My short stories

Haunted by my past

"The past is in the past" ~Queen Elsa
"Don't let it hold you back" ~Rose4eva789

~~~

Tray has been an orphan ever since his home caught fire.

He was only 6 at the time. His father just came home from work and his mother was cooking dinner. Lasagne and chips with beans, his favourite.

His sister was supposed to keep him away from the kitchen since he used to be very playful and carefree. He remembered one time trying to turn on all of the dials on the cooker!

He never liked sitting still so when his sister was getting a book for them to read, he ran out of the room, down the stairs and into the kitchen. He grabbed his mother's dress and tugged it, saying "Play with me mummy," again and again.

What happened after haunted him for life. His mother had fallen and the lasagne tray she had just pulled out of the oven fell on her, burning her skin. She had pushed Tray out of the way so that he wouldn't get burned, and she was screaming from the pain.

His father came to help while Tray put some foil that had fallen on the floor into the open oven, trying to tell his dad about the chips that were left in there. Instead, a fire started and his father was panicking. He had called Tray's sister to help him find his house keys but they were nowhere to be found. Tray must've been playing with them earlier and dropped them somewhere when he had gotten bored.

He decided to open the window in the living room instead and help his children to climb out. Tray's sister went first, then Tray. His father told his sister to run and get some help while he went back in to help his wife. His sister did but when they got back, the whole house was burning. Their parents were nowhere to be found.

Ever since that day, Tray never misbehaved in fear that he might lose his sister too. As he remembered the day, his sister, as if on cue, came in and sat next to him. Tray laid his head on her shoulder asking "Will we be ok, big sis?"
She replied "Sure we will," hanging her arm on his shoulder, keeping him close. As if she knew what he had been thinking about she said "That day wasn't your fault. It could've happened to anyone. If anything, I'm sure Mum and Dad would've wanted to see us move on and live a good life. They wouldn't've wanted us to be stuck in the past feeling bad."
"Will you stay with me, sis?" Tray asked her.
"Of course I will. I would never leave you on your own." She replied, "Let's go. Aunt has dinner ready."
"Ok," he said, following his sister to the dining room for their meal.