One Fateful Night(Completed)

Chapter 24

***Scarlett's POV:***

***Recap:***

Daniel looks worried though. It's not the mission, I can tell. It's a different kind of worry, he looks...sad.

That's new.

"Daniel, what's wrong?" I say as I reach out to hold his hand. He holds it, and squeezes my hand.

He's really sad.

"Scar, I have to tell you something..."

"Daniel, is eveything okay?" I ask a question I already know the answer to.

He strengthens his clutch at the wheel,"When I was out for two days, I saw things."

"What do you mean?" I can tell he's been thinking about this-whatever this is-for a long time.

He shakes his head," I mean I dreamt things. Well, more like memories."

"What kind of memories Daniel?" This must be very important to him.

"Memories about the day my parents died, it all came back." He says looking distressed, concerned.

I just look at him, and after he doesn't talk for a few seconds I urge him to continue,"And..."

"The cause of the fire was a gas leak from the kitchen, where both my parents were. I was wearing a baseball glove, and on my way to the park, I even remembered there was this weird coin on the sidewalk, so I crouched down to pick it up, and I heard a loud bang. so, I turned around and saw my house burning down. "

The corners of his lips start twitching downward as his voice comes out hard but low,"I just stood there, it couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening. I remember standing in the same spot till I saw firetrucks zooming by. I dragged my feet back to the house, but no one seemed to notice me, and even if they did, I couldn't find it in me to string a couple of words together. And when I thought it couldn't get any worse, two stretchers were rolled past by me. I saw medics pulling up the cloths covering my parents totally. I just ran, I remember myself running past the park, I just ran and ran."

I just stare at him. And im trying to imagine how horrendous it was for a 7 year old to see his house burn down, and his parents die right there infront of him. And for the first time, I see Danel's face wear a new expression: grief-stricken.

I put my hand on his cheek, he's burning up. His eyes are misty as he turns his head towards me and closes his eyes to my touch.

"Scar, that's not even the worst part..."

There's something worse?!

He lets out a mocking smile and throws a hard punch at the wheel, causing me to jump back a little at his sudden surge of anger, but he continues-disgust in his voice, as if he did something wrong and is repulsed by himself," Scarlett I had a sister. Before I ran, I saw a little girl with a teddy bear in her hand, being carried out of the house by a fireman, and what did I do? I FUCKING RAN AWAY. I HAVE A SISTER-MY ONLY FAMILY AND I LEFT HER FOR 14 YEARS! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!"

His eyes fill with tears, and once that first tear broke free, others followed down his cheeks like a river. He tries to supress his sobs, but they come out regardless.

I say pressingly for him to look at me, but he doesn't turn his head," Hey, hey, Daniel, it's okay."

He turns the wheel to the right, bringing the car to a rest, and faces me,"It's not okay Scarlett! I had a sister, and I don't even know if she's alive!" He slams it fist on the window.

I try to get him to stop feeling so sorry for himself and by trying to make sense of it myself and ask," How could this happen though?How could you just forget somwthing like that?"