Sara

Chapter One

While brushing her hair Sara saw the smoke coming from under the door. In the mirror. Slowly feeding the room with deadly gases. She knew that she had to get out fast. She dropped her brush and ran to the dresser. She grabbed a handkerchief and dipped it in the water bowl. Placing it over her face, she used it to filter the smoke.

She slowly approached the door, feeling it to see if it was hot. She went to the side of the door and opened it. Smoke rolled in to fill the room. She fell to her hands and knees and crawled out in to the smoke filled hall heading towards the stairs. The smoke was so thick she could not see anything. When she reached the stairs, she discovers that it was on fire. She felt trapped. A spark flew into the air, and landed on her dress. She beat the dress to put out the spark. Then turned to head in the other direction.

Suddenly she remembered that her father had told her about a hidden passageway. Only a few people knew about it. They were the builders, the contractor, and the banker who loaned him the money to build it. I was made so Sara's father could keep her safe in any condition. It led to two hidden back doors. She hurried in to the library door on her left. She crawled over to the fireplace and pulled the lever to open the hidden door. It made a scraping sound as it opened. She went in, and slammed it shut behind her.

The passageway had not been touched by smoke, so she removed the handkerchief from her face. The passageway was dark. A bright light beamed through a crack in a door at the end of the hall. It slightly lit the hall, and revealed cobwebs. They were strong from every available corner. Dusty beams held the hall up. She slowly pushed her way through the cobwebs towards the light. She touched the spot where her dress was singed. Her skin throbbed with pain from the burn. She could not see it in the darkness to determine how badly she had been burned.

As she got closer to the light, she could hear voices. They came from the other side of the door. She leaned down to peek through the crack, to see who it was. Outside was a man pacing back and forth. He wore shiny black shoes and gray striped pants. He had a vest and jacket to match over a white shirt and solid gray tie. He had a chain hanging on his vest that led into his pocket. He reached in his pocket to pull out a watch attached to the end of the chain. His hands were clean and soft looking. He reached up to adjust his glasses. He had hazel eyes and red hair with blond and brown highlights. His hair was slicked back in a tidy cut. His face was clean shave except for a small mustache that was neatly cut. She knew the short man from her childhood. It was Kyle the banker.

"Do you think she will make it out?" He asked a man leaning against a broken wagon, "What if she doesn't make it out? HEY! Luther, look at me when I am talking to you!" He poked Luther in the chest as he demanded his attention.

Luther was tall, heavy set, unshaven, and mean looking. His clothes were dusty and torn. His hair was brown, long and matted. His eerie dark brown eyes were almost black. He looked as if they didn't have a sole behind them. They injected fear in her as he let out a deep chuckle. It exposed his broken, brown teeth. His clothes were full of dust and torn. He lifted up off the wagon and looked at Kyle.

"Look at the little worried man. Scared that the pretty woman might not make it out of the burning house." He looked over at another man. This one was small, skinny, dirty also. He was funny looking. His eyes were brown, his hair straight, blond, and not brushed. He was He was unshaven and missing teeth. Luther went on speaking.

"Look at him." He looks back at Kyle. "What are you worried about? Nothing will happen to her, and soon we will be able to get the money. She will probably run out the other door. Besides, who cares if she dies. Everyone will think it was an accidental fire and she got trapped in the house by it and burned to death. Then we have one less thing to worry about." Kyle looked disturbed by this thought.