Arthur awoke and blinked in confusion for a few seconds at the sight of the ceiling of his new room before remembering he was at Mo's house. It had been a while since the fire yet he still wasn't used to his room being gone. How long had he been asleep? There was sunlight being blocked by the curtain so it was apparently daytime. There was no clock in the room, so Arthur decided to go in the living room and check the time.
Mo was in the kitchen making a blackberry smoothie while alternative music played from the radio.
"Good morning, Arthur," Mo said,.
"It's morning?" Arthur asked in confusion.
Mo nodded. "Yeah. You were out for a long while."
"Where's everybody?" Arthur asked.
"Kate is upstairs asleep. Mom and Dad are out getting some paperwork."
"Oh."
"Here, have some smoothie," Mo pulled a glass from the top shelf and filling it halfway with the concoction before handing it to Arthur. Arthur grabbed the glass and took a small taste and found he liked it.
"Paperwork for what?"
"To enroll you into school."
"Oh, I hadn't even thought about that," Arthur said truthfully. He frowned and a knot formed in his stomach. He wasn't all that excited about having to meet so many new people.
"Don't worry, we have a good school here," Mo said.
"Mmm."
"Do you want to check out the town park when Kate wakes up?" Mo asked.
"Okay."
Jane half-heartedly swung herself on the swing at the playground where she had always played as a young girl. She was back on her father's farm where she had grown up. Jane sighed as she stared at empty land where family farms had once been. The town's once numerous farms had mostly bankrupted over several decades and her family's was the last one standing. According to her father, Dave, a oil company wanted to frack the area and was heavily pushing he sell the land over. He added that if sales didn't pick up in two years he would have no choice but accept the offer.
"Jane?" Dave walked over, "it's nearly dinner. Let's get back."
"Okay," Jane said glumly.
They trudged along the dirt road in silence until they finally reached the farmhouse. They entered through the backdoor and entered the kitchen. Once Jane was seated at the table, Dave asked "so how is Arthur and Kate?"
"I don't know. I'm not allowed to contact them for three years. Three years! Kate won't even remember me by then."
"And Arthur is with Loretta, correct?"
"Yeah."
"And DW?"
"She's in the mental hospital back in Elwood City. My no-contact order extends to her as well."
"Ah. Well, I hope they're all right."
"Well, you can talk to them at least," Jane pointed out.
"Do you know where Loretta lives?"
Jane flickered in annoyance. "No, I could never remember that address."
"Oh."
"It was saved on my computer, but that was destroyed in ... well ..." Jane did not want to say the word "fire" unless forced.
"If you mind me asking ... have you spoken to David recently?"
Jane bit her lip at the mere mention of that man. "No. When the court removed our guardianship we parted ways. He said he was going to his uncle's house but I'm not sure which one he meant."
"What are you going to do next?"
Jane's eyes dropped to the floor miserably. "I don't know anymore."
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Dave said unconvincingly.
"Sure."
"In any case," Dave grabbed a bowl from the counter, "it corn on the cob time."
Jane sighed. She couldn't believe DW was so angry over an episode of Mary Moo Cow. David stood with a knowing expression.
"Go ahead," Jane barked, "Say it."
"I didn't say anything," David responded.
Jane rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to work in the garage," David announced.
"Have fun," Jane said without meaning it whatsoever.
Jane picked up a magazine and became engrossed in an article on saving for luxury vacations. For a second she thought she heard footsteps stomping in and out of the kitchen, but figured it was her imagination. After a few minutes of Jane dozed off.
A half-hour later, Jane woke up at the smell of smoke. She jumped off the couch in terror and saw a hot flame burning the kitchen door with a cloud of smoke surrounding it. Jane fled for the backdoor as quickly as she could, and looked back at the house in horror. From what she could see, the fire had not only burned the entire kitchen but had even spread upstairs.
An odd noise emerged. Jane felt numb as she registered the scream was actually from Arthur on the second floor. Jane tried to call out but her voice was hoarse. Jane heard another yell and realized it was Thora.
How could a fire have started? Was it the gasline? The oven? Something else?
Jane saw something moving in the corner of her eye, and her heart leaped as she realized it was Pal carrying Kate out of the fire.
"Oh, Pal, thank you so much," she said when the canine had successfully brought her daughter to her. Kate was bawling and Jane tried to rock her and mutter words of comfort.
The fire was only getting stronger. The house would collapse at this rate.
The back door opened and DW walked out.
"DW!" Jane cried in relief. But she immediately felt something was odd in how slowly and calmly DW walked over. As she came closer into view, Jane saw a triumphant, smug smirk on her daughter's face.
No.
No.
No. It can't be. It just can't.
Jane couldn't breathe. She put Kate on the ground gently and began feeling faint. No, she was dreaming. She had to still be asleep on the sofa.
"You should have recorded Mary Moo Cow," DW said.
Jane fell on the grass and lost consciousness.