Young love (Gilbert Blythe)

Memories and flames

CHAPTER SIX:

Memories and flames

Evelyn's Pov.

I was woken up by the sound of bells in the distance.

I know what these bells mean. Fire.

I quickly get out of bed, agitated, heading towards the window. In the distance you can see a strong light caused by the flames that are probably destroying the house.

I move away from the window and take a coat, breathing heavily. I'll be fine, it's been a while since I was scared by a fire.

I leave my room, going downstairs where my mother is running around the house, taking all the buckets she can find.

"Evelyn! Get the buckets from the yard!" She says, and I comply, immediately leaving the house, taking the buckets and putting them in the carriage, my hands shaking.

"Where's dad?" I ask my mother, helping her harness the horse.

"He left with Ivy as soon as he heard the bells." She explains to me and I nod, climbing into the cart.

Breathe, Evelyn, breathe.

My parents think that my fear of fire has passed and that I am fine now. That's what I thought too until three months ago, when me, Elias and some friends from Portland decided to make a big campfire. I was calm and didn't panic until one of Elias' friends decided to pour alcohol over the wood and then throw a lighted match in it. The way the fire suddenly appeared scared me and I started shaking uncontrollably, moving away from the fire. My friends laughed at me and tried to bring me back to the fire, but when they saw that I wasn't even going to look at it, they left me alone.

I hope I will be calmer now.

When we arrive, I get out of the carriage, helping my mother carry the buckets to the firemen's carriage. It's Ruby's family home.

I look at the house and feel a shiver down my spine. It doesn't look good at all. The flames are everywhere, making the wood burn quickly.

"Evelyn!" I turn around and see Diana running towards me, together with Anne, taking me in a short hug.

"How did this happen?" I ask, looking at the burning house, memories flying before my eyes.

"A candle was left burning." Diana explains to me, but my eyes stay on the house.

The whole situation reminded me of how my house burned down a few years ago, how I sat outside looking horrified at the flames that were burning my house down, how my mother prayed that everything would be fine. It wasn't, and all that was left of my home was ashes. And it took my sister.

I am awakened from my trance when I see Anne running into the house.

What the..?

I look panicked at Diana, my mother and a few other women as they try to stop Mrs. Cuthbert from entering the house after Anne.

This is not good. What does she do in the home? Does she want to end up like Emma?

I start when I hear a bang, then I hear some glass pieces hitting the ground. I turn towards the sound, looking desperately for what I heard. A window exploded right next to the men climbing up the ladder to put out the fire. I look carefully at those who have climbed up and a familiar face takes shape. What is Gilbert doing up there?!

My hands start shaking again. He has to get off, he's too close to the fire. I'm too close to the fire. What if it expands and hurts those on the ladder? I should NOT have come, I should have stayed at home, away from the fire.