Puzzle Pieces

Pilot

Salem, Oregon

My body jolted harshly from it's fitful sleep, springing upward into a sitting position. Jagged breaths filled my lungs and I clenched my comforter in tight fist with wide eyes. There was a heavy feeling deep in my chest. Something was off, I just didn't know what, and it nearly made my skin crawl. Closing my eyes, I focused on slowing my breathing before reopening them. I threw back the duvet and swung my feet over the edge of my bed and ran a hand through my hair, glancing at the clock.

1:17 AM

The feeling refused to lessen, instead becoming more intense. In my life, my gut had an odd habit of being right, and in this particular moment in time, I only knew two things; one, I needed to leave, and I needed to do it now, and two, somebody was going to die tonight, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was a strange situation, absolutely, but I can't ignore it. It almost felt primal, like pure instinct, and the longer I lingered, the tighter the pressure in my chest got, even beginning to build in my head.

I jumped up from my bed and dropped to my stomach, shoving my hand under my the piece of furniture and swinging it left and right blindly until my fingers brushed what I was searching for. I ripped the light pink duffel bag from underneath and tossed it up onto my bed. I shoved my hand back under, just as quickly yanking out a matching suitcase and following the same actions before standing up and switching on the lamp on my bedside table.

Opening the suitcase, I started ripping clothes off of hangers in my closet and out of drawers and throwing them haphazardly into the large case until I couldn't possibly fit more. I continued to blindly grab articles of clothing and even a few pairs of shoes and tossed them into the duffel bag beside the suitcase. The dread in my heart increased and I swung my head to look at the clock again.

1:21 AM

I spun around and practically tore my phone charger from the plug in the wall, and grabbed my still connected phone along with it, shoving it into the bag. I paused. What else did I need? I scrambled into the bathroom, grabbing essential toiletries that I would have forgotten any other time. I dashed into my room and dumped the armful of toiletries into the duffel before pulling the zipper closed.

I grabbed my book bag from my desk chair, shoved my laptop and charger into it, and flung it onto my back. I swung my duffel bag over one shoulder and hoisted my suitcase up by its handle. I rushed out of my room and down the stairs as time both flew by and barely passed just the same.

I snatched my car keys off of the coffee table and stuffed my feet halfway into a pair of sneakers, the heels of my feet hanging over the squished backs, trying not to drop anything. As I swung open the door, the smell of smoke started drifting into my nose.

I bolted from the house and yanked open my driver side back door and threw everything onto the pile of items that already littered the backseats of my shitty little ford and rushed into the driver's seat. My hand shook as I put the key in the ignition and turned it. It stalled once, twice, then finally came to life. I forced the car into drive and peeled out my parking spot, glancing back only once to see flames erupt from and engulf my childhood home. Adrenaline had take over in that moment and I didn't stop speeding down the road for a good couple minutes until the pressure in my head and chest pulled me back to reality.

I slammed on the brakes in the middle of the quiet and desolate road and slid into park. With my fingers still curled tightly around the steering wheel, and clenched my eyes shut and took one shaky breath before it all became too much. The painful pressure forced its way out in a horribly loud, oddly pitched and echoing scream, making my own ears ring and cracking the windshield.