FROM THE ASHES - L. Laufeyson [1]

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: "Just a Random Girl from New Jersey"

As the sirens got closer, her palms began to get sweaty as she could now see the building across the street now up in flames.

Adaline stood on the sidewalk, watching the commotion, and knew that for some people who were still inside the building, the fire department would not arrive in time.

Knowing full well that this moment could risk everything, she dashed into the burning building in search of the people in need. She heard the cries of many coming from each of the seven floors in the apartment building.

Starting on the first floor where the fire had originated, she walked through the crackling flames, forcefully holding her hands outward to create a pathway through the flames that licked at the walls.

After getting multiple families out of the building she still had a few floors to go.

Adaline had started to feel slightly lightheaded from the amount of her abilities that she had used. She could remember using her abilities on the candle some nights where she would have a wave a fatigue come from nowhere and she would pass out. But she had never used her abilities to this extent.

After she ran up the stairs to the sixth floor and helped the families get out, she was told by one of the residents that there was a little boy on the seventh floor whose mom worked long hours and he would be all alone. So she made her trek to the seventh and final floor, feeling extremely weary as she searched for the little boy.

"Hello?" She screamed, her voice raspy from the smoke and her exhaustion.

She had heard a tiny scream of help come from the corner of the room, and made her way over to him. The boy could not have been any older than nine or ten years old, and he reminded her of when she was in a fire much like this one, where there was no escape.

As the flames lapped at the walls and the ceiling threatened to crash down, she asked the boy his name.

"Aiden," He replied, slightly whimpering.

As Adaline told him her name and promised she would get him out, she started to feel her body giving up. She then fell to her knees, as her eyes started to flutter. She voiced for Aiden to sit close beside her. She felt the little boy's arms wrap around her middle as she slouched against him, hoping that her abilities would save the both of them even while she was out cold.

Right before losing consciousness, She saw a bright, white light begin to get closer to them and she could faintly make out the red and gold colors behind it.

And then everything went dark.

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Adaline awoke the next day, lying in a hospital bed in a white room. She had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. She did not know what had happened after she fainted or where the little boy, Aiden, had gone or if he was even still alive.