27: Morning Fire

ADRIANA

Sounds of screaming and shouting woke me up the next morning.

I sit up from my bed groggily, rubbing my tired eyes.

A loud crashing sound makes me wince and I curse, trying to force the thud in my head away.

What the hell is going on?

I ask no one in particular. There isn’t anyone to reply to me, seeing as I’m alone in my room. I pushed off the bed and ran out of the room when the smell of smoke tickled my nostrils.

What the hell?!

Now that I’m more aware and on my feet, I hear some of what was being said.

Fire. There is a fire.

I pull the sweatpants lying on the floor in my room, almost tripping as I start running down the stairs. The smell of smoke was pungent as I got to the living room.

There isn’t anyone there but the door is wide open and I’m able to see people rushing outside.

“What’s going on?”

I drag the hand of one of the kids. A girl who couldn’t be older than five years old. She has black streaked on her cheek and tears streaming down her face. The sight breaks my