ceiling. I could hear coughing a few feet a way and move quickly forward.

        "Where are you?" I yell above the crackling. "Help!' I hear yelled coming from a closet. I quickly open it to find a girl about my age, 18, sitting curled on the floor. She hugged her knees and tears streamed from her light eyes and down her tan face, her hair was a mess, a burnt sweater lay beside her. Her body had a sheat of sweat all around her black tank top.

        I reached out "Come with me." Grabbing her hand I hoisted her up and we ran back to the other room. "Okay, jump out, and roll when you hit the ground, alright?" She nodded, Her tear streaked face wore a terrified and sad expression. She turned from me and jumped just as the floor beneath me gave out. A rafter fell down after me landing hard on my back pinning me down on my stomach as other bits rained down on my head. The smoke was starting to get to me and I could see darkness at the edge of my vision. I tried pushing up on it to achieve freedom but the rafter wouldn't budge. Pain was streaking up and down my back from the impact. My vision kept growing darker until it was nearly all black. I started to feel sleepy. Looking around I could see I fell in to the living room. The couch was burning bright and flames and smoke flew from the top of the television. The flames danced in the night, destroying everything it touched.

        They surrounded me and I was helpess. My last living thought was how beautiful that girl was. I didn't even know her name. Her light blue eyes hung in my memory though and I actually smiled before falling in to a coughing fit. So this is how I die, I thought as I felt my consciousness leaving me. The last thing I heard before everything went black was the sound of the house collapsing in on itself all around me.