by Xero Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:50 amMy mind screamed frantically as I fell to the floor coughing and gagging on the thick smoke that threatened to choke out all life. The shattered glass I had fallen next to reflected my shocked, soot covered face as I collapsed again from my knees in another coughing fit.
The upstairs hallway had ignited into a fiery inferno giving me the terrifying sensation of being trapped in a furnace. Wicked flames and wretched smoke wrapped around the walls consuming everything in its wake and radiating a burning heat that enveloped me and penetrated my surface setting fire to my very soul.
I desperately gasped for air taking another deep breath. While there was significantly less smoke on the ground, my lungs rejected the foul air as darkness began to creep around my vision.
"Caroline!" I suddenly choked out bringing to mind images of my younger sister, not even seven, trapped helplessly in the roaring flames. I focused on this new directive ravaging my thoughts to purge my meager discomforts and push onward.
I squinted through the hazy smoke and ash catching a distant glimpse of the door to her bedroom. Daniel! I could practically hear her pleading, save me, Daniel!
The pink unicorn drawing she had tacked, to what now appeared to be a wooden monolith legions away, mocked me as the air was dyed a terrible crimson by the fire erupting from every corner. The fire invited me gently to abandon my burdens and trials to accept the darkness constricting and tunneling my vision further.
I grunted raspily as I attempted to learn the unthinkable, pulling myself forward desperately on my arms through the burning ash that singed and scarred my skin.
"Caroline!" I cried out to purge my thoughts and alleviate the searing pain, "Caroline!"
Every yard caused my resolve to weaken, every foot slowly killed me, every inch caused the darkness to constrict; but by some divine miracle I was soon at the base of the wooden monolith that imprisoned my little sister.
Taking in all the clean air I could and mustering whatever strength I had left I climbed to my feet, stumbling to catch my balance and eventually crouching to evade the awful black smoke and soot that saturated the air. I ripped that fucking unicorn off the wall and leaned my shoulder into the door to ease it open.
Caroline!
My hope plummeted as I ravaged her room for any trace of my little sister. She was nowhere to be found, only white hot ash and wickedly burned trinkets and mementos. Melancholy stuffed animals and singed family albums adorned her shelves laughing as I fell back to my knees.
Suddenly I could hear faint, raspy coughing from her closet. A faint sign of life bringing countless memories to mind of the times I had nursed her to health when she was sick.
-I was brought back, if only for a moment to a simpler, happier time. I stood by her bedside, a watchful benevolent figure to protect her like no guardian angel could. I could protect her from the world, I could shield her from the darkness. No force in heaven or hell could take her from me. No pink unicorns and no burning ash would claim her so long as I remained vigilant by her side.
“Daniel,” she had asked “Why is the dark so scary?”-
Willing myself forward I yanked the doors open.
-“It isn’t the darkness we fear; but what might be inside...”-
"Caroline!"
-“...The Darkness can never hurt you...”-
An unfamiliar face stared back at me with closed eyes.
Her hair had burned off completely, leaving her face scarred and her scalp charred black. Her flesh had boiled and seared. Her gown was burnt and torn.
I felt no breath. I was mere seconds too late.
"Caroline..." I sobbed wrapping my burned and desecrated sister in a tight embrace.
Darkness.
I was ready to accept death, knowing I had failed. At least I could take solace in knowing that I would be here, with her.
We would journey into this darkness together.
A smile crossed my lips as my eyes locked on a blacked picture of me and her wilting away in the flames as I would soon do. The darkness around my eyes had strangled my vision as if I was looking up from a deep dark well.
I will close my eyes, one last time.
-”...The Darkness can never hurt you as long as I’m here...”-
The upstairs hallway had ignited into a fiery inferno giving me the terrifying sensation of being trapped in a furnace. Wicked flames and wretched smoke wrapped around the walls consuming everything in its wake and radiating a burning heat that enveloped me and penetrated my surface setting fire to my very soul.
I desperately gasped for air taking another deep breath. While there was significantly less smoke on the ground, my lungs rejected the foul air as darkness began to creep around my vision.
"Caroline!" I suddenly choked out bringing to mind images of my younger sister, not even seven, trapped helplessly in the roaring flames. I focused on this new directive ravaging my thoughts to purge my meager discomforts and push onward.
I squinted through the hazy smoke and ash catching a distant glimpse of the door to her bedroom. Daniel! I could practically hear her pleading, save me, Daniel!
The pink unicorn drawing she had tacked, to what now appeared to be a wooden monolith legions away, mocked me as the air was dyed a terrible crimson by the fire erupting from every corner. The fire invited me gently to abandon my burdens and trials to accept the darkness constricting and tunneling my vision further.
I grunted raspily as I attempted to learn the unthinkable, pulling myself forward desperately on my arms through the burning ash that singed and scarred my skin.
"Caroline!" I cried out to purge my thoughts and alleviate the searing pain, "Caroline!"
Every yard caused my resolve to weaken, every foot slowly killed me, every inch caused the darkness to constrict; but by some divine miracle I was soon at the base of the wooden monolith that imprisoned my little sister.
Taking in all the clean air I could and mustering whatever strength I had left I climbed to my feet, stumbling to catch my balance and eventually crouching to evade the awful black smoke and soot that saturated the air. I ripped that fucking unicorn off the wall and leaned my shoulder into the door to ease it open.
Caroline!
My hope plummeted as I ravaged her room for any trace of my little sister. She was nowhere to be found, only white hot ash and wickedly burned trinkets and mementos. Melancholy stuffed animals and singed family albums adorned her shelves laughing as I fell back to my knees.
Suddenly I could hear faint, raspy coughing from her closet. A faint sign of life bringing countless memories to mind of the times I had nursed her to health when she was sick.
-I was brought back, if only for a moment to a simpler, happier time. I stood by her bedside, a watchful benevolent figure to protect her like no guardian angel could. I could protect her from the world, I could shield her from the darkness. No force in heaven or hell could take her from me. No pink unicorns and no burning ash would claim her so long as I remained vigilant by her side.
“Daniel,” she had asked “Why is the dark so scary?”-
Willing myself forward I yanked the doors open.
-“It isn’t the darkness we fear; but what might be inside...”-
"Caroline!"
-“...The Darkness can never hurt you...”-
An unfamiliar face stared back at me with closed eyes.
Her hair had burned off completely, leaving her face scarred and her scalp charred black. Her flesh had boiled and seared. Her gown was burnt and torn.
I felt no breath. I was mere seconds too late.
"Caroline..." I sobbed wrapping my burned and desecrated sister in a tight embrace.
Darkness.
I was ready to accept death, knowing I had failed. At least I could take solace in knowing that I would be here, with her.
We would journey into this darkness together.
A smile crossed my lips as my eyes locked on a blacked picture of me and her wilting away in the flames as I would soon do. The darkness around my eyes had strangled my vision as if I was looking up from a deep dark well.
I will close my eyes, one last time.
-”...The Darkness can never hurt you as long as I’m here...”-
