Flames surrounded my entire being. They licked up my bed as I fought against the smoke invading my lungs. I coughed into my hand and it felt wet. I looked at my palm and it was coated in red.
I jumped over the flames framing my bed and ran to Declan's room. I kicked the door open and smoke pushed out at me like a train. I pulled my shirt over my nose and ran in. My eyes watered as the dark swirls of ash cascaded over my entire body. Angry red and orange flames climbed up the walls. I looked at the place where Declan's crib usually was and cried out at the sight.
A pile of ashes stood where a wooden crib should be. A foot kicked into the black beads and I followed the leg up to see a younger, 20-year old version of me. No, this boy had deep brown eyes, deeper than the deepest toffee brown ocean. Those were Elisa's eyes and this was an older version of Declan.
I fell to the floor and wept into my hands. I felt a foot roughly connect with my ribcage and looked up to see the older Declan kicking my stomach. I shouted and cried out. He continued to kick me as I shouted, "Declan, please, stop!"
Another person joined in, making my misery worsen. Now Elisa's heels were digging into my torso. I heard a snap and felt blood drip down my stomach as it stained my shirt. I clawed at the ground as I pulled myself away from them, my loved ones screaming insults at me the entire time.
I dragged myself to the hallway and pushed myself up the wall, grabbing my pulsating stomach. I leaned heavily against the wall and tears streamed down my face as I made my way out of the house.
When I entered the living room, my band was standing there. And they didn't look happy.
"You worthless, fat, ugly man, if I can even call you that. More like scum", Pete scowled.
I fell to the ground, my surely broken rib being the cause. Pete, Joe, and Andy sauntered up my body and spit insults at me.
"God, how could I ever have played music with you? You no-good singer, hell I barely consider you a musician."
"Your annoying ass had to pop up that day at Border's... I wanted to run away at the sight of you. "
"I can't believe I ever called you my best friend."
Insults rained down on me like a brutal storm. Flames began to surround us, inching their burning hot fingers toward us.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I whimpered. I watched as the flames crawled through the guys, as if they were ghosts, but when they reached my quivering body, I felt the burning hot daggers pierce my skin. I still heard them shouting poison at me and I screamed as the fire spread throughout my entire body. This was it, there was no getting out.
*****
I shot up in bed, screams erupting from my mouth. I felt slim arms wrap around me but I pushed them away. I pushed sweaty sheets off me and stumbled to the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind me.
Everything was blurry. I still felt the tingles of the flames on my arms. I was vaguely aware of Elisa knocking on the door, calling my name and asking if I was okay. But her sweet words were drowned by the venomous ones I heard from her in my dream.
I don't know how long I sat there, huddled on the bathroom floor. My skin tingled. No matter how much I scratched at my skin, I still felt hungry flames on my entire body, desperate for a bite.
Oh my god, I'm still in a fire. Orange and red watercolor painted my eyes, all I could see was flames.
My throat started closing up, I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air, grabbing around me for anything, anyone to hold. My cheeks were wet with tears and sweat. I sobbed as my mind played tricks on me and my sanity crumbled again.
