It had been a calm night at the Brandt household, the kind of evening where nothing seemed amiss. Florence's parents were settling down after dinner, and she was tucked in bed, her mind drifting into dreams. The house was quiet and dark, all lights off except for the soft glow of the lamp on Florence's nightstand. But that didn't last very long. The serenity of the night was shattered in an instant when flames erupted, quickly consuming the house. Smoke filled the air, and the crackling of burning wood drowned out all other sounds.
Suddenly, the calmness of the evening was interrupted by a loud crash from downstairs, and Florence jolted awake. Florence woke up in a panic, the heat and smoke overwhelming her senses. She didn't know it, but the fire started downstairs and had been caused by a faulty wire in the old kitchen stove. Florence's mom had often complained about the old stove, but her dad insisted on keeping it since it still worked. Unfortunately, tonight, the old stove had finally given out, causing a massive blaze that spread quickly. The ten year old girl's heart raced as she realized what was happening. Flames were already creeping up the walls, their orange glow flickering eerily in her small room. The heat was intense, and she could barely breathe, the thick, acrid smoke burning her throat and filling her lungs with each panicked gasp.
"Dad! Mama!" Florence cried out, her voice breaking. The fire hadn't got to her room yet thankfully, but the smoke was beginning to become too much. She didn't know if her parents were even alive, or if the house would hold together long enough for them to escape. But Florence didn't want to give up hope, not when she was still alive. She tried to stay calm, knowing that panicking would only make things worse.
"Florence!" She heard her father shout her name and Florence breathed a sigh of relief. Her father was still alive. "I'll come and get you, I promise!" He yelled and Florence's heart leapt. Her dad was going to save her, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But she had to get out of this room, she couldn't stay here. Florence glanced around the room, her eyes watering from the smoke and the tears. She didn't want to leave her room behind. Everything she loved and cherished was here, and it was all about to go up in flames. But there was no way to save the room, she had to leave everything behind. Though there was one thing she desperately couldn't leave behind, a small plush rabbit. She grabbed it and she put shoes on quickly before scrambling out of her room.
The fire had almost reached the staircase by now and Florence was running out of time. The heat from the flames was unbearable, and the smoke stung her eyes. Florence clutched her bunny close, afraid that she might lose it or it might catch on fire. Fire almost surrounded downstairs, thankfully there was still what seemed to be a narrow path to the staircase and to the front door. Florence took a deep breath and bolted for the stairs. But before she could make it down the stairs, a loud creak echoed through the house, and the wooden beams above her began to crack and groan under the intense heat. Florence froze in place, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked up, realizing that the ceiling above was about to collapse. She knew she had to move fast, but fear rooted her to the spot. One piece fell, barely hitting her, but it hit her enough for her to feel the heat of the flames. It spurred her into action, and she ran, taking the steps two at a time.
She had made it halfway down the stairs when another beam gave way, sending a shower of sparks and burning debris down around her. Florence screamed, her small body instinctively ducking as she tried to shield herself with the plush rabbit. The heat was suffocating, and her lungs burned with every breath she took. She knew she couldn't stop, couldn't hesitate — not if she wanted to survive. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, the fire roared, consuming everything in its path. Florence's vision blurred from the smoke and tears, but she could see the front door in the distance, slightly ajar, as if beckoning her toward safety. She sprinted for it, her heart pounding in her ears, the sound of the flames deafening. Just as she was about to reach the door, she felt a searing pain on the side of her face. The intense heat had finally caught up to her, and she cried out in agony as the skin on her cheek burned. The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt, and for a moment, she was sure she wouldn't make it.
YOU ARE READING
REWRITE THE STARS! phillip carlyle
Adventure―❝ What if we rewrite the stars? Say you were made to be mine. Nothing could keep us apart. You'd be the one I was meant to find.❞ ―❝ florence and phillip were childhood best friends who were inseparable that is until her parents died in a house fir...
