Beginning Of Sorrows

Chapter 24:Up in Smoke

Sky's Point of View

My head throbbed and I couldn't open my eyes. I could feel a a slight breeze blow across my face giving a refreshing feel to the stuffy room I was in. I tried opening my eyes again only to fail. Let's try something else I thought. I willed my left pointer finger to move or twitch at least. In that moment as I tried to move I could feel the warmth that was wrapped around my small hand. Worry and fear shot through me, where was I and who was holding my hand? I fought to open my glued closed eyes and finally I saw light. The crevice was small but enough to get a blurry view of the room. My eyes shifted about noticing that the house and bed I was laying in was that of the meeting house. I tried to swallow my fear but it was hard since my throat was so dry. I slowly looked over to the person only to see a hunched over figure. I prayed my hand or finger would move as I willed it. I felt the light touch of skin against causing the hunched over human being to shoot upright. Jason stared at me with wide eyes and even a glimpse of disbelief seemed to be lurking in them as well.

I tried to speak but my words got stuck in my throat causing me to cough. Whatever state Jason was in he snapped out of it and handed me a small plastic cup of water. I swallowed the room temperature liquid and then left it drain down my throat. Relief washed over me from the scratching feeling being taken away with such ease. I opened my crusty eye lids again and smiled at Jason.

"What happened?" I asked my voice soft and weak.

His eyes shifted about my face before tears welled up and spilled over. He brought my hand that was still enveloped in his, to his lips and gently kissed it.

"I thought I wouldn't hear your voice again." He cried.

I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean? How long was I out?" Fear of how much more time has passed  leaving only huge changes. The breeze blew into the cracked window again and the smell of smoke filled me with worry. "What happened?"

Jason sighed before rubbing his thumb pad over the top of my hand. "When Meeko was raping you, you blacked out. I carried you into your house and I cleaned you up and sat with you for three days. Brad would come check on you and visit, also bring me food and water knowing I wasn't leaving you. On the fourth day the fire storm hit. We lost everything but the fences, a few house, some of the vehicles and the council house. Your house caught on fire and I carried you out and put you in the meeting house room here and they wanted me to leave to help put fires out but Brad said no I was staying here with you."

I left all the new information soak in before meeting Jason's eyes as I asked. "Where's Meeko?"

He left out a sigh looking away only to meet my eyes again. "I killed him."

I was taken back a little in shock. "Why?" I asked.

"He was attacking you, I was punching him and then I started chocking him and then I I just snapped is neck. I couldn't take it knowing he was walking around where he could and would do it to you again." He said seriousness in his voice. I smiled at him and tried to sit up. "No don't move." He said and I gave him my famous 'does it look like I'm gonna listen' look. "Right." He said as he raised his hands up in surrender. I slowly pushed myself up feeling light headed as I did so. "Please Sky take it easy."

"I need to see it." I said looking at him before standing up.

Jason helped to steady myself and help me walk to out of the room and out to the front porch. Ignoring all the states of awe and shock as we slowly walked.

My jaw dropped as I started at the smoke plumes and the ashes that floated in the air. Scorched houses of black burnt woods was all I could see. My house was completely gone leaving a heap of ash in its place. My car was burnt to a black crisp and everything from my previous life went up in smoke. I turned around walked back to the room using the walls to steady myself. Everything was just overwhelming and I couldn't take it. Just everything I had and everything I knew was gone.