I see fire

chapter 4

The next day I woke up surprisingly from a deep restful sleep without nightmares. I guessed it might be the effect of the sleeping pills. They must have knocked me out. I didn't even remember what happened after I had seen john in his terrible state at the restaurant. With a restful sleep, I decided to go to school.

I had my usual morning routine which was going to the bathroom and having breakfast and then I went to school. I arrived at school and spent the day staring at space. One of the pop quiz's results came and got a C. that was good, I suppose, considering that I got D most of the time. I used to get B's and sometimes A's. Anyway, the day passed without any annoying reminders or situations.

The school day ended and I got out of school. When I stepped out of school, I grabbed the cigarettes out of my left pocket. I walked quickly away from school and lit up one.  I exhaled the smoke into the warm air of March and started walking. I didn't want to go home so soon, I mean I still had time before the curfew that dad made me which was at 5 so I figured why not use it? I started walking mindlessly and smoking my cigarette, taking an amount of fresh air each time before I inhaled the cigarette smoke. I was walking agonizingly slow swaying from side to side like a slightly drunk man who just got out of a bar.

I closed my eyes for a second and blew out the smoke slower than I have ever done as I threw my head back. For a second it felt like I have forgotten all about everything buy only to be brought back to reality as I leaned my head back again and looking at something I haven't seen in a while. I hadn't realized I was walking in its direction.  I threw my cigarette on the ground and squashed it with my foot. It was black burned down to ashes. Black pieces of wood were sticking out from the ground like the arms of zombies who are getting out of their grave. The place looked familiar to me but to any other person would just walk by it and say it's just some burned wood in a place that looked haunted. There was no more grass around the house that used to be. It just looked sad.

I walked briskly across the big yard that mr.fitz used to have. He was rich man so he had plenty of area around his house. I kept walking on the green grass until I reached the black area of burned grass. I walked slowly then and then sat on the ground between the blackness. I put my bag down on the ground beside me. There were a few shards of glass where I was going to rest my body so I moved a little to the left carful from the wood that was everywhere. I then laid down my head as I put down my arms behind it. This place held pain but peace. I closed my eyes again and stilled in my position.

I laid there for what seemed like forever but it was only 15 minutes. I didn't remember anything that happened that night. I didn't want to remember. It was too painful. I wonder that if I wasn't there that I would have felt the same way. "Of course you would" my inner me said. I haven't heard from it for a while now since I had been feeling numb. "You were a part of it" my inner me said again. "No, I wasn't" I tried to reason with myself but I knew it was true. Everything was real and true.

 I got up and dusted off the black burned powder from the back of my jeans. I walked across the yard again. I took one last look at the place before I started walking again. I looked at the time. I still had an hour to go home so I decided to pay a visit to my grandparents. They were close so I walked there slightly faster than I had before so I can get there and spend some time with them before I have to go home. I arrived at the house in about 5 minutes and knocked on the door. My grandma opened. She saw me and looked a little stunned but then she gave me a heartwarming smile and gestured me into the house. Once I was inside, I was welcomed by a big hug.

"How are you, honey?" she asked

"Alright" I said.

"You don't look so fine" she said

I smiled.

"Yeah" I agreed

"go sit in the kitchen I have some cookies there. I'll call your grandpa" she said

"If he is sleeping, you don't have to" I said

"Okay'' she said.

She followed me into the kitchen and sat next to the chair I sat on. I grabbed a cookie and bite it. It was really good. I haven't tasted something warm like that in a while.

"You have a black smudge on your neck and your cloth" she stated

I put my hands on my neck quickly and rubbed it hard.

"It won't go. You have to wash it. You can take a shower or a bath" she said suggestively.

"Okay" I said with my mouth full as I finished my cookie.

I went up the stairs and started the bath. When the bath was full, I took off my cloth and sat myself in it. It felt warm and good. Today was a good day. I relaxed myself a little and then closed my eyes again. It came back. The memories.

*flashback*

"Let's get it in and light it up." He said. I groaned.

"Why are you doing this again?" I asked

"Mr. Fitz" he said in mocking voice as he turned off the torch "told my parents about the party I had in the house when they were out.  I was grounded for 4 weeks .He is annoying and it's time for revenge. You pay for what you do" He said.

"You can just do a harmless prank. Not burn the house." I said trying to reason with him.

 "We are not burning the house. We are burning the garden house "he said as he brought out the fireworks.

The other guy brought out pack of matches. He brought the fireworks closer to himself yet still far away from his body. He lit up the match and I saw the fire in the darkness of the night as he put it to the string of the fireworks. He threw it into the little house. They ran once he threw it and one of them tugged at my arm to run with them. I ran for 2 or 3 meters then stopped once I heard it, boom clap. The fire jolted in the small house as it made an explosion. I covered my face with both of my arms and ducked my head down as I took a few steps back. It was on fire and I couldn't decide if it looked beautiful or not. The night was black and cold and you could see the small fire shining and feel its warmth.

I sat up with shriek as the water entered my throat. I hadn't realized that I had let my head down the water in the bathtub. I started coughing violently as I felt short on breath. After a minute or so, I stopped coughing, and my grandmother came knocking on the door. I couldn't speak yet. When I didn't answer, she opened the door slowly.

"Are you okay? I heard coughing and I knew it wasn't your grandfather who was doing it." She said as she opened the door fully now.

"Yes" I said almost immediately, my voice hoarse.

She stood there for a second as she was asking herself what she should say.

"Do you want to stay here tonight, dear?" she asked

I nodded. She turned around and closed the door behind her. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I got out of the tub and dried myself and then wore some old cloth that was left in the bathroom. As I went down the stairs, I heard my grandmother talking in the telephone. I presumed it was my dad or mom so I stood still and listened to what she was saying.

"Yes, he is okay. He is just staying with us tonight."

"No, don't worry. It's alright."

"Okay, bye" she finally said and closed the phone.

I went down and made myself comfortable

as I sat down and watched TV. My grandma brought me food which was some fries and cold meat. I ate and watched TV for two hours. I just kept surfing through the channels until I found the movie "wanted". I liked it so I kept it. Eventually I fell asleep on the couch and my grandma turned the TV off.