Elena, pleased with her newest entry, shut her diary and placed it on the night stand beside her. She reached over and pulled the chain on her lamp. She embraced the darkness surrounding her. The wind outside knocked tree branches into the window, causing them to scrape against the glass. The sound was unsettling, but bearable. Her eyes closed, and within the next few minutes had she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Screams pierced the night. Elena couldn't decipher whether she was still in her dream world, or the real one, but as time passed she had figured it was the latter. As she came to she could hear the screams more clearly now. They were coming from below her. From downstairs. She threw off her covers and hopped onto the cold wooden floor. She threw her worn, pink robe on and wrapped it around herself tightly. Before she managed to get half way down the stairs she noticed the flames engulfing the living room. This time a scream escaped her own throat.
"Mom, mom. Dad!" The state of panic she was in caused her voice to crack. Her eyes searched frantically for any signs of movement in the now smokey room. The realization that she was trapped was starting to seep into her mind. There she was, mid way up the staircase, flames blocking the entire downstairs, she could only go up. So she did. When she got to her room she flung herself at the nearest window. With some effort, the tree close by could be the escape route. That's when she noticed everything.
The chaos was not just here in her own home. Outside, the surrounding houses were also ablaze. People were huddled together in the streets, looking like clusters of ants from Elena's perspective. She pushed up on the wooden frame. Cold air burst inside and whipped her long hair back. She positioned herself in the window, an arms length away from the sturdiest branch. Her body trembled as she looked down, surveying the fall. Flames started to spread to her doorway now. She didn't have much time left, it was jump now, or never. She sucked in a deep breath and threw herself at the branch. She clung on to it tightly, refusing to give up even an inch of space. When her breathing was steady she began to crawl towards the trunk. The fleece material of her pajama pants snagged at the bark as she moved. Her hands stung from scraping against the bark. Slowly but surely she made her way down the tree and onto solid ground.
She collapsed onto the grass and stared up at her home in horror as the roof was now caving in. Arms wrapped around her shoulders gently. Elena looked up to see Mrs. Flowers, her elderly neighbor clutching onto her shoulders. She shook slightly as she sobbed.
"Where's my parents? Have you seen them," Elena's voice was still shaking. The woman shook her head sadly. Elena rose from ground, pulling the old woman up with her.
"I have to find them. Stay around here, and I will be back," she hated leaving Mrs. Flowers, but she had to make sure her family was safe as well. Elena pushed through the crowd of people, calling out her parents' names. Everyone was in hysterics, and that made matters even more stressful. Loud sirens started going off, but unlike any she had ever experienced before. They were long drawn out cries that sent chills straight into her bones. Her fears were only escalated as she realized she had already made her way back to the spot where she had left Mrs. Flowers. No signs of her parents at all. Hopefully they had made it out and went for help. That's the only thing Elena could rationalize.
"Come this way. Please," a young man grabbed her arm and urged her to follow him. Elena wanted to protest, but was too weak. He drug her along behind him hurriedly. He was taking her away from the globs of people, away from the mayhem.
"Where are you taking me," she shouted. He looked back at her with concern. He placed a finger over his mouth, telling her to keep quiet. She reluctantly obliged and tried to keep up with his fast pace. They were far enough away now that Elena couldn't hear the screams anymore, just the blaring sirens. Her legs began to give out, and once again, she collapsed to the earth. The man rushed to her side. His features were hard to make out, given the lack of light, but so far he seemed anything but harmful to her.
"Rest for a few minutes, but we need to keep going. They will be here soon, and we will need to be far away when that happens," his voice was steady, and strong. Elena nodded impishly, and tears started falling from her eyes. The shock that she was in was melting away, turning to more panic and grief. She began to shake violently with her sobs.
"What's ha-happening," she stammered out.
"There's no time to explain. We need to get out now. When we are safe I will tell you everything." She nodded. He pulled her to her feet, but she fell back down. He scooped her up into his arms and like a flash, they were so far away she couldn't even hear the sirens anymore.