Writer Games: Pending Secrets

Finals - There is no Home - Jay Rowan

A blazing heat. A crackling of twigs. The snapping of trees as they succumbed to the roaring flames. Walls of red and orange and yellow with tiny flickers of blue and green in their depths. And the frantic screams of my parents and sister.

"Keep running, son. Don't stop until we reach water!" my father urged.

I nodded through the plumes of smoke and pumped my legs harder. It was going to be alright. Everything would be just fine.

A huge tree smothered in flames crashed to the ground right in front of me. I cried out in panic and half-leaped over it, half-ran into it. I nearly made it with the momentum on my side but it wasn't enough. My foot caught on a branch engulfed in flames and it pulled me down. The ankle wrenched sickeningly as I hit the ground and my sharp shout punctured the constant sounds of the flames and fleeing animals.

But I couldn't let that slow me down so I grabbed the knife in my belt and hacked at the wood trapping my foot with the hilt until it splintered and I fell loose.

I climbed shakily to my feet and hobbled painfully after my family, away from the flames, to water.

That is, until I realized I was completely lost.

"Dad! Mom!" I yelled, panic quickly claiming my expression and feelings. "Mom! Dad!"

A bird trilled my tones and I snapped my head around, looking for the sound's origin. A small mockingjay swooped beside my ear and twittered again. I followed it away from wildfire as it maneuvered between trees until I came into a long stretch of empty land with a pond, and I spotted my sister.

"Jess!" I called out and her smoke-stained face shot up.

"Jay!" She yelled back, her face a picture of delighted surprise. I pulled Jess into a comforting hug and patted her back. "How'd you find me?" Jess raised her head to looked at me.

"A mockingjay actually lead me here." I admitted. A bird saved me. I'll never call someone a birdbrain again.

Jess' eyes widened. "One lead me here, too!" She laughed. Yup, defiantly not ever calling anyone a birdbrain anytime soon.

I smiled. "Mockingjays really are lifesavers, huh?"

The look Jess gave me clearly said, "You have no idea."

"Where's mom and dad?" I questioned as I held her at arms length after examining her wounds. I looked around, desperately hoping they'd walk out into view. But the look on Jess' face had my own face paling.

"I don't know," she said in distress. "We got separated not long after you." Her small body shook in fright and she seemed to wilt under my gaze.

"So, mom and dad are missing? Or we're lost?" I asked to clarify. Jess nodded. I sighed. "Well, grab your bag. It's gonna be a long walk to Thirteen."

I never really will remember what made me think of this particular memory. Its not a happy memory, I can tell you that. Maybe the seagulls and the water being the exact opposites of the nature in my memory but something nonetheless triggered my mind.

"Naomi, have you ever seen a mockingjay?" I questioned tentatively.

Silence greeted my question. Not complete silence, because the soft slapping of waves and cries of a seagull punctured any complete, total, deafening silence. No, this silence was void of only human noises.

"Naomi?" I asked cautiously.

It all happened so fast, as I'll recall later. First, the terrified scream. "Run, Jay!"