I quietly hummed to myself as I practiced with Alisa. We were back at the ballet school now and even though I had not forgotten about the bomb I no longer had nightmares about it. It was February now and it was a nice quiet month. No performances just lots of practice. Andrey often came to visit (Okay maybe a tad more then often) and we would set up a picnic in one of the practice rooms where the younger girls including Alisa would come and sit.
It was the night we were staying over at Katya's that tragedy struck once more. It was the day before Alisa's 9th birthday and we wanted to throw her a huge party at Katya's house so Andrey slept downstairs and Alisa and I upstairs in our room.
"Do you think she will like them?" I asked as I quietly wrapped the new pair of ballet shoes with little rosettes for her.
"Oh of course! Those are the same one's she saw in the shop window last month and nearly died for." Katya said laughing as she wrapped her own present.
It was a new colorful slip skirt and a bunch of ribbons. Andrew had gotten her a new tea set to replace the one she broke two weeks ago. It was getting late and Alisa was already asleep upstairs.
"Oh I think it's time for me to go to bed!" Katya yawned.
"Yes I agree." I said putting my now wrapped present to the side. The clock on the mantle already read 11 at night.
"Oh I can't wait until Alisa see's her gift's tomorrow!" I exclaimed quietly as I helped Andrey pick up the wrapping paper and tea cups we had.
"I know I sure hope she loves them."
"She will. If it's a gift for her Alisa loves it!" I put the last of the tea cups in the kitchen for the cook to clean up tomorrow and headed to bed.
"Good night!" I laughed as I waved behind me.
"Good night Annika."
I crawled into bed savoring the warmth of the sheets and fell asleep without a problem.
It was around 1 am when I had the sudden urge to grab some water. So I went down the stairs and stopped. Something smelled....strange. I just ignored it and went to the kitchen anyway but was blocked by a fire....right in the parlor.
I flew to Andrey's room which thank God was on the other end of the house.
"Andrey! Andrey wake up! For goodness sake's there's a fire!"
"What?! Get Alisa and Katya OUT! I will get Igorek to help me put it out!" Apparently he thought it was smaller for as we reached the staircase he saw the angry flames bounding closer to the staircase.
"GO!" I ran upstairs to Alisa first.
"Alisa wake up! No forget your blankets! Forget everything! There's a fire come with me." I took the still half asleep Alisa and ran down the hall to Katya's room where she was already awake and looking more afraid then ever.
"Come on! The stairs aren't blocked! We can still get out the door!"
"Are we going to die?" Alisa asked in a scared voice as we ran towards the stair case.
"No! I won't let that happen!" I heard Andrey and Igorek trying to put it out but I already knew it was useless. The fire was so big.
"Damn it!" I screamed as we saw the same angry red flames coming up the stairs.
"Annika!" Katya said appalled.
"Oh hush!" I grabbed both their hands and went into my room.
I opened the window and looked down. The way it was if we stayed on the roof and carefully lowered ourselves down the overhang perhaps we could safely make it down.
"Annika I have to get Igorek!"
"Katya no!" I tried to grab her hand but she was already running.
"I will come back for her! Let's go!" I helped Alisa get onto the slippery roof. You could smell the smoke coming from the house. Flames eating everything we had. Someone had set this fire. It didn't just appear and I knew it.
"Come on Alisa you need to lower yourself down!"
"It's too far!" Her voice was tiny out of fear and wide eyes looked at me.
"Alisa please. You will be alright. I watched her fall the the snowy ground with a loud thump. I got worried it was such a long fall but she got up and I saw that she had landed alright.
"Come on Annika!"
"I have to get Katya!" I didn't hear her reply for I was already crawling back into my bedroom. Smoke was so bad now I was choking on it.
"Katya?" I called trying to stop coughing.
"Annika! Help!" Her reply was faint as if she couldn't breath. I tore off the edge of my dress and placed the fabric over my mouth.
I had no clue where Andrey and Igorek where.
"Girls! Annika! Katya! Alisa!"
"Here!" I was able to call out. Katya was trapped in the hallway a beam had fallen down and she couldn't get past it. Flame's leapt toward her and I knew we didn't have long before it swallowed her whole. She had no escape.
"Katya!" I almost whimpered. I heard the men trying to get upstairs but I knew they had to be careful. I started feeling dizzy and I heard Alisa's faint shouts from outside.
"Annika!" I wasn't sure who said it because in a blaze of fire and smoke the world went dark around me.
