Red hugged her arms about herself as she plodded down the sidewalk. No one was out in the biting fall frigidness. She regretted leaving without a coat. She regretted shooting her mouth off at Jack.
She regretted living.
She took a breath in, concentrating on what she smelled. The crisp autumn air. Some smog. The greasiness of the local hotdog vendor. A hint of smoke. She coughed a little, losing breath, but still enjoying being outside a little bit.
She turned the block to a punishing light. There, a few houses down, was an apartment building.
Flames belched from a second story window.
A child was screaming.
Without giving herself time to think, she ran down the block, slipping as she hit a puddle, righting herself, and hurrying on.
Flames erupted from the roof like a volcano.
Red paused at the doorway, her mind hanging in indecision. Fear gripped her person in a chokehold. Another fire flashed before her eyes. She couldn't let that happen again. Her heart urged her to do something, but her mind kept her back.
The child screamed again.
Without thought she plunged into the building, flinging doors open for any unsuspecting people who might be trying to get them open. She continued towards the screams.
Nearing the sound, she spotted through an open door a bassinet. Quickly entering the room, she found a small baby in it, its face scrunched up in fear.
Red hurriedly picked it up, cradling it in her arms as she ran to the next door. She rammed into the weak, locked door, and a few feet away was the child. She quickly motioned to the child to come with her.
He sat, planted to his spot, terrified. He would not come.
Finally, she shouted, "I'll be right back!" and ran towards the entrance. A small crowd had gathered. Coughing, she pushed the baby into a woman's arms. She darted back into the building before anyone realized her intentions.
Passing burning rooms and precarious beams above her, she finally reached the child. He held up his arms. She picked him up, and he clung to her neck as she got out of that room as quickly as possible.
She sprinted towards the front door, the seconds seeming like minutes.
There were no more screams.
Just as she flew out the front door, a flaming beam fell, blocking the entrance. She looked back at it, regretting she wasn't quick enough to help anyone else trapped in there, and wonder what in the world she was going to do with this child.
Before she could think another thought, the child took one decision out of her hands.
His arms were still tightly wrapped around her neck. By now, his small, short legs had wound themselves around her waist. He had seen the beam fall.
The child began to cry. She tried to comfort him, hugging him as tightly as she could. He sobbed into her shirt, soaking her shoulder.
Several in the crowd offered to take him, even the woman she had given the baby, which turned out to be her own. But Red refused.
"Where's his folks?"
No one knew, although the young woman said that they were probably still in the apartment. It was then that she decided to keep him.
I may not be able to give him the best of lives, but hey, if I can't support the tyke, I can always go for adoption.
Red turned around to watch the building. It slowly collapsed upon itself, smashing its own fire out. She shivered. It was too reminiscent. At least this time she'd done something.
The crowd slowly dissipated, some staying behind to help the firemen crush the remaining embers of the house.
Red was one of the last to go. She had stood, transfixed by the dying flames for so long, the child began to doze off. When his head hit her shoulder in slumber, she finally headed towards the House, trying not to fall asleep herself. The moon shone to light their path, a silent sentinel over the lost that night.
She walked through the door, silently shutting the door behind her. The fire in the grate was dying out, and most of the lanterns were out. She tried to silently cough, and managed to do so without waking the child.
One lantern was still lit, and by its light, Red could see the chair facing the fire. She took a few steps towards it, trying to get warm. A low, eerie voice seemed to resonate throughout the room. She shivered, trying to remember whose voice it was.
A tall, dark figure got up from the chair. As it walked toward Red, she cowered back. She couldn't see anything of its face or features. A knife glinted in its left hand.
The thought of being killed by an unseen criminal could frighten anyone.
- - - - -
Oooh! Cliffhanger. Deal with it. Anyone figure out what language i'm using yet? you will in my next chappy...evil laughter