Who Am I?

Arson, Assemblies and Arrhythmia

I woke up to the sound of a fire alarm blaring in my ears. Is it a drill?

Sounds like a drill.

"Jinan! Get up! Hurry!" Joey's voice sounded serious, slightly shrill with panic. Maybe not a drill.

I took a glance at my phone on my bedside table. "Why? It's probably a fire drill." I yawned, it was 4:35am. It was too early, for shit like this.

"Does that smell like a fire drill to you?" I paused, smelling the air... something I'd neglected to do.

It smelt like gasoline, and charred wood... mixed with burnt hair. I'd been in too many dressing rooms to not know how burnt hair smelt like.

I swore long and fierce, jumping out of bed. Glad that I was at least wearing shorts. I pick up my only backpack I'd brought with me, yanked on Hussein's jacket, grabbed my wallet and my phone out the charger.

"Joey, let's go!" The smell gets worse, more pungent as 5 minutes pass. "Joey!"

"Why dear lord?" She was sobbing and my heart sat in my throat. What happened now? I couldn't see shit. "Why can't I take all my favorite books with me?!"

I could sympathize but we had bigger problems to deal with, other than crying over books she could easily re-order. It wasn't like they we ancient, or priceless first editions.

"My first editions!!!" She wailed and I flinched. "Come on, you said it's a real fire." I grabbed her arms and forcefully pulled her out the room. She was dressed and she had everything. Everything... including her tear stained face.

"My babies!" "Joey, let's go." She comes willingly as I drag her outside this time. The smoke was getting heavier and closer.

A figure stands in the darkness, smoke rolling out onto the corridor. "Come on!"
I ignore the figure and the person runs to us.

The boy was soot-stained and completely unkempt, he looked as if he has a battle with his nightmares and lost... badly. His brown hair was mussed in a "I just rolled out of bed" way, but he seemed slightly deranged. His eyes were unstable, darting around wildly. In search of something--or maybe someone.

"This is a girls dorm." My first words were short and my voice suspicious as I raised my brow. But we kept moving to the stairs at the beginning of the corridor, the smoke behind us slowly catching up.

"I don't give a fuck. This is my girlfriend's dorm," he forces out the words, before spotting Joey behind me. He swears, worse than I did which isn't saying much. At least I swore in only English.
"Are you okay?" I force the two of them to keep moving, otherwise it would be a typical kdrama, staring into each other's eyes for 10 minutes without saying anything.

I turn to Joey with wide eyes. This is Diego?! She shrugs, ducking into the next flight of stairs. "We have more important things to do! Let's get out of here first."

It was a rapid change from her previous crying. "Babe, your books." He looked as equally devastated as she did when she had to leave her stuff behind.

"Not as important as getting out of here, the smokes' getting worse. Jinan? Are you okay?" A wave of coughing hits me and I struggle behind them. "We're almost there, don't worry about me, we're almost there."

I push Joey slightly, urging her to get out and I notice a couple people ahead out us. Just a couple more minutes.

I looked behind me and saw a girl with long brown hair coughing in the corner of the stairs, she collapsed against the stair handrail.

I ran back, half-dragging her out of the dorm. I hoisted her arm around my shoulder and slowly hobbling out of the building.

My breathing was shallow and my head spun. There wasn't enough air. "Girls!"

That was my limit. I couldn't stay upright anymore. I fell into unconsciousness.

***

I open my eyes blearily, groggy still and I prop myself up on my elbows, looking around me all the while.
I was in a cot, dressed in my same soot-stained pajamas. But I was breathing better at least.

I had a sneaking suspicion that the smell of disinfectant and the bright fluorescent lights were familiar. But the recognizable drip in my vein and the white pinstriped curtains confirmed all my suspicions.

I was hooked up to a heart monitor as well. I frowned when I saw it. Is this the life of rich folks? It seemed like a needless expenditure. I was pretty sure there were people who need a heart monitor more than me.

I just inhaled a bit of smoke.

Kring. The curtains slid open violently and I stared at Joey and Diego, cocking my head slightly at the couple.

They were staring into each other's eyes, one completely focused on the other person. Or more like Diego staring at Joey as if she hung the stars in the sky.

"What happened?"

My voice isn't above a murmur, hiding the barely concealed disgust at their 'romantic' show of feelings. "You passesd out," Joey said blankly, glancing at me briefly.

I glance around the room, that looks like a replica of hospital at home, except lighter. "Where am I?" I hoped she wouldn't say hospital.

"You're at the emergency room at the nearest hospital. They're running an investigation on who started the fire." This time Diego replied to my question.

Joey looked at her boyfriend, "It was probably one of the troublemakers again." "They're all pyromaniacs," Diego frowned, lacing his fingers together. "Every last one of them."

"Wait," my head spun, "you're moving too fast. I don't understand."

Before they have time to respond, a doctor opens the curtain.

"You're confusing ny patient Olin and Castillo," the doctor's face is grim, serious without a drop of laughter. "You'll see her in a few hours. For now Miss Olin, please check you vitals with the nurse. Mr Castillo, can you escort Olin."

Diego smiles goofily, "Yes ma'am." The pair leave the same lovey-dove way they came.

"... so I'm guessing you're the new girl at Evergreen?" the doc smiles faintly. "Jinan el-Akarbi I'm Dr Park, it's rare to see a new face at that school." Dr Park clicks a penlight before flashing it into my eyes and I obviously flinch away. She checks my breathing next, holding a stethoscope to my heart, ordering me to take a deep breath.

"Your vitals look good. That's good. It looks like you partially passed out due to stress. There's an abnormality with your heartbeat. But that may be due to the situation. Tell me, do you have anemia? Or maybe arrhythmia?" Dr Park moves around, a flurry of busyness.

I frown at the whirlwin, "It's pronounced El-Akaabi, and there's nothing wrong with my health," I fight to keep the unease out of my voice, "Can you leave? My head is killing me."

Dr Park ignores me, and she presses a button and speaks into it out of hearing distance. "A nurse will come round with some painkillers in a few. I have to leave now, but if you notice anything abnormal in your health, please don't hesitate to visit again."

The whimsical doctor disappears in a flurry of green latex gloves and white lab coats.

I barely understood a word of what Dr Park was saying, I was tired and cranky and my head was killing me. After a few seconds of peace, a nurse comes and gives me my allotted painkillers.
Yay, more meds.

I forgot to ask about the girl that was with me. I hope she's okay.