Fanficwriter01's Anthology (Completed)

Firestorm (2022)

A/N: Before we start, i would like to apologise to readers for not updating on Wednesday night without leaving an author's note. Main reason I was absent was because I had some personal errands to run and organise for an overnight stay at a friend's house later in the week ( And see the Illuminate event at Adelaide Zoo) plus, babysitting the new puppy one of my relatives got recently has been hectic. As An apology, I'll be publishing a short piece I wrote for a writing group exercise. I'm hoping to update again on Wednesday. Enjoy.

Without further adew, he got up onto the balcony railing and jumped...

Aleric Barson, a twenty-five year old male, lived alone in a small apartment with only a young Labrador puppy for company, he had been living there for five years since graduating from the University of Boston, and worked for a humble local business firm as a receptionist. It paid an average wage of twenty bucks per hour, but it was more than enough to cover living expenses, and put food on the table.

He was a bachelor, there weren't many girls interested in dating him, only for the occasional one night stands, then leave apartment around the early hours of the morning. It was fine by him, but hoped one of these day's he'd find someone who would see beyond his looks, with muscular build and green eyes, black hair and faint stubble on his chin.

One night, he had finished a long shift at Georgia's Firm, exhausted, he was greeted at the door by his excited pup, Goldie, fed them, showered and plopped down on the couch, with puppy snuggled on his chest, fell asleep watching Friends.

First sign. he was awoken by strong whiff of ash in his nostrils, sound of crackling sounds in the background, and room warm as a sauna.

A fire.

He bolted upright, Goldie, who had been asleep was woken up by the subtle movement of their owner, and foreign scent, whimpered. He comforted the animal, bringing closer to his chest, and see the tell-tale signs of red, orange, and yellow flames eating away his front wooden door, and spreading fast to the carpet, slowly blocking him inside.  He had no time to get to his bedroom get documents, or other rooms otherwise he'd be trapped inside with no other exit. They'd both die. Thinking fast he ducked down low beneath the dark smoke, and crawled to his balcony, pushing open the glass sliding door, whoosh sound as opened, he got to his feet and stepped out onto the small concrete balcony overlooked garden of the apartment complex, smoke and flames roaring in his ears. Below he could see blue and red sirens of emergency vehicles, and firemen running around, trying to put out the flames as fast as possible, some of residents had had the same idea to escape to their private balconies, his guess those on ground level, long fled their homes to the evacuation zone of parking lot. Screaming, and shouting.

He could see a firemen chief with microphone, urging residents on higher floors to stay put, that help was on the way, but judging by heat approaching him from behind, he didn't have time left before the glass door exploded or flames came jumping for his hoodie, and burn his flesh.

He couldn't wait.

Without knowing what lay below, he scrambled up onto the metal railing, with Goldie protected within his arms, the cold night air, nipping at his face, and jumped into empty air.

The next, he felt his body sinking into softness, and voices overhead, opened his eyes to see men in firemen gear, faces dirty with soot, and tiredness in their eyes, one of them helped him and Goldie off the safety net, onto the damp, green grass. Luckily he had worn sneakers. He was guided over to the ambulance to be checked out for smoke inhalation. Goldie curled upon his lap.

They had survived. They were safe.

END OF FIRESTORM (2022)

A/N: I confess I may have made a few changes to some paragraphs but kept some of the original parts of story as possible. Thank you for reading and have an amazing week.

Sincerely,

-Fanficwriter01