10/17

Episode 8, Chapter 31

"Good Lord, what took you so long," Mrs. Carlisle hollered as she fell on her husband and son in a choking embrace, with Penny right behind her.

"We're okay, mom," Parker said, patting their backs as he tried to reposition himself out of the group hug. Too his surprise, Laney's Nan was suddenly beside him, grasping his arm.

"Young man, you need to go back and get the bag that was right beside us in the kitchen. It's very important," Nan demanded.

"Oh mother, enough about your damn bag," Ms. Dempson snapped. "Our home is being destroyed as we speak and you act like that bag is all that matters."

"It's our bug out bag!" Nan insisted. "It is important." The mother daughter pair glared at each other.

"It was right there in the kitchen?" Parker double checked. His anger was up and this sounded like the perfect excuse to do exactly what he had wanted to do already. He had his own reasons for wanting to go back. Nan spun back to him nodding.

"Alright, be right back."

"Oh, no sir. It's not happening Park..." His mother's voice was lost to the smoke of his jump. Landing back in the Dempson's kitchen, he could still hear shouting outside, but it was interspersed with sirens. Instinct made him dive to the floor as something glowing shattered against the frame where the window used to be. Fire sprang to life but the brick and concrete of the patio did not offer anything easy to burn. The flames that made it inside began eating at the paint on the brick of the inner wall, rushing up toward the ruffle over the window.

Parker thought fast. Grabbing a large cookie jar from the counter he dumped the contents and dropped it under the kitchen faucet, yanking the knob to full blast. He snatched up the wet towels from the floor, soaked them again and began to beat at the fire while he pulled anything not already burning away from the flames. He pulled down the burning ruffle and shoved it out through the broken window. After a moment he darted back to the sink. Using the sprayer, he put out the few stray flames burning harmlessly on his torso and sleeves. Retrieving the now full jar from the sink he splashed it around soaking everything he could. After what seemed like an eternity but was really only a minute or two, the kitchen fire was out.

Smoke still hung heavy in the air. The heat could not hurt him but the smoke was another problem. Covering his face with his shirt, he looked around the floor. Sure enough, a large duffel bag sat along the bottom cabinet. He snatched it up, along with the antique bread box containing what was left of the peanut butter snacks. Instead of porting home right away, he ducked into the living room and cautiously peeked through one of the destroyed windows. Police were everywhere and a fire crew was jumping off the truck that had just roared to a halt in front of the house. From the smoke billowing down the hall something else was on fire besides the kitchen. Unable to keep from coughing any longer, Parker jumped back to his own living room, where his ear was instantly seized in a firm grip.

"Do not disappear like that with no warning again. You do not throw yourself into dangerous situations. You are a teenager, not a super hero." Mrs. Carlisle said, holding his ear and hugging him at the same time.

"Mom, what are you doing?" he wheezed, then coughed. Something about Parker's red face and raspy voice mad Mr. Carlisle gently pull his wife away from their son.

"Let the boy breath, Trish."

"Give me a sec," Parker coughed out as he dropped his armful and stumbled to the kitchen to chug half a water bottle. Taking it back to the living room he retrieved the bread tin and collapsed on the couch to finish off it's contents.

"Are you okay, what's wrong?" she asked.  "Oh my God! Are those burns on your shirt?"

"I'm fine," he said finally, feeling more himself again. "The kitchen window area and one of the bedrooms was on fire."