It took a while for me to convince Teacher, Mr. Jerry, and all the other kids that I was fine. There were at least seven voices all trying to get through to me at once. Tons of "Are you okay?"-s and "Did you get burned?"-s and "What happened?"-s. Teacher had called my mom, along with Lulu's and Joey's and Ricky's parents, and they were waiting for us back at school. I could imagine my mother right now; her whole face blotchy and tear streaked, swollen grey eyes, blonde hair practically exploding out of her head with worry, screaming, "Oh, my poor baby!"

Ugh.

After a good ten minutes or so on the bus, they left me and Lulu alone. She was curled up and asleep, using my shoulder as a pillow. I didn't mind. She had always been like a little sister to me.

I sighed and watched they prairie slip past. I couldn't stop thinking about those boys. They sure had some guts. A lot more guts than I did, and like I said before, I'm pretty brave. What made them like that? What were their own lives like? What fate brought them to us when we needed them?

I at least wanted to know their names.

And I really did want to see them again. Make sure they're alright, ask if they needed anything… but mostly I wanted to thank them. They didn't have to do that. They didn't even know us. And I know I couldn't help it, but still, I felt really guilty about it for some reason.

The sun peeked out from behind a cloud, burning my eyes. I stared at it until it turned white, watching the patterns the light threw out. I do that sometimes. I know it's not good for your eyes, but I'm careful enough. I just thanked my lucky stars that I was able to live long enough to see it again.

I hoped those boys were just as lucky.

-0-0-0-

It took me a minute, through the white noise of chatting kids, that the bus had stopped. I shook Lulu gently, who muttered in her sleep.

"Lulu, come on, baby, we're here."

She opened one emerald eye. "Where?"

"Back at school."

She closed it again. "I don't wanna go."

"Honey, your parents are here waiting for you. They'll take you home, okay?"

She sighed, then slowly got up. "Okay."

We got up, and I felt like Moses, with all the kids jumping out of my way to let us through first. It was weird.

As soon as I stepped off the bus, I was blinded by a head of crazy blonde hair. "Oh, my poor baby!" Mom shouted, bursting into another fit of tears.

See, what did I tell you?

"Ma, ma calm down." I patted her back, and that was about all I could manage since she was squeezing the living daylights out of me.

She went on like I hadn't spoken while all the kids came off the bus, staring as the walked by or actually stopping to watch. "You had me worried sick! Oh, I got that phone call and I thought you were dead! Oh--"

"Ma!" I tried to pull away. "Stop, you're embarrassing me!"

She looked a little hurt, but I didn't care. She was happy I was alive, that should be enough. I turned to say something to Lulu, but she was tangled in her parents arms, who were sobbing over her harder than my mom, and that's saying something.

Ma took my hand and she lead me to our old Chevy. I was glad to be going home. I don't think I could even concentrate on anything in school, what with the boys' faces constantly appearing in my mind.

-0-0-0-

It was dark, so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of my own face. I whirled around, searching for an exit. Where was Lulu? I couldn't bare to lose her…

Suddenly there was a spark, and I was looking down at a ring of fire. There were the boys from before, the boys who saved me, surrounded by flames. I tried to reach down to them, to help them, but I couldn't reach. I watched them burn, screaming as they were consumed by the flames…

I woke up shaking and sweating, fighting tears. Why couldn't I get them out of my head?

I decided I'd visit them in the hospital. I'd wanted to thank them anyway, and may be talking to them would get them out of my thoughts every moment.

I couldn't get back to sleep after that.

Sorry this one's short… I plan to do another chapter, maybe one more, and those will be much longer.

Please review, hope you like it so far! :D