halcyon

Chapter One

Don't ask why I'm standing outside in the bitter cold with my family, staring at our collapsed house. All three of us, wearing nothing but jackets over our pajamas in an attempt to stay warm, frown at our house - or what's left of it.

"Damn you fire," My dad mutters under his breath, his eyebrows are creased downwards, creating dents in the skin between his eyes and his forehead.

"Now what are we going to do?" Sighs my mother hopelessly.

I jump up and down, hoping to cling onto any ounce of warmth in my body. Unfortunately, I fail when I feel goose bumps creeping onto every inch of my skin, resulting in my neck hairs standing up straight. Fabulous.

For another fifteen minutes, we stare at our house as it burns to the ground. I can't help but think of all the things I should have grabbed before I ran out. I'm such an idiot. I watch as the roof of our house caves in, making our house into a sandwich. Each and every downstairs window has been blown out due to the excelling pressure created by the sudden collapse, making our house uninhabitable (if that wasn't already obvious enough, we had to be told by a fireman).

I'm honestly the most unlucky girl ever.

Our neighbors begin to congregate around us, pointing at the melting house and emitting loud gasps. Some approach my parents to state their condolences, while their children laugh behind them.

Even greater.

Thanks to the fire from hell, we've lost our home, and people are laughing.

I want to curse, but I don't say anything aloud, knowing that my parents would greatly disapprove. Instead, I think of every swear word in the book and whisper them under my breath. Only a few hours ago, we were tucked into warm beds and ready for a goodnight's sleep, when the smoke alarm began to go off. Luckily, we all got out safely but we weren't able to take anything with us.

I stand on my tiptoes and talk to my dad, "Where are we going to sleep tonight?"

My dad runs his hand through his hair, which he doesn't have a lot of, and sighs. "I suppose we'll have to stay in a hotel for the night."

I'm cold, tired, hungry, and I think I have PMS. I do not want to spend anymore time on this street, being humiliated by all of my neighbors. Hesitantly, I look around as I see our fellow nosy residents have formed a circle around our house - my family situated right in the middle.

Can my life get any better?

If you haven't already figured it out, I hate being the center of attention. So, my burning house isn't helping.

Oh damn, my make-up is still in there.

Focus Carmen, your make-up isn't important...well maybe it is.

The frown on my face never turns upside down, until I hear her calls from the beyond the noise of my nosy neighbors. I twist my head in the direction of her desperate calls, and smile.

"Carmen! Carmen!" Katie calls as she wriggles, and weaves her way through the crowd, and starts towards me. "Carmen! Are you OK? Holy crap, is that your house?" My mom glares at Katie for her 'filthy' language. "Crabapples...I meant holy crabapples," Katie corrects herself to please my mom, but even she looks confused at herself for making that adjustment.

The smile that crept onto my lips widens - Katie always makes me laugh.

"Hey Katie, I'm fine. And yes, that's my house," I say, and nod tiredly towards my house, annoyed.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Oh great, she's started her annoying mantra again. Please don't say 'oh my god' again, Katie, please. "Oh my god! How?" Her head spins frantically from my face, to the house and back, again, and again, and...you get it.

I sigh. "We don't even know what started it."