Chapter 1
Spring was coming to a quick close as summer's heat crawled up on the people who lived in Buffalo, New York. It was mid May and everyone went on with their day in the weather that was warming up to a degree that some children played in a backyard pool. But on this day two teens, a girl and a boy, walked down the street on their way to the town library. The girl has shoulder length straightened brown hair with brown sugar skin and the boy has short black hair and pasty skin. Together they walked, talking all the while about what they might check out at the large library just a few more blocks away from them.
"They might have new volumes of Ikigami, I hope they do, that's an awesome manga series!" The girl cried out with glee as she raised her fist in the air. The boy gave her a questioning glance but nodded in agreement as they continued to walk.
"Yeah I want to read that series but Otomen and Emma are also good ones." The boy replied as they continued their way down the sidewalk. "How did your Easter go?"
"Meh, pretty well. My cousin's siblings still believe that the Easter Bunny still exists but I guess they can still imagine it. Hey, maybe next spring you can dress up as a giant rabbit and entertain them." The girl joked as she chuckled loudly. The boy glared at her.
"You're an ass April, I'm not doing that nor will I ever will."
"That's why you will never entertain at birthday parties, you'd cuss those poor little kids out or tell them something disturbing." The girl, April, said with a laugh that brought tears to her eyes. The boy chuckled in agreement as he opened his mouth to respond.
"Yeah, and James the Bunny doesn't have a cool ring to it." The boy, James, called as the two of them laughed some more, getting closer to their destination. The sun hovered in the air, steadily beating its rays upon the two as they crossed a side street, now alongside the busy street where cars buzzed almost every second. The friends continued to talk, unknown of the danger that being so close to the street possessed. Suddenly, the two book craving teenagers whipped their heads towards the sound of violently squealing tires that belonged to a speeding motorcycle, three different colors flying as the driver tried to maneuver a sharp turn but the two wheels failed beneath it. The driver and the cycle skidded on it's side into a telephone pole, causing it to tilt but not fall.
The driver was still dazed and had not realized the danger he is in yet as he laid there sandwiched between the pavement and the handlebars. April, being the selfless person she is, dashed over to the man and frantically tried to free the man by tugging his limp feet but no avail. Abruptly, the telephone wire ripped free and dangled centimeters above an increasing puddle of gasoline, threatening to spark a giant flame.
"April!" James called in genuine alarm, slightly scared to take a single step towards the fire hazard. But April knew about the live wire and man who was just rendered unconscious, she almost had him free and she could see people stopping their cars and taking pictures all the while staying away from the huge puddle that seeped under her shoes.
Some people dared to exit their car and call 911 or attempt to help the struggling teen. Just now April jerked up the man's arms and he was free from his leaking car. Now he wasn't exactly heavy but it was a small struggle as she looped his arm over her neck and limped towards the middle of the road so the paramedics could have easy access.
Fwossh!
April turned around to see James screaming and spark from the wire daintily make its way into the puddle which turned into a violent flame that quickly spread. She quickly tried to run but every other step was a slip and slide as she tried to balance both of them in the flammable liquid. The fire quickly ran up against her right side so she swerved to her left, almost to the middle of the street. But the puddle already spread near the middle as cars quickly drove away to avoid burning. The sudden sound of wood cracking got the attention of the scared teens and James screamed out.
"The pole is falling!" James cried as he tried to find April in the tall wall of flames. April glanced back to actually see part of the telephone pole burning and giving away, its crash pad was in her general direction. Seeing what she needed to do, she gathered her strength and threw the man through the flickering flame, the sound of people rushing to the man's aid filled April's ears. She tried to dash through the fire before more blisters appeared on her skin and more smoke filled her lungs.
But the pole crashed down on her leg, clamping her to the ground. She tried to roll the burning log off her, but it was no use, the smoke clouded her glasses and ash covered her hair.
"April, where are you?!" James yelled as he burst through the flames, trying to search for his friend through the smoke. But she was already unconscious so he squatted down and rolled off the black piece of wood. He dragged her out of the fire and she was taken from him by the paramedics who put her in the truck and drove off as more pulled up. A fire truck was already there taming the fire as people stood by taking pictures like it was a scene from a movie. But in reality, two people were sent on their way to the hospital in critical condition, no one knowing who will make it out alive and who will be left remembered by the crowd.