I smell burned bacon.
I get up from bed.
Nobody should be home.
Is someone there? I turn to my phone. It's dead. Just beyond my curtains, which normally block out any light, I see a crude mix of red and orange.
I open my window, and heat spreads through my face.
"What the hell—?!"
I dash right through my bedroom door, and see the chair still covering the doorknob
Smoke in the cracks of the entrance.
Black, ominous smog.
I look to my left; the balcony is up in flames!
What the hell is going on?!
Was it Mary?
DID THAT CRAZY HAG LIGHT A FUCKING FIRE?!
I dash back to my bedroom window and scream.
"SOMEBODY! HELP!"
I see them! I see people!
"HEY—!"
!!!
They're all… just…
Staring…
What are they doing?
Aren't you going to help me?
Call for help?
"HEY! I'M STILL UP HERE!"
How did they all make it so fast?
Did they know there was going to be a fire?
Why aren't they doing anything?!
THEY'RE JUST STARING AT ME!
"HEY!"
It's hopeless.
They're just going to leave me to die.
They're looking at me like I'm not even there.
Just like him.
Just like Mary.
What the hell is going on?
I look to my sides, and the fire's already engulfed the neighboring apartments.
How did it spread there so fast?
Did they leave their doors open?
Did they know this was going to happen?!
I run back to the entrance, and I feel the heat tinging my skin, even through the door.
What the hell can I do?!
That door won't last forever, and I don't even know if anyone called the fire department!
No, surely someone did.
Even if none of my neighbors did… the smoke should be visible even blocks away…
Help will come…
Someone will come…
Please…
The pure smell of ash is overwhelming.
All I can do is curl up into a ball.
It feels like I've been waiting forever.
I don't even hear sirens.
Nobody is coming.
I'm going to die.
I don't want to.
I don't want to die!
I just need to jump! I just need to jump from the window.
That's what I need to do.
I frantically dash back to my room, almost tripping over my own feet.
It's still bright.
Hot.
My face flinches back from the heat.
They're still there.
The fire, reflecting off their empty eyes.
Their heads are empty.
Mindless static.
A girl, holding her mother's hand.
Linda's hand.
They're both just watching the fire.
Still as corpses.
My knuckles crack as I clench my fist.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!"
Bastards.
BASTARDS.
I look down to the ground.
I can't.
What other choice do I have?!
I need to.
I need to get out!
Who knows how much longer those doors will last?!
I grab the bottom of the window; it burns my fingers.
I grip the opening firmer.
It's now, or never.
I ready my legs to jump.
They don't move.
I need to.
They don't move.
I can't.
My burned fingers fly away from the window.
All I can do is press them against my pants to numb the pain.
"You… idiot…"
So, this is how it ends.
You shouldn't have come back here.
You knew someone was waiting for you.
You knew Mary was acting strange.
You came back anyway.
You had two warnings.
You ignored them.
"Shit…"
Now you're going to die.
I wonder if anyone will miss me.
Should I just get over it with?
Open my door?
Everyone's waiting for it to happen anyway.
Even if I do get the courage to jump.
What then?
Would they help me then?
Would anyone?
I choke back a sob.
"Tch…"
Even now, all you can do is cry.
I sit on the floor.
I wait.
For rescue that isn't coming.
How long has it been?
I see the main doorway.
The corner of the door… it looks like it's going to cave.
Smoke pours through faster.
Faster.
It looks like a dam ready to burst.
Still, no sirens.
Funny.
There's no way nobody's called them by now.
Sirens bellow in the distance.
I see.
So, they are coming.
Why did you take so long?!
Please!
It'll be okay. I'm going to be okay!
A roar of flames explodes in my right ear, and my door shoots open.
Heat sears my skin.