Charred

Chapter one

Smoke billows from the stained glass windows, the erupting flames follow shortly after. Stone bricks fall from the walls, causing more panic to arise. My gown gets caught on a large fallen branch, and the flames capture my foot. I scream in pain and the searing flames scorches my skin. I rip the caught part of the dress off and hastily escape. Steam rises from the ground as my hot foot touches the freshly fallen snow and the pain rips through me like a wave, but I keep running. Running for my life, running for my family. Running because I am scared. Very scared.

Adrenaline rushes through me like the rampant fire that overtook my home. My legs pump faster, sweat drips down my forehead, twigs, and roots reach out to grab me but to no avail. Yells and shouts of anger chase after me, taunting me with the grueling words, their voices pierce me like swords, and I fall to the ground. My sobs come out loud and violent, the trees shake and the ground rumbles, a bright light encaptures me, and I send it out like a tsunami, encapsulating those who run into it. They scream in pain, others in horror as they see their friends and captains become a puree of ash. My body feels limp, the fatigue takes over me and I kneel on the ground, exhausted. Soon my body falls to the ground with a thud and I descend into a slumber.

My body feels heavy as if a ton of boulders were set on it. The bright light of the sun awakens me, I squint, struggling to see through it. I strain to lift myself up, my arms shake at the movement, the pillows that are underneath me support my back as I sit up. The door creaks open and an older looking woman peeks in.

“Are you up, dear?” I stare back at her confused.

“Where am I?” The older woman laughs as if I said something hilarious. My heart beats fast as I wait for her to answer. “You are at home, my dear.” My heart skips a beat; home? I do not remember this place: who is she? Where am I?

I rise from the bed, throwing the sheets off of me, rushing to get out of here. “Amelia!” I freeze, it is another person. My heart is in my throat at this point, my eyes search for a way out, the window seems viable and as I rush for it strong arms pull me back. I thrash and kick but they pull me further away from the window. Tears stream down my face and my screams and cries are quieted by a soft voice lulling me down. “Amelia you are safe.” a kiss is placed on my forehead and all I see is black.

I awake once again, the orange hues of the sky bathes my room, and I stare outside. The door opens and the woman from earlier peeks in. “It is okay dear, I have food for you.” She sets the tray on the end of the bed, and I look cautiously at the tray then at her. I reach out my hand and grab a slice of bread. The light spongy texture of the bread makes a smile appear on my face.

“Now that it seems that you have calmed down I want you to know that you are home and you are my daughter Amelia,” I stare at her blankly, not believing her words, “you were born here in Greenville and you are going to Alaney elementary. You are 11 years old.” why was she telling me all this? Has this happened before? What is going on?

Her words kept drawing on, spinning around in the air like smoke, my eyes could not focus on anything else, the gold lettering pulling me in, luring me, tempting me to believe the lies. They fade into my skin, and my mind feels clear. I close my eyes and when I open them the world seems sharper, more colorful.

I look over at the lady and recognize her to be my mother, “mama!” I launch forward and wrap my arms around her. “You will be safe here,” she pulls away and stares into my eyes, “Amelia.”