Dolls in the Midst of Slumber

Serafina: Going Up In Flames

I follow Jace up the walkway to the house.

"You know, there is another masquerade party tonight. We could go to that instead of going into the house."

"No. We have to go in. I need this little bit of adventure in my life," he says in the most dramatic way he can without being sarcastic.

I sigh and shiver. "There's just something off about this house. It's not safe to go in. I'm not going in, so, if you want to go in, you will have to go yourself."

I cross my arms in a childish way, and he laughs at me.

"Well then I guess I am going in by myself.

He turns and heads up the front steps of the house, and I reach out a hand to grab him before he goes in. I can't stop thinking about the dream I had before I left England. Killian looks too much like that one guy in my dream. This can't just be a coincidence!

I pull my arms back to myself and start pacing.

"It'll be fine. He just went inside. I mean maybe Katrina and Killian aren't even in there yet." I look over at the house and stop pacing as I hear laughter coming from the inside. There goes that theory then....

Looking back down at the ground I start pacing again. That is, until I see a shadow leaving the house. I follow it with my eyes, but I don't see anything because it's gotten dark outside. All of a sudden, however, everything gets brighter. I gasp and look back to the house to see it engulfed in flames.

"JACE!"

I scream out his name and start running towards the house until I realize that I shouldn't go in while it's burning. I fumble around in my pockets for my phone. Finding it, I take it out of my pocket and look back at the house to make sure it is actually on fire.

I look up to the roof and see blurred shapes climbing down the outside of the building. I can't make out who they are through the tears that are in my eyes. When they come closer I realize that it's Katrina and Killian.

Katrina falls to her knees. She's probably exhausted.

"Wait. Where's Jace?" I look back to the house as I ask trying to get a glimpse of him.

"He was behind us. I-" Katrina cuts off there, and puts her face in her hands.

"Jace, where are you? Jace? Jace?" Killian calls out. Katrina and I both look at him.

"He's dead...." Katrina says.

My stomach does a flip and my chest starts to hurt. I put a hand up to cover my heart and feel myself sitting on my knees in the cool grass, which was a nice contrast from the heat of the fire.

"No! Don't say that! He'll make it... he has too. He'll-" I start to say, but then stop. I just sit and stare at the fire, my eyes watering. I close my eyes trying to hold back the tears.

He can't die.

I hear a cough and look up to where it came from. It's Jace! I get up and bolt towards him. I just can't believe that he actually made it. Getting closer to him, I jump hugging him.

"Jace, you're okay," I mumble into his chest. Tears still stream down my face. Jace stands there, looking at me wide eyed.

"I didn't think you would really care." He says

I take his face in my hands, looking into his eyes.

"You're so stupid." I say. "How could I not care?"

My phone buzzes in my pocket making me jump a bit because I wasn't expecting it. I pull away from Jace and take out my phone. When I look at the caller ID, I see that it's Elizabeth. I answer it and start to walk on my way back to the cafe motioning for Jace to follow me.

"Hello?" I ask putting the phone to my ear.

"Hey, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I also wanted to tell you that I've come to New Orleans to visit you, I mean how could I be without my best friend?"

"Oh well that's nice of you to say," I say slowly, unsure of why she couldn't stay in England.

"Yep that's me, super nice. Anyway how are things going with you and Jace?" She asks.

"Everything is just fine," I say blushing a little at the thought of him. "Where will you be staying?"

"I'm staying at a hotel in town. I know you are staying at the orphanage, and I didn't want to interrupt you guys." In the background I hear knocking on a door, and a small voice says roomservice. "Sera, I've got to go, I'll see you around town somewhere. Bye, love."

"Bye." I say then put my phone back in my pocket just as we reach the cafe again.

"Who was it?" Jace asks holding the door for us.

"Elizabeth. She's in town." Jace makes a face at the mention of Elizabeth's name.

"Jace? What's wrong?" I ask.

The face is gone when we sit at a booth.

"It's nothing."

"Okay," I say and then get up to get a frozen coffee.