Sleeping Roses

Let Them Burn

Fire.

Everything around him was on fire. The kitchen was ablaze, the doors and windows bolted shut. Thundering footsteps sounded overhead in the bedrooms, screams echoing down.

"KILAN!"

His mother was screaming for him, horror in the tearing of her voice. He was trying to open the doors that led to the rest of the house, hammering against them, slamming his shoulder against them, but they wouldn't budge. They couldn't move, they had been locked and barricaded from the other side.

Burning wood began to come crashing down around him, the floor creaking under the strain. His sister's cries of dread merged with his mother's and the sound of his father trying to force doors open shook the already unstable rafters.

"MUM!!" Kilan screamed, tears streaming down his face as he banged on the door to the point the skin ripped on his fist and blood smeared against the wood. "DAD!"

Snapping above him made him look up and his body moved before his mind could catch up, throwing him backwards as a beam came thundering down right where he had been standing, blocking the doors from his side as well.

"MUMMY!"

"RUN BABY!!"

"Kai!"

Another voice sounded, making him look around. The backdoor was caving against its hinges as someone hurled their bodyweight into it again and again.

Another slam, and another and the door burst open, the flames roaring towards the opening.

The first thing Kilan saw was two young boys, eyes wide in fear.

"JJ, Nico! Get back!"

A man appeared, shoving the children away from the doors before running in.

"Kilan!" he cried, running straight for him, yanking him up into his arms.

"They're upstairs!" Kilan cried as the man turned towards the exit. "They're trapped!"

"We have to go, Kilan!" the man shouted, running.

"Wait!" Kilan screamed, "Wait! They're still in there!"

"We have to go!"

"STOP!"

The man got out of the house just as the doorframe craved in, locking them out. The man and the three children stared with mesmerised fear as they watched the flames fully engulf the building, silhouettes just visible in the upstairs windows.

Kilan struggled wildly, trying to get free, trying to get back to them. He had to get back to them!

"MUM!" he wailed, just as a section of the roof caved in.

Kilan's eyes snapped open in fright, breathing hard, his hands curled like claws into the sofa he lay on, tears streaming down his face into his hair.

"Should we use smelling salts?"

"He's not a lady, Steph."

"He's not waking up either."

"No, he's awake."

Kilan jumped as Briar's face appeared over him, her brow creased in worry.

Kilan blinked, then quickly sat up, gripping his head, Briar leaning back to give him space.

"You're crying?" she said, reaching forwards with a handkerchief.

"I'm fine," Kilan said quickly, pushing her hand back and pressing his hand to his face.