An arsonists cookbook

Chapter 15: Amber Rose

Now she had been released from hospital, Amber knew she would have to get back on her feet, the divorce hit her hard. She was living in a very tightly compacted apartment in Compton. It wasn't the nicest nor was it on the safest block but it's all she could managed. She had won most of the money away from Jack but it wasn't enough, they barely had anything when they were together. The apartment was located inside a converted two story house. It shared the house with another apartment which was located below her. The people living there were trouble makers. She had only been living there for a few weeks and already the police had been at the door six times asking for witness statements about drive-by shootings, drug runs and lots more, you name, Amber had been questioned for it. She was currently on  witness protection program after looking out her window one night and seeing a man be shot to pieces in the street by a black car which had swiftly moved along the road. She was scared for her child, now named 'Lucien Alec Rose'. 

The beautiful little boy, Lucien, was fast asleep as Amber lay on her small sofa which lay across the stripped sawn wood flooring. The dust from the plaster walls bellowed down onto the cold gaps in the wood. The radiators on the walls were hanging on by singular screws and only one out of three worked. That's where Amber placed Lucien's cot, next to the working radiator, it was, after all, the warmest place in the house. Baby comes first. Amber repeated in her head as her small build curled into the foetal position in order to try and keep warm.She looked more like a baby than Lucien. Spring is around the corner, hold on Amber, just hold on. Amber knew that, even in the spring, the air would still be crisp, however, she knew for a fact the sun would help the place heat up. She didn't bother moving much furniture in, she was going to get out as soon as possible. She was just about to doze off when Lucien began to cry. Not again. She thought as she lifted herself up and walked through the small, empty door frame. She held Lucien and fed him her breast milk and she sat and stared at the low moonlight as it sneaked in between the thin netting that covered the old wooden windows. It was hard to see because of the little amount of light. The low visibility meant that Amber could only see things that were a few meters in front of her, except near the window at the front of the apartment, a street lamp outside kept the small living room illuminated at all times. 

As she was putting Lucien down to sleep, she heard an ear-rending smash come from outside the apartment door. She could also hear muffled whispers. The streets were dead outside so she could hear everything. She crept her way towards the small kitchen to obtain a knife, then she slowly and cautiously made her way towards the door. She was extremely close now. As she reached for the door, it stared to move conspicuously. She let out as small squeak in fright and heard the voices hush outside the door. She stood. Her sweaty palms gripping the large cleaver with both hands. She was trembling. The door then started to be kicked at. It started jerking back and fourth as the lock kept the old hunk of wood in place. The rotting material began to crumble and crack and before she knew it, a foot appeared in the door. It was followed by a thick black smoke. 
"Hello? Lady? You in here?" a voice beckoned from outside the door, it sounded like one of the men who lived below her.
"There's a fire! C'mon, y'all need to get out now!" the voice yelled again. 

She unlocked the door and a man came charging in. He was dressed in baggy, low hanging pants, no shirt and black and white Nike shoe's. He had tattoos up and down his torso and many more littered his arms. He wasn't very tall, around five foot five. He looked at her.
"Yo, we need to get out before we become char-grilled, grab yo kid and lets go" the man spluttered. Amber ran and grabbed Lucien before being led down the stairs to the main exit of the house and as she felt the heat on her back she turned and saw the back of the house in a blaze. The low visibility wasn't darkness, it was smoke and Lucien was crying because he was too hot. Amber was making sense of it all now. How was she still cold? She didn't know and-or cared, she was just glad her baby was safe. She sat on the curb across the street with the man and his gang of friends and family, they watched as burning bank notes came flying out of the window as a gust of fire consumed the lower floor. The buildings which were connected to the house had been evacuated and authorities soon arrived. She couldn't thank that man enough, she didn't know his name nor anything about him but she owed her life to him. Thank you.