Burned

Falls Like Ash

Smoke filled his lungs making each breath more difficult than the last. He felt like he was about to suffocate, but as the flames licked his skin, he was sure suffocation was a better way to end his life than being burned alive. He couldn't leave though. He needed to get the last two of his siblings out of the burning house. This was his fourth trip inside, and, hopefully his last. He had saved the other five already, but with every moment that passed, the worry threatened to burn him alive.

His feet were burned, he wasn't wearing shoes when he had choked on the smoke in the middle of the night already in his bed. He had already put the kids down, and he was close to falling asleep. It was about three in the morning when the smoke had choked him. The first two of his siblings that he had found had been fine, coughing, and he had barely yelled at them to call 9-1-1, before going back in for the third. Then, the fourth and fifth had managed to catch his attention. Now, he was searching for the last two of the boys.

Arian, the third youngest of the family at six years old, and Cyprian were the only ones left in the house. He had managed to get to the boy's room, and it was empty. The only room he hasn't searched was the nursery, because it was the hardest to get to. He had been trying to save them. His throat burned, and he buried his mouth in his shirt, hoping to get some of the smoke filtered out, but he still yelled out again, rushing up the burning stairs. Finally, he heard something over the crackles, a soft cry. He looked over to the blocked doorway and braced himself. He looked around for something to break down the door.

His only thoughts were on getting inside the room. He was coughing but didn't worry about that. He shouldered the door, trying to break it down. It didn't budge. He kicked it, as hard as he could, again and again, until finally it started moving under the pressure. His arm burned, his feet burned, and he hissed in pain, but once again, he ignored it.

Finally, he managed to break it down. Both six-year-old Arian, and two year old Cyprian were there, the older was curled up, using his own shirt to cover their mouths, and trying to protect his youngest brother. He rushed over to them, putting his shirt over the mouths of the children. He slid it over his shoulders to force the boy to hold onto him on his back, and managed to get Arian's hands around his neck, while slipping Cyprian on his hip. The weight of both children was almost too much, but he would get them out.

Something fell behind him, causing Cyprian to whimper in his arms. He tightened his grip around the little one, and adjusted the older child as carefully as he could, rushing down the hallways and the stairs towards the door. One of the flames popped, embers burning his face and hitting his cheek, jaw, and ear. He carefully ignored it, and let Arian bury his head into his neck.

His entire body ached, and shook, his lungs hurt, but right now, all that mattered was the children breathing. His own breathing was shallow, thanks to the smoke filling his lungs. He was almost positive that he wouldn't live to the next day, but all that mattered to him was getting these boys out Every breath, hurt, but he wasn't going to stop.

Finally, at the front door, he managed to get out. His siblings, or most of them, were screaming, crying, and yelling for him. He shifted the two again and managed to get a few steps away from the house, before collapsing on the front lawn. His body moved the children, subconsciously, so that he wouldn't accidentally hurt them. His oldest younger sibling, 10-year-old Lucian, ran over to him. He barely managed to hear the younger yelling for him and pulling the children from his grip. Ashes and embers threatened to burn him alive, and the smoke was still thick in the air as Lucian ran away with the younger two.

Once they were safe, Lucian tried to yank his brother further from the flames, but it was too hot, and the flames getting too big. The sirens sounded in the distance, and he rushed to the younger kids.