Dakota Enger always listened to the angel on her shoulder and followed the rules. She was a straight "A" student, president of the debate team and currently holds the fastest time on the track team.
But when a devil appears, Derek Hale, she can't h...
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The old Victorian house creaked and groaned as if in protest against the night's sudden shift from tranquil slumber to chaos. Smoke, thick and acrid, billowed through the once-familiar hallways, its tendrils reaching for the terrified family within.
Dakota, just six, clung to her father's leg, her tiny hand gripping his jeans with a strength that belied her age. Tears streamed down her face, blurring the terrifying image of their once-peaceful home now transformed into a monster of flame and smoke. Her brother, little Henry, was just four, his wide eyes filled with a mix of fear and confusion.
"Daddy, it's hot," Dakota whimpered, her voice barely audible over the crackling of the fire.
"I know, sweetheart, I know," her father replied, his voice rough with smoke and fear. He scooped her up, cradling her close to his chest. Henry, too small to carry, was handed to his mother, who wrapped him in a dampened towel.
The hallway was a labyrinth of smoke, the heat growing unbearable with each passing second. They stumbled blindly,their hands outstretched, searching for an escape. A window, a sliver of hope, appeared at the end of the hall. With a burst of adrenaline, Dakota's father dashed towards it, his arms shielding his children from the worst of the heat.
Outside, the cool night air was a stark contrast to the inferno raging behind them. The fire department was already on the scene, their sirens a cacophony against the crackling flames. The children were bundled into blankets, their small bodies trembling from shock and cold.
As the fire raged on, consuming their home, paramedics were assessing the family. Dakota, apart from being terrified, was physically unharmed. But Henry was different. A falling beam had struck his chest, the impact causing internal injuries.Paramedics worked frantically, their faces etched with concern, as they attended to the young boy. Initial assessments revealed a possible cardiac contusion, a serious injury that required immediate medical attention.
The sight of her injured brother was a shock to Dakota, her small world shattered by the sudden violence of the fire. As the ambulance sirens wailed into the night, she clung to her mother, her tiny body trembling. Her father stood nearby, his face etched with worry, the full extent of the tragedy slowly sinking in. The house they had known as home was now a charred skeleton, a stark reminder of the fragility of life.
"You promised to be home! Our son is coming home and needs his mother."
"I am working for our son! I am working for our family!"
Kota takes a deep breath, her parents' familiar yelling broke her out of a horrible memory. "Are they still arguing?" Henry groans, looking outside his hospital room. "Did you really think they would stop?" Kota asks him sarcastically.
Henry went quiet and helped his sister pack his bag. Kota glanced up and watched as Henry scratched at his new scar.
That horrible memory kept flashing in her mind and the struggle and despair it put her family in. Henry suffered the worst of them all; the smoke inhalation was deadly for him and caused severe damage to his heart - in result ending on the transplant list.
