these sweet nightmares

chapter 13: the burning inferno

“Fire!”

That was the first word spoken when a face stricken messenger boy came rushing in through the doors. “Over beyond the city district! In the forest! It’s eating up everything!” His eyes darted toward the food table. “Oooh! Triple layer chocolate cake! My favorite.”

People parted, the death of Addison McMillian a memory. They would still come to his funeral a few days later, but only for the free food. They switched to the topic of the fire. Everyone pooled outside to the verandas, where a clear view of the fire was perfectly seen from a distance.

“It’s in the Heights estate!” one person exclaimed, while admiring the red fire from afar. “Wow! And better than the fireworks, too!”

Another grunted in agreement. “Looks like it definitely going to burn down. Hmm, I wonder what I’m going to do tomorrow. Maybe fishing.”

The following comments drifted off into indifference, not very surprising since all the people at the ball cared only about themselves. At least they weren’t the ones whose home wasn’t burning up. Yet it was quite a shock to know that none of them had an iota of consideration.

I ran outside where the black was ripped by a red slash that conquered the sky, panic setting in. Mother and Father were still in there when Henry and I left them. They were slightly incompetent, and I wasn’t certain if they were alive. I had to get there, fast. Frantically, I searched for any way for me to reach the mansion.

A bored looking man in a taxi carriage was where I needed him to be. Good. I jumped in the backseat and ordered him to take me to the mansion, much to the driver’s complaint. But I slapped him some cash and he easily consented. With a smile, he snapped the horses and drove like a madman. My stomach flipped-flopped and did a three-sixty overturn, causing me to nearly heave everything I ate that night on the nice leathery seats.

But that proved to be a worthwhile trip, because I managed to arrive just as the firefighters were dousing water on the flames that were licking up quick. My mind was preoccupied, however, when I set my eyes on the raging inferno. The heat was incredibly intense, like sizzling my very flesh off of my bones. I squinted through the red and orange, trying to see if anyone was in there.

The firefighters were doing their best to quench it, but it wasn’t enough. Whatever kindled this fiery monster, it was far too late to do anything, but watch helplessly as it continued to consume the place. Up and up it rose, until it was a towering a hundred meters tall. It was going to burn everything, I thought horribly, covering my head as best as I can as I drew nearer.

The smoke was literally stifling the very air out of me, squeezing my lungs until it hurt. I coughed violently; eyes watering as smoke entered my system. Somebody was yelling at me to get away, but I refused to move, even if the flames were coming dangerously close to my body. I stood my ground as the building crashed down with a thunderous smash. The walls had given way.

I bore witness to the red-orange blazes that licked and devoured every single piece of the place I once grew up in and beyond. Trees dramatically fell onto the forest floor while the mansion was completely engulfed. The past memories were starting to burn away, too.

It was surreal; the tiny frost was becoming snow. The white particles paled in comparison to the burning red flames.

Broken gasps escaped me. I was quaking uncontrollably, but I could feel nothing, only the wretched loss that was coming over me by a powerful surge. Everyone I loved was in there, Mother, Father. By now, they were probably burned into ashes.

Only short, terse words described what the entire scene looked like.

Burning, burning, burning. Everything. Red. Consumed. Eaten. Hot. So hot. Can’t breathe. No air. Can’t feel pulse. Losing vision. Fading…fading…

Fading.

My heart stopped beating, and the world fell into oblivion.