Raise Hell and Let it Burn (On Hold)

Chapter 12

A/N

So, a reader here has asked me to throw in the short story I wrote in Language Arts, thank you molina93 for being interested and commenting on my chapters. Here's the story:

"Sarah! Sarah, where are you?" My screaming resonated through my house, my burning house. I don't know how it happened. Sarah, my best friend, had come over to my house to teach me how to cook a pizza. I know, I know, how can I not be able to throw a pizza in the oven? Well, I can't. We were watching a tv show, Parks and Recreation, when my soda spilled all over Sarah, I told her to go upstairs and take a shower then just grab a shirt and a pair of pants from my room. Half an hour later I woke up to the sound of the water being shut off and the smell of burning pizza. As if it wasn't bad enough, the kitchen was on fire and the flames were quickly spreading. So here I am now, screaming for Sarah. The sound of her frantic footsteps was right above me as I ran up the stairs. I hear a crackling noise as the fire began to eat through the floor beneath us. My blonde haired friend dashed out of the room wearing my sweatpants and a grey Smokey the Bear shirt, oh the irony. I had gotten that shirt last time I visited Yellowstone National Park.

"What happened?!" Sarah's frantic voice jolted me from my thoughts.

"No time, follow me!" Smoke was drifting up the stairs, ashes burning my eyes and clogging my throat. I heard coughs behind me, that's when I remembered that Sarah has asthma.

"Helena," she choked out,"I need my inhaler." I looked around frantically, forgetting where we had stashed our backpacks.

"Sarah, there's no time. We have to go!" I grabbed her hand and blindly ran down the steps, hoping that the fire had stayed away from the front door. Tears pricked at my eyes and ran down my face, mostly because of the smoke, but also in part because my entire life was burning. Literally, I saw the pictures on the walls start to catch fire and burn, only fueling the killer flames. One glance in the direction of the door and I knew we would not make it out. Quickly, I ran the opposite way, grabbing a bowl from the popcorn I had been eating earlier.

"Helena!" I ignored Sarah's yelling as I took aim and smashed the popcorn bowl through a window in the living room.

"Helena, look out!" Small hands shoved me to the side as a burning ceiling fan fell to the ground, sparks coming out of the wires. My eyes widened. Sparks, I thought about the tank of gas my dad kept in the basement.

"Jump!" I screamed hoarsely at Sarah. I ran through to the window and jumped out just as a wall of flames shoved me out of the house. A giant explosion left ringing in my ears and burns covering my back, but I was out. I was out! I turned to hug Sarah but she wasn't there. Sirens came from a distance as my neighbors fled their houses. I didn't care, I had to get Sarah. I had too, she couldn't be gone. Friends don't die, they survive. They have to survive, they have to. I couldn't figure out who was screaming until I tried yelling for Sarah and found my mouth already open. My dad's best friend, William, ran forward to pull me from the fire.

"No! No, Sarah! Sarah!" I sobbed as I desperately scratched at the ground with my blistering fingers. My best friend couldn't be gone, it's impossible. Something inside me broke, it was as if my very soul had just snapped in half

"Sarah!" I could feel William struggling to hold on as I tried to go back in and save Sarah. Exhaustion overwhelmed me as I managed one last word.

"Sarah..." everything went dark.

So, yeah. Onto the story! Thank you for reading, please vote/comment/share!

I must say I really did not expect Nicholas to care as much as he did. When he told me we were leaving I just went along with it. Let's just say it was not easy getting past school security with me wincing at every step. Yeah, just because I was sneaking out of school that doesn't mean I'm suddenly 100% better and ready to kick ass. I'm not.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." I don't like surprises. At all. Can't stand them.

"You know, I really don't like surprises."

"You will."

"I don't think so."

"You will."

"I don't think so." I suppressed a smile as we whisper fought. Currently, the two of use were hiding behind a recycling bin as a security guard walked by. Soon the guard walked away and Nicholas jumped up. He held out his hand so that I could stand up, then quickly pulled me up to a door. Smirking, he opened the door and gestured me forward.

"Ladies and children first." This time, I smirked as I folded my arms across my chest, only wincing a little.

"If that's the case, you first. I think you know that you belong in both categories." With a wink, I lightly shoved Nicholas out the door first and followed him trying to keep my laughter quiet. Nicholas scowled playfully but I could see the ghost of a smile as he unsuccessfully tried to think of a witty response.

"Wait," he blurted out, "What does estupido mean?" By the look of complete sincerity on his face I could tell he truly didn't know the answer.

"Well, estupido is the perfect word to describe you! It means stupid." I rolled my eyes as I struggled slightly to keep up with Nicholas. He just shook his headed slightly and laughed. As we walked to god knows where I started remembering some of the times when we would play together as friends.

*Flashback*

"Tag! You're it!" I giggled as I spun around, my eyes focusing in on the devious dark haired boy who had just barely touched my shoulder.

"NICHOLAS!" I screeched, my hair flew back as I chased after him.

"It's Nick!" Nicholas started laughing as I grew closer.

"Haha, take that sucker!" I grit my teeth as I sped in the opposite direction.

"Aaaaaaah!" A scream slipped out of my mouth as I tumbled to the muddy ground.

"Helena!" Nicholas ran forward and helped me up, brushing my bright blonde hair out of my eye. (Many children with dirty blonde hair started off with bright blonde hair) I whimpered softly as I looked down at my leg, a few tiny drops of blood oozing from my skin.

"Hold on Helena, it'll be okay. Don't worry." Seven year old me wobbled as I stand up, staying upright with Nicholas' help. Together, Nicholas and I went to the bathroom where Nicholas took a hand towel dfrom the cupboard and wet it before placing it on my knee. I bite my lip at the sting at first but the pain soon goes away. NIcholas looks up at me from his way-too-long-hair.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, Helena. Lets go outside, shall we?" Smiling I grabbed his hand and we went back out the yard and lie down under the shade of a tree in his back yard. I didn't know it then, but in the near future I would use my first pocket knife to carve our names into that same tree.

"Lets promise to always be friends." I smiled at such a silly question, how could Nicholas even think we wouldn't be friends forever?

"Lets." We join pinkies in a sacred vow before looking up at the sky in search of shapes in the clouds.

*End of Flashback*