One-Shots

One-Shot #2: Inferno

Inferno

Written by Danny Richards

Produced by Corey Smith, Matthew Anderson, Luca Limoncelli and Joanna Holland

Edited by Corey Smith

Created and developed by Danny Richards

Alexander Residence, Maidstone, Kent – 1990

The man outside by the willow tree stared at the raging inferno that was once his home, the flames still emanating from his palm before he clenched his fist shut. Initially the flames had been gentle at first, almost playful, dancing out of the cracked windows of the 1930s townhouse. But now the fire spat out a shower of sparks like a fountain, plumes of dark grey smoke, winding themselves around the home like a great hungry serpent, devouring everything in its path whilst ash floated to the ground like great dirty flakes of snow, sprinkling onto the ground.

Jack Parker tore across the landing and down the hall to the bedroom, reaching for the brass handle. His hand instinctively shot away as he touched the blistering hot metal, but he had no time to nurse his wounds. The sound of the flames engulfing the house was terrifying, eating its way through the wood like it was candy. Stepping back, Jack launched his boot into the bedroom door as the flames licked at his feet. He was struggling to see in the encompassing, black smoke, but that wasn't going to stop him from getting into the bedroom. Sweat poured off his head and dripped onto his already soaked white T-shirt as he planted another boot into the door, this time causing the hinges to falter and the door to become ajar.

Charging into the room, Jack could see his daughter, Peggy, still fast asleep in bed, her copper hair the colour of the embers which leaped and twirled around them. He rushed to her side, picking her up into his arms as he attempted to get them both out of the crumbling home. The heat was almost unbearable, and Jack found it ludicrous that Peggy had managed to stay asleep throughout the ordeal. Moving back to the hallway, Jack attempted to carry Peggy downstairs to safety when he heard the uncomforting sound of the ceiling creaking above him. Even with the flames spreading around him, he had just enough time to look up and see the thin, black crack forming above them.

"Oh shit..." Jack whispered to himself as he was forced to rush back to the bedroom, the ceiling dissolving into a pile of rubble. He looked back at the rubble blocking the stairs as a thick plume of dust exuded out, combining with the smoke which was already burning Jack's lungs. He looked down at his beautiful daughter as her eyes fluttered open and she coughed as the smoke entered her own tiny lungs.

"Daddy..." She spluttered, her emerald eyes struggling to remain open.

"Shh, Peg. I'll get us out of this. Just keep your eyes shut and your mouth closed." Jack planted a light kiss on his daughters forehead in the hope it would settle her slightly, although he knew that was unlikely.

"But Daddy, where's Kate?"

Jack's heart sank at this. He had focused on getting his own daughter out alive he had forgotten about Kate Alexander, Peggy's best friend and the daughter of the owners of this home. He looked around the bedroom but the smoke was impossible to see through.

"Kate! Kate, honey! Are you still in here?"

Even if Kate had answered, it would have been impossible for Jack to hear as a roar of fire tore down another section of the ceiling, this time on the opposite end of the hallway. He could hear the whirring sound of sirens approaching which provided a sense of hope, however Jack knew that it wouldn't count for much unless he could get himself and Peggy out of here. Grabbing the blanket his daughter had been wrapped in minutes before, he draped it over himself and ensured it covered Peggy before making a break for the stairs. The inferno around them roared louder than ever before as the pair dashed to the stairs, stumbling over the rubble which decorated the carpet, careful to avoid losing balance and falling. Another crash from upstairs and Jack could only imagine that the bedroom ceiling had now collapsed too. The front door was now only metres away, surrounded by a wave of red and yellow sparks that Jack sprinted through, head down, before emerging onto the wet grass outside, instantly bombarded by firefighters covering him and Peggy in their own blankets, desperate to put out any stray sparks. Jack looked into his daughters loving green eyes before turning back to face the house as the fire finally took full control, enveloping the old townhouse as the firehoses sprayed it down in an attempt to control the wild inferno.