From the Ashes

Chapter 1

That night had started out just like any other. The family had finished all of the chores around the farm. The pigs had been fed and watered, the chickens had been put to bed for the night. Violet had just been helping her mother clean up the dishes from the venison stew that they had for dinner while Oliver, Violet's oldest brother, along with her father took one last walk about the property.

Just like they did every night.

When they came back inside, kicking off their boots at the door, Jessie, Violet's second oldest brother called from the small sitting room in the middle of the house where he has been cleaning some of his horse's tack.

"All good out there?"

"There is a fence down at the back of the property you boys are gonna hav' ta fix in the mornin'."  Their father said as he took off his hat and hung it on a hook on the wall. He then walked by and put away some of the spoons that had been dried and were just sitting on the counter.

Then her father made his way to his bedroom, followed shortly thereafter by her mother who gave her a quick hug goodnight before shutting the door behind them.

"Will do, Pa.." Jessie sighed.

Violet finished putting the rest of the dishes away and untied the apron from around her waist.

She then trudged up the stairs and called down to Oliver and Jessie, who were sitting at the dining room table discussing the early morning task they had ahead of them

"Goodnight you two."

They waved her off as they continued talking and rolling her eyes, she went to her bedroom.

Boys.

She changed into her lightweight pale blue nightgown. It was perfect for the summertime heat that was even prevalent during the night.

Violet crawled into bed, rubbing her green eyes while listening to the crickets outside sing her to sleep as she slowly drifted off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The heat that she felt was not summer heat.

It was a blazing, relentless inferno.

Violet suddenly sucked in a breath and found that she couldn't. She opened her eyes and they stung horribly. What she could see was orange and yellow light.

Everywhere.

And smoke. Smoke was in her nose, her mouth and eyes.

She rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. When she opened them again, it was just a bit clearer.

She could see the flames lapping around the edges of her room. Shit. She needed to get out. Now.

She fled from her bed thinking just in time to grab the pair of boots that had been lying haphazardly on the floor next to it and throwing them on.

Once they were on she threw her door open and yelped and she beheld the scene down the stairs.

More flames. Much bigger. The entire house was engulfed.

"No.." Violet breathed.

She couldn't waste any more time. She had to move and move quickly. She darted down the stairs and ran into the main living area of the house.

"Ma!" She screamed, voice wavering. "Pa! Boys!"

No answer from anyone. At least not one she could hear over the roaring of the flames.

She heard cracking coming from the staircase that she had just come down. It had begun to buckle from the burning that it had endured.

Violet was beginning to lose consciousness due to the smoke inhalation. She ran as fast as she could for the front door of the farm house, vision becoming blackened and fuzzy at the edges.