Them

Chapter 3 - Stephanie

Stephanie

"Ms. Castro."

I jumped in my seat forgetting where I was and dozing off was definitely reoccurring in my life. 

"Yes Mr. Heart?" I asked remembering that this was the end of my last day to receive my GED. 

"Can you tell us the answer to the question please?" He asked condescendingly, smirking at the please in his question.

"8." I answered annoyingly. School had always been easy for me but when I got pregnant my Sophomore year I had to drop out to focus on being a new teen-mom.

"Care to show us how you got that." Mr. Castro asked looking irritated that I got the question correct. 

I got out of my desk, my jeans' pockets making a small screeching sound as I rose from the old chair. I walked up to the board grabbing the chalk out of Mr. Castro's hand and began writing out the steps to the equation.

"Let's work on staying awake." Mr. Castro said to me as I handed him back the chalk leaving my problem on the board. The school had given us the oldest classrooms on the campus as personnel who couldn't finish "correct". But to finish is to finish.

I smirked and walked back to my desk opening up my notebook full of drawings. Flames engulfing marshmallows. How cute. I smiled and began shading things in as I had been doing throughout the entire course. Almost finished. Fire has always been my favorite. Maybe that's why I got flames tattooed across my entire left arm. They had always looked so cool, so intricate, so dangerous. A fire could destroy anything within seconds if not minutes.

The bell rings.

"Remember that your GED certificates will be mailed to your mailing addresses. Thank you all for your hard work. Enjoy your new found education." Mr. Castro shouted with a delightful look on his face looking at each of us as we walked out of his class for the last time.

I walked to the old grey pick-up truck my father had given me when I was pregnant and threw my book bag in the back and hopped in, turning on the sound engine. 

I drove down the rode headlights beaming. GED classes were from 5pm till 9pm every week-night. These late nights were going to be worth it in the long-run as I spent time away from my son. He's now 2 and running around making time feel as if it's just passing by me.

I drove down the road pulling over for fire trucks wailing by with their sirens blasting. I continued driving. It was a big city they could be going anywhere.

I turned the corner and that's when my heart sunk into my stomach. The fire trucks were all surround 'The Gardens' my apartment complex. Engulfed in beautiful flames. My home. 

That's when it hit me. Zach. My son would have been in bed by now. I raced forward screeching to a halt. I jumped out of my pick-up and sprinted towards the doors. There's no chance that I would not go and get my son. Fire-fighters and policemen scratching at me to try and stop me. I ran past them running into the huge flames. The 3rd floor 2nd door on the left. That's where I needed to go. 

Firemen ran past me carrying people on their shoulders out to safety. Not one of them looking like my mother or my son. I found the stairwell and ran up. Smoke had filled every corner of the stairwell. I continued past them like they were nothing. I made my way. APT 304. I tried opening the door. No luck. I stood back, raised my leg, put all of my force into the kick.

No one in sight. The flames grew stronger. I searched Zach's room first. Nothing. Not in the closet. Not under the bed. I sprinted into my room. Emptiness. My bed was aflame. I threw open my closet. Nothing. I made my way back to the living room. My painting engulfed and melting with the wall. 

"ZACH!" I screamed. Silence.

"MOM!" I screamed again. Nothing but the sound of flames taking over my ears. I looked around tears streaming down my face. I hadn't even noticed I was crying. I turned around to the door. Flames overtook the doorway. 

Just then a black figure emerged from the flames. Walking through them as if they weren't even there. I took a step backwards. What the hell was this? The figure kept coming towards me.

Fight I thought. I threw my hands up like I had practiced in Boxing. This thing would not stop me. Even if it was death himself.

The figure stopped in its tracks. Turned and walked out. Leaving a pathway around the flames. This was my time. I ran the same path I had taken in back outside. The Firefighters now ushering me to an ambulance. I ran. I must find them. Going ambulance to ambulance. fIRST ONE. not them. Second one not them. Then I spotted it. Golden hair blowing in the cold wind. Zach. I knew instantly. I ran and picked him up. Hugging him tighter than ever before.

"MOMMA!" Zach shouted to me. Crying our tears merged into each other. 

Finally. My panic had left me. The paramedic came over.

"Ma'am." He stated firmly as I put Zach back into my mothers arms.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Are you hurt?" A question I hadn't even thought about in the slightest.

"I don't think so." I stated looking over myself for any signs of injury. Nothing.

"I just watched you run out of the building. And nothing?" He questioned.

Stunned we stared at each other.