Mine

Chapter 03

News Castor: Updates from the fire incident in Rockwood Ville-Last night, tragedy struck as a devastating fire engulfed a residency, claiming the lives of...

Voice of humanoid robot-like woman erupted in the void; her expression stoic displayed across the smooth glass of the TV screen. It was not the woman speaking who captivated the attention of a pair of brown almond eyes, it was the horrifying view of a raging fire that was being broadcasted.

A stomach drop it was or a heart drop at this rate but a clear flicker of anxiety crossed the girl's face. Unconsciously, she nibbled on the flesh of her lip, her left palm tapping nervously against her thigh as she stood rooted to the spot in front of the TV screen. The flames engulfing the structure of the house looked like a fierce fire demon unleashed. Its intensity seemed to reflect in the wide-eyed gaze of the girl, mirroring the orange-red hues dancing on the screen.

A sense of déjà vu washed over her, triggering a vivid flashback that threw her back to a moment she had tried desperately to forget.

Flashback Start~

"Rose!" A small, sweet voice cut through the crackling roar of the burning wood. Huddled beneath a small wooden table, a baby girl cried hysterically with tears-streaked cheeks, innocent eyes wide with fear and distress. With a trembling hand, she reached out towards another child, wheezing as she sobbed and wailed inconsolably.

"Come to me please, I am scared"

"I-I am trying"

The older one peered with desperate eyes trying to crawl past the burning wooden muddle of the once magnificent house.

"Hurry! please"

It was getting hard, the smoke blinded her senses blocking her breathing and she could see the spots of black in her clouded vision, her throat itched as if she gulped down a handful of needles. Yet the desperate plea of the other urged her to drag the wounded leg and move forth through the burning mess.

"Come to me, hold me, please" Her outstretched hand beckoned to the other, calling out for the comforting embrace that only she could provide. It wasn't the warmth or heat of the fire that engulfed them, but rather the one that enveloped her melting away her worries and fears every time. She needed that desperately now. It was the warmth of love, the familiar touch of her own blood.

"Bub, I can't, it h-hurts, you have to go, get out"

"NO! not without you, I won't leave you here, please just reach and hold my hand, we will get out of here together"

The surroundings were consumed by one fierce enemy: fire. The same flames licked the walls and roof of the house, reducing everything to charred odds and ends. As the fire reached the roof, weakening a pillar, the two children unaware of the looming danger they were about to face continued to desperately try to reach out to each other.

"Come to me, hurry!"

With a deafening crack, the weakened pillar gave way, crumbling further before finally succumbing to the fire demon. Like a boulder, a large piece of burning wood broke free, plummeting downward with frightening speed. It landed with a sickening thud, crashing onto the back of the older girl desperately crawling towards the smaller child, the impact shattering the fragile hope of rescue.

At the horrifying scene, the smaller child screamed in terror, but her cries went unheard amidst the chaos. Instead, the only sound that reached the ears of the older one was a shrill, incessant beeping as the wood struck her head leaving it to bleed with the burning wood pressing down on the bleeding leg.

As her vision blurred and consciousness began to fade, she could only see the other child being grabbed and pulled out from the shattered window next to her.