The Uprising

Prologue

I snapped out of my dreams. I was drenched in so much sweat, I felt like I had swam all the way to the N.I.C.S. My bones ached, and my head throbbed. Darkness surrounded me. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Am I sick? Is this some kind of deathly plague? Or am I dead? No, I'm dying!  I hope the end comes soon. I tensed my body, waiting for the impact. This made my head throb more, and my muscles burned with pain. Can you still think when you're dead? Is this how heaven feels? Because, if this is heaven,  it's overrated. Or am I in Limbo? Okay, why is this going way too slowly? I think if I was dead, I would have felt something. I'm hungry. Can you be hungry when you're dead? I don't know what the fuck is wrong with the world, but this isn't how it's supposed to go!
    
One sheep, two sheep, three sheep...............500 sheep...... This went on forever.......forever.........forever until the darkness began to fade. Is this heaven? Finally, it faded away, and my vision was replaced with harsh light. Owww. My eyes hurt. My vision ocused in, and I saw that the roof was being devoured by flames.
    
Oh, my one millionth sheep! I watched the flames spread around the roof, plaster falling somewhere near my ankle. Why am I staring? And why am I not moving?! Instead of doing anything productive, like actually screaming, I silently screamed. Yeah, thanks a lot brain! In response to my thought, my hands tightened, forming into little fists by my side. My heart started to bang as the flames moved towards the walls. Finally, I felt the strange sensation of adrenaline. I ran.
    
I was almost towards the door when I stopped. Am I forgetting something?  I slowly turned around, facing the flames. My eyes focused in on something, a girl sleeping in a bed. Why is there an extra bed in my room? Why is a girl sleeping in it? After staring at the girl for five minutes, her features started to form. She had fiery red hair, slim figure, with pale skin and closed eyes. I knew that under her eyelids, her eyes were icy blue. I knew it because she was my twin, Annabelle.
     
She lay there on her bed like she was dreaming about luxury cars. Completely oblivious that it looked like she was sleeping in the middle of an inferno. Is she dead? No, this can't be happening. This isn't possible! The world wouldn't punish me like that! Would it?
 
"Tom, get me some orange juice," said Annabelle in her sleep.
     
Okay, that's kinda weird. No, it's not kinda weird. It is extremely weird! Even though I was extremely scared, I couldn't help a giggle escaping my lips. Maybe this is a practical joke? Yeah, because if there was a fire wouldn't she be awake? Wait—  A shiver down my spine, broke my chain of thought, replacing it with my worst nightmare. The last time, she was asleep. This thought and the memory tore at my mind, ripping it, pulling it, stretching it. Basically, I felt like my brain was in a massive tug of war. With a Giant.

The crackle of flames snapped me back to attention. They were in front of Annabelle's bed. The flames sparkling in the darkness. Looking like living rubies. How can something so pretty be so destructive? I felt an insane draw to it. To just reach out a little farther and touch it. To bask in the flames. No, it's dangerous. Don't do it. Are you stupid, or what? I pushed back the thoughts, staring at the fire, like a deer stuck in front of headlights. My finger was so close to the raging fire. My body recoiled, terror replaced the curiosity in my veins. My pounding heart sounded far away. I was burned, and marked. A zagged I was burnt onto the inside of my fingertip.
        
What does the I stand for?! Why is there an I on the inside of my fingertip? The crackle of wood brought me back from the depths of my thoughts. I looked around, expecting to see the wood around me burning. Another crackle caught my attention. This one was farther away than the last. Something hard hit my head. Owww! My last thought before I fell on the ground and was surrounded by the now familiar darkness.
      
Surprisingly, I woke up not burning. I'm not burning, what a relief! I got up, stumbling a bit and almost falling back down. Most of the room was a blazing inferno. Strangely, Annabelle and I seemed to be fine. How is she not awake by now? This has to be a practical joke! I almost shouted, "You won, Annabelle!"  when the floor underneath Annabelle's bed started to burn!
    
Okay, maybe not a practical joke. I racked my brain trying to figure out a plan. Steal an elephant from the zoo to stump the fire away? No. Run away like a coward? No, but I wish. Started screaming like a maniac? Okay!  I screamed like my life depended on it, trying to wake up Annabelle and get someone to help us. It didn't work, Annabelle didn't wake up and no one was coming to help us. Great, I'm going to have to drag Annabelle to safety! Sighing, I started to walk towards Annabelle through the rubble. I stopped right in front of her bed. Wondering if it was too late to turn back and run for it.
      
I got my answer when the flames started to move slowly up the bed frame. Teasing me. What did they tell us to do in school incase of a fire? Don't invade the Roviet Confederacy in the winter? No. Don't do drugs? No. Don't smoke? No. Don't watch soccer in the N.I.C.S? No, but good advice. (Don't do any of those things!—Annabelle) Don't play soccer against Germonio? No. What was it? In case of a fire............blah blah yada yada. Okay, if any teacher could help me right now, that would be ficken helpful. The annoying voice of my Kindergarten teacher pipped up.
      
"Stop, drop, and roll!" she said.
       
Oh, now I know I'm totally not crazy. Just hearing people's voices in my head. Perfectly normal. And what the Scheiße? How's that supposed to help me!? Who's the ficken idiot who came up with that?! Yeah, just stop and drop into the flames and roll into some more flames! People are so dumb. I stumbled and landed face first on top of Annabelle's back.  This is actually kind of comfortable, if only I could breathe and wasn't suffocating. Why is she still sleeping?! It would be so easy to murder her while she's sleeping. (Wait......what?!?!—Annabelle) Just joking, but you never know.
      
Carry Annabelle out of bed, arschloch, my brain commanded. I went as close to the bed as I dared. I don't want it be burnt alive! I felt heat down in my socks. Why, are my feet sweating so much! I glanced down my socks were slightly in fire. OMG! My socks are on fire! What am I going to do? I'll just put them out. I stomped on my foot putting out the flames. Oww my foot hurts!!!  What if I broke a bone!? Don't be stupid you can't break your bones that easily!
     
Let's get back to business! You have to get Annabelle out of this house! I reached down towards Annabelle. Should I take the burning cover off first? Yes! Taking the burning fabric in my hand, I started to pull it off slowly. Flames danced around my hand. Teasing them, but never biting them. Tension flared in my mind and muscles. Making my work unbearable. I canceled out all the thoughts in my head, concentrating merely on my tedious task and my goal. My hands pulled at the now burning hot cover. Flames dancing around. Like little dancers. I felt serious pain somewhere in my left hand. After a long time, I looked down afraid of what I would see. My thumb was burned down to the bone. OMG! OMG! I felt vomit travel up my throat. My body threatening to give me a re-taste of some meatball soup. My left hand was a mess. Some of the nerves must be dead. It was charcoal black near the now revealed bone. And crimson blood was spilling of of it in all directions. I tore off a piece of  XXXL T-Shirt that I go to sleep in, I don't know why, it's just comfortable, and gingerly wrapped it up around my wound, hoping it would stop the flow of blood. It might have to be amputated. But then it would stop the infection from spreading and killing me. Yes, I hope it gets amputated. Right now, the only thing I can do is to try to stop the flow of blood. Also, it saved me from having to see it. Thank God!
           
Taking a deep breath of air I started to continue my task. Panic raced down my veins every time I saw a flame near my hand. Hold yourself together, Emma. The blanket was bundled around Annabelle's feet. Okay, now time to pull Annabelle out of this bed! That's not going to be easy. She weighs as much as you do. Maybe even more. (No I don't!~Annabelle/You are getting a bit skinnier, but your cheeks are a little chubby./Yeah right!~Annabelle/ I won't waste my precious time arguing with you. I lead the re— reading club! Totally what I was going to say! Wahoo!!!! Yay! Reading!~Emma) I started to pull Annabelle out of the bed. Trying to carry her against my chest. That didn't work. Instead of carrying her we both flopped awkwardly onto the floor. Owwww! Annabelle's weight is on my chest! Owwww! How do I get her off! I pushed Annabelle off my chest, releasing the pain. I will ficken kill you, Annabelle, if we get out of this alive! Which we most likely won't.
       
The crackle of flames brought me back to reality. I smelled the horrible scent of burning flesh. Ewww!!! OMG! Annabelle was burning, like a log in a bonfire.
    
"Annabelle, you can't leave me! You're my sister! My other half!" I yelled hysterically, but I knew it was of no use. Annabelle burned. Her red hair was literally flaming.
         
Annabelle was dead. And no one could bring her back. I think she is in Heaven, but I'm starting to doubt it. What kind of God would burn my sweet little twin? But then again, it wasn't His fault.

It was my fault.

I killed my sister.

Slowly the flames crept towards me, consumed me, engulfed me. I could smell the burning flesh, the stench of death. Annabelle's burning skull was the last thing I saw, my last thought of her, that she was dead because of me. Ash filled my nose and mouth, choking me forever.
Then the
world
went
black.