Deal or no Deal?

Chapter 1: Burn

Build a man fire, he'll be warm for the night. Set a man on fire he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

Memories pushed through her head, as if forcing her to re-live her life, seconds before the truck met her car, front window shattering, a sudden jerk pushing her body forward into the waiting arms of shards, the reunion of said vehicles becoming the source of the roaring, snarling dragon, breathing out the wind of fire. 

Bringing life to an ocean of flames.

Gasping in pain as her right arm vanished under the hot metal, blood flow closing, broken bits or glass acting, new ornaments on her skin. 

Red flow emerging from her leg, pain clouding her mind, feeling each sting, each gash. 

Each drop of blood, the Earth bathing in her crimson spill. Blazing fire heating her very being, lulling her pain, coursing through her sense of euphoria lulling her to sleep. 

Eyes slowly shutting, soft embrace of comfort hugging her. Her life began to play.

Brightly coloured ice-cream cake, an inch sparkling number 5 candle, the pink glittering dress.

Help.... please.......

First school dance, abandon berry juice, best friend dancing with the boy of her interest, not once being spoken to by her friends.

Can anyone hear me?

The first day of high school, parents screaming, door slamming, mom's silent sobs.

Please................ please, not like this.............

Taylor leaving the country, parents divorcing, mom leaving. Said it's not my fault, the opposite of her words.

Pain, fear. I can't breathe, help.

End of the third year, she stepped in, taking her place. She smiled at her, an evil glint in her eyes. March loathes her, Alex despising her very being.

Voices, loud noises, 

Wait I don't want to go.

"Well, maybe you won't."

The heat took over, covering her inch by inch. 

A thermal cover holding her in place, pushing the aching pins in her broken, bruised body. 

As if..... as if preserving her life. Holding her close to life.............to humanity.

"Shall we begin?"

.................................................

Her eyes burned. The sudden intrusion of lights flared her eyes, forcing her to hide away from the light. But that light didn't make her eyes burn, the light wasn't even remotely near. No....no it was the fire.

Intense heat graced her face, covering her body, surrounding her in the blazing fire. 

She couldn't breathe, her lungs felt weak, unable to hold air. 

She could feel her heart throbbing painfully, bursting in her chest as if hoping to push through her flesh, rip her open and escape. 

She felt weak, weaker than ever before. 

Am I dead? Why does it hurt? It shouldn't hurt. 

Forcing herself she pushed her eyes open. They burned at the sudden intrusion of light, lungs gasping for air, heart-throbbing, squeezing painfully. Loud beeping surrounding her pushing forth a headache. 

The ring forcing its way into her eardrums, filling it with an echoing ring.

With great force she rose, the weak body filling with a deep sense of pain. Pins injecting into her skin, hitting her bones with great force. Her flesh burned from within, her pain intensified. 

Every breath dripped acid in her veins, squeezing her chest in a painful grip. 

Every move enclosed her in pain, every breath burned her, every move shoved hot needls through her flesh. Final gasp escaped her lips and she fell.

Fell back with staggering breaths, tears hung in her eyes. Slipping down her face as the pain engulfs her. Finally. Finally as the burn stopped, as the acid in her veins dissociated. She took a breath and moved. 

Pushing herself up, wincing slightly at the pain, nearly falling to her knees, her eyes burned, lungs frozen, limps enclosed in pins, she gasped out in agony. 

With low intakes of air in her burning lungs. She stationed herself on the edge of the bed. Her head spun, her vision swriled. Gosh, it all hurt, where was the heat coming from?

'Is she in a fire?' 

Grabbing on to blue sheets she levelled herself up. Placing her hand in the bed to support her weight, nearly gasping when feeling a hand. 

Slowly, her head rose, eyes moving towards the bed. 

A scream rushed out her lips, fear took her in a cold-hard grip, tears stung her and the heat....... the heat rose in great intensity. 

With her eyes wide, horrified she sobbed as the beep in the room rose lounder in her ears, ringing and echoing to her future.

Her body lay on the bed.