Death's Mistress

Chapter 1

6 Months Ago

I was lying on the floor with the heavy smoke of the fire filling up my lungs. Every breath was a struggle. But that didn't stop me. Only my death would. I continued on my way to the nursery by dragging my body across the floor. I was about to turn the corner that led into the hall the nursery was in when I heard a high pitched scream.

No! No, no, no.... please no!

Increasing my efforts frantically, I managed to stand up shakily. I scrambled around the corner and was immediately faced with extreme heat. Bringing my hands up automatically to block my face, I peered through my fingers only to witness a terrible sight.

It was like a horrible scene in a movie. Because not even 15 steps ahead of me the nursery door stood wide open, giving me a clear view of my baby sister's crib burning. With her in it. Unable to withstand the sight, I collapsed to the floor screaming her name. But not before I saw her tiny body writhing in pain, unable to escape the flames.

Now I was not only choking on the smoke, but my sobs as well. My body and mind were in pain for my new-born sister. She hadn't even been given a chance to live...

In the middle of my grieving I heard more screams, this time on the other side of the house. Based on what I'd just seen it didn't take me long to realize that more of my family members were meeting their doom. Not having the strength to move anymore, I slumped back against the wall. It was then that I gave up. That I decided I would go out like the rest of my family.

Just before my eyes were about to slide shut, I noticed a photo on the edge of the table stand in front of me. The photo was from when my family and I went to California Adventures two months ago. We all looked so happy...

I don't know why I did it or why I even felt the need to, but I found myself reaching out for the photo. However my outstretched hand wasn't enough. I needed to get closer. Through sheer will I found myself crawling towards the photo that, even as close as I was, sat mockingly just outside my reach.

It was at that moment the fire's smoke started to fill the hall even more so than before. The thick smoke crawled it's way further into my lungs, causing me to gag horrendously and to bring my outstretched hand towards the floor to support myself. Eventually my body couldn't take even that and I fell to the floor with a loud thump, gasping for every breath.

My back hit one of the table legs. I'm not sure how, but it caused the family portrait to fall in front of me. With a shaking hand I reached out and grabbed the photo, cutting my hand as I did so. Holding it up to my eye level, I looked at my family's smiling faces one last time before I resigned myself completely to inevitable death. Lowering the picture and pulling it towards my chest, I looked ahead of me towards the flame rushing to devour me. They burned so brightly and would probably consume me in seconds. I could feel the heat of them reaching me already.

So imagine my surprise when I saw the outline of a man walking calmy through the flames in my direction. Unable to decide if it was from the smoke, the shock, or both, I realized that I wasn't breathing and could feel myself start to pass out.

But not before I saw the man step out from the flames, where the first thing I saw were his...

...red converses?