Just for a while.

Chapter Two; A Building on Fire.

“What happened?” I called, counting the children out in the street. 

“The fire started in the kitchen, when a bottle of medical alcohol fell into the pan of hot eggs.” Called the chefs assistant, also counting children. I froze.

“Elicia!” I called, skimming the head’s of children and people every where. She was nowhere to be found. I ran over to the cook, catching his attention. 

“I’m going back inside to see if Elicia is still there! Make sure that the firemen don’t spray until she gets out!” 

He shouted something, but I was to far away to understand. By now, more than just the kitchen was burning. The dining room and entryway were also in flames. 

“Elicia!” I called, searching the room. There was no answer. I went into the next room. Not there either. 

“This is impossible! Where are you?” I called again. 

“Help me!” 

I turned around and saw, at the top of the now burning stairs, Elicia. 

“There you are, come on we have to get out of here before they start spraying!” I shouted, throwing my bag at the foot of the staircase and searching for the fire extinguisher. There was none of those on the first floor, and Elicia was way to scared to ask anything of. So, I ran into the kitchen and pulled off my shirt, wetting it generously with the water left in the faucet. Quickly, I put the shirt on and I ran back to the stairs.

“Elicia, I’m coming up there okay? Take five steps backward, count them out loud for me, alright?” I asked, yelling above the crackling of the burning stairs. This might be worse than I had thought...

I looked up just as Elicia took her fifth step. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could possibly could, trying to avoid the burnt spots and holes. As I reached the very last step, another child came out of the room behind Elicia. It was Jake. 

“You were up here to Jake?” I asked, surprised I hadn’t noticed. There was no way I could carry two kids down a flight of burning stairs without injuring one of them. I slipped off my shirt again. 

“Kio! Put that back on!” scolded Elicia, her face red in her hands. I couldn’t help but smile. 

“No, you two have to put this on and do something for me. Okay?” I asked. They both nodded. 

“Alright, you both have to put this shirt on and run, as fast as you can, down the stairs and outside.” 

They looked at me with suspicious faces. 

“But it’s on fire down there!” said Jake, holding Elicia’s hand as she started to cry. 

“With this on, the fire will be afraid of you. But only as long as you run. Understand? You have to run.” I shoved the shirt over them and pushed them toward the stairs. 

“Run as fast as you can, and don’t fall or trip one another. Comprendé?” 

With a pout on his face, Jake nodded and began to run down the stairs. I went into the last room on the floor and closed the door. Thankfully, it was the bathroom. I grabbed a towel and wetted it, shoving it under the door. Then I opened the window and popped out the screen. Down below, I could see Jake and Elicia crying to one of the staff, and a large crowd of people... and a face I swear I knew.

It couldn’t be. It was Anamarie, and she was in the exact same outfit she was in yesterday. She had a look of complete horror on her face, unlike a few of the people standing next to her. Her hand grasped tightly on the tape keeping her from the building I was so helplessly sitting in. I was about to wave my hand and tell them to start putting out the fire, but before I had the chance, Anamarie ducked under the tape, threw her bag on the ground and went running inside. Many people tried to stop her, but she somehow dodged every attempt. I watched as she disappeared into the flames before I could believe what I had seen. I went to open the door when I heard a crashing noise just down the hall from where I was. I yanked the door open, towel and all, and ran out into the hall to find Anamarie running up the already burnt staircase. 

“Anamarie!” I yelled, breaking her concentration. She turned toward me, her face relieved, and for a moment, she stopped. There was a loud crack, and the stair she had stopped on crumbled, causing a chain reaction that sent the entire staircase crashing to the ground. 

“Anamarie!” I shouted, running for where she had fallen. I peeked over the ledge at the ruins, but she wasn’t there. 

“Kio, why aren’t you outside?” 

I turned around. It was Anamarie...but there was something... off it seemed. 

“Are you alright? I thought you had fallen, are you hurt? Burned?” The questions came out in a rush. She shook her head, then reached out and yanked me away from the edge of the stairs. I fell backward and slammed my head on the floor near her feet. 

“Ow, that hurt. What’s wrong?”

“Why are you so stupid? You should have come out with the children! Everyone’s worried about you, and you’re just sitting in here!” 

I rubbed my head and began to stand up, but Anamarie grabbed my head and slammed it down on the floor again. 

“Why the hell are you doing that?” I shouted, grabbing her arm and pushing her away. 

“Because you’re stupid! Are you trying to burn to death like my parents? Do you think I enjoy seeing people die!?” 

I hauled myself to my feet and held my hand to her as she stood there crying. She slapped it away, wiping her face in shame. I grabbed the wet towel and wrapped it around her, then pushed her toward the ledge. She stumbled forward and fell down into the flames, and as I watched, she stood and stared at me.

“You idiot! Why did you do that?” She shouted, holding my bag. 

“If I had fallen like that, I wouldn’t have made it.” I called down to her. “There’s something strange about you. Are you going to kill me because I know to much?” Her eye’s went wide. 

“How...?” she began. I motioned to the bag in her arms. 

“Look inside, there’s a note in there that fell out of you’re bag yesterday. Read it.” 

She rummaged through the bag and pulled out the slip of paper, scanning it quickly. Then she paused, on the last sentence, and threw the paper into the fire by her feet. 

“Alright, you got me. I won’t kill you, I promise! Please, come out with me!” she called, tears brimming in her eye’s again. That was more than I had expected her to say, and I wanted to know more...

“Fine, on one condition.” I called. She nodded. 

“Anything! Just hurry!” 

“You have to tell me what you are.” 

She paused. 

“Anything but that! I can’t tell you!”

I was confused, but I didn’t really think dying was worth getting nothing. 

“I’m coming down, don’t move.” I yelled, taking a running start. I ran and ran, until there was nowhere left to run... and I jumped.