Burn My Love to a Crisp

The blinding flames in front of my eyes faded, and the intense pain of burning disappeared.

I saw my daughter, Lily Atkinson. She was crying and calling my name.

I hurried over, desperate to hold her in my arms. But my hands passed right through her. I couldn't touch her.

Looking down, I realized I was transparent. My body was no longer physical, just a soul.

"It's okay, Lily. I'm here. Mommy's here," I repeated it over and over. My voice grew more choked with each word, but Lily couldn't hear a thing.

She had a burn on her face, and a blister had already formed.

A nurse was helping her treat the burn, and Lily was trembling in pain.

Watching her suffer twisted my heart. It was then that I understood that death didn't end pain.

Others who had survived the fire were surrounded by their families, but Lily was all alone by herself.

Feeling bad for her, the nurse gently asked, "Sweetie, where are your parents?"

Lily's eyes were red, with tears still clinging to her eyelashes. She spoke carefully, "Miss, could you please lend me your phone? I want to call my daddy."

The kind nurse handed her the phone.

As soon as the call connected, Lily desperately pleaded, "Daddy, please come save Mommy. She…"

Half an hour ago, the postpartum care center I was staying in had caught fire.

The fire spread quickly at the time. I held my newborn baby in one arm while gripping Lily's hand with the other.

I told her to run ahead and find her father, Stanley Atkinson, to tell him to come save me.

I thought she would be too scared to remember, but she had remembered my words clearly.

Stanley's impatient voice came through the phone. "You're saying your mom's in trouble? You're already lying for her at such a young age? What did she teach you?"

Before Lily could say another word, he hung up.

He didn't even ask and just assumed I was lying. Did he really not care if something happened to me?

Lily handed the phone back with a face full of disappointment.

I reached out to gently hold her and blew softly on the wound on her face.

Suddenly, an overwhelming force pulled me, and the scene around me shifted. I saw my husband, Stanley.