My Guardian

Chapter 28 - The Pain of Nature

I think I'm going to Name all of the chapters with actual names. Sorry it's been so long guys... TEN THOUSAND FREAKING READS OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH :D

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

North's office door was already open just a crack. I knocked but there was no sign of movement, so I pushed the door fully open. Nothing. Not only was North not there, but it looked like he hadn't been here in a while. As in a couple of hours. But he said he would go straight back to his office when we left my house.

"He... he hasn't been here for ages. But why didn't he come back?" Jack asked, looking around the room. Only one single, lonesome candle sat on the workbench besides the abandoned projects. I turned and looked around the workshop for any sign of someone. Anyone. The entire workshop was abandoned. No elves, yeti's, flying toys, cheerful sounds... nothing. Absolutely nothing. What the hell was going on? The only thing in the building that was moving was the globe, littered with golden lights.

"Jack... we're alone. The workshop it's... it's empty," I said, still facing outside. Jack came to my side and grabbed my hand.

"We're gonna find out whatever's going on," Jack said, sounding very confident.

Then, all of a sudden, I feel very warm air rising from the cracks in the wooden floor beneath us. What? Then there's a crack and a smash that shakes the whole workshop. Jack immediately pulls me close to protect me. Faintly, below me, I hear a familiar jingle of a bell. An elf. There's an elf below me. I push out of Jack's grasp and run to look over the edge of the barrier. The entire workshop below us is engulfed in flames as they threaten to come closer to us, getting higher and higher. The hot air slapped my face as sweat instantly formed on my brow.

"Belle! Belle we have to go! The whole building's going to catch on fire!" Jack grabbed my hand and tried to pull me away. But I resisted. I couldn't leave that elf. No way was I going to leave that elf.

"Stay here. If I'm not back in three minutes, leave without me," I said, ripping my hand from Jack's grasp. He seemed slightly taken aback with my confidence.

"Belle... I..." I knew he was going to object, so I just ran and jumped over the edge of the barrier, hearing Jack call after me as I dived to the bottom floor. I balanced myself amongst the flames and landed in a gap.

"Hello?!" I called through the cracking of wood. That's when I could hear the jingle. Okay. Follow the jingle. I coughed up smoke as I began to feel the flames against me skin. So I ran through the flames towards the jingle. The fire hit my skin and burnt me, causing me to wince a little. Don't scream. If you scream, Jack will come down for you. I couldn't risk Jack being hurt either. Red peeked through the flames and I couldn't help but smile as I ran to the foot tall creature. It looked at me shocked but relieved before I reached down and picked it up, pulling it close to my chest to protect it from the flames. I quickly looked around but there were only flames. Up too, there was a ceiling of flames. We were surrounded. I needed to find a window so I could smash it and climb out. But I don't even remember which direction the windows were in. Dammit. Think Belle think!

"Uh... this way!" I said, running through the flames, off to who-knows-where. I was running through non-stop flames for at least ten seconds. No. I don't want to die again. Then I came to a clearing. My lungs were now burning for oxygen. I was choking on smoke. I've felt like this before. I suffocated before. But I froze that time, this time I'm going to burn. And there's no coming back from being roasted alive. But I needed to save this elf. That was all I could keep thinking about; saving the elf. It was gripping tightly onto my shoulder so it wouldn't fall and in turn I supported it with both hands for reassurance.