Hey There Delilah

Prologue

There was smoke. Smoke everywhere.

I heard screaming, both mine, my friend's, and my brother's.

The heat was horrible. Scarlet flames licked under the door, as if reaching for us, trying to taste us.

I clutched onto Christian, my friend, while my brother Travis tried to find something to block the door.

I imagined our parents at O'Charley's, no idea of what was happening. I imagined their faces when they get the news.

Travis was wrenching open the window. When he succeeded, he looked over at me. My fear was reflected in his whiskey colored eyes.

Christian gathered the sheets from Travis's bed and tied them with the curtains to make a some sort of rope. He handed it to Travis, who tied it to the nail that stuck out on the windowsill, and threw the other end out.

"Delilah, you climb down first. Then Chris, then me," he said. I could tell the smoke was taking its toll on Travis, for his chest was heaving and I could hear him wheezing.

I nodded and was standing on the windowsill, clutching onto the "rope", about to jump, when there was a loud bang.

In my surprise, I let go of the rope. The explosion threw me, and I fell the two story drop.

|•|

"Travis was a young boy, only 15. It was too early to be his time."

I didn't listen to the priest. Instead I focused on my black flats, dotted with the tears that dripped softly from my cheeks.

I felt a hand clutched my shoulder, and turned to see my dad standing next to me. He was facing the priest, but I saw his own face wet. Next to me mom was sniffling, two year old Millie Mae asleep in her arms.

I couldn't take it. All the crying, grieving, sorrow... I needed to escape.

I scooted out of the pew, made my way down the aisle on the side, and out the door.

Outside, I went over to the picnic table under the maple tree in the courtyard.

"Hey there, D.D."

I turned and smiled as Christian limped over. He sat next to me, propping his walking stick against the end of the table.

"Nice cane," I said, smirking.

"Cane makes me seem old."

"Walking stick?"

"Makes me think of a non stop, tiring hike."

"Hmm... scepter?"

"Sounds cool, but also evil."

"Well it's better than being old or tired."

Christian laughed. "True. Scepter it is then. Should I add a crystal ball to the top?"

"Why not?" I said, leaning on his shoulder.

"Delilah..." Christian started. "Yeah Chris?" I murmured, the late Sunday afternoon sun making me sleepy.

"I'm so sorry. About Travis, I mean."

"It wasn't your fault. The fire might still have happened even if you weren't there. Maybe if none of us were there it still would have started."

"Yeah..." Christian didn't sound convinced, and I hugged him. After a moment, he hugged back.

And more tears fell.

Lol sorry it's shorter than I usually do. But hey, it's a prologue