Grey Skies

          “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about.” He said as he ran his hand up and down my back.

          We just sat there, nothing between us. It was just me crying.

“Let’s go!” Dad called from the steps. “We don’t wanna be late to the reservation!”

          Chris finished getting ready and helped me finish getting ready. We all headed downstairs and into our car. I watched Dad open the door for Mom.

          We pulled off the driveway and headed to the restaurant.

“Now, would the lovely wife enjoy a Volcano Explosion cake?”

          Mom smiled and nodded.

          “Okay, I’ll be right back with that.”

          “Thank you so much for this.” She said.

          “Anything for your special day,” Dad replied happily. “The boys helped me pick the restaurant.”

          Mom gave us three individual hugs. “Thank you.”

          We smiled. The waiter came back. He and a couple other people were singing happy birthday. A tear filled Mom’s eye. Her bracelets dangled together as she covered her mouth the keep herself from crying.

          The waiters left and Mom smiled brightly. “I don’t know how you could pull this all together.”

          “As I said earlier, the boys helped planned this out.”

          I smiled and ran to Mom and gave her a big hug. “Thank you, Mom.” I whispered in her ear and went back to my seat.

We drove home in silence. I stared out the drivers back side window, watching the trees and cars zoom by. Police on the nonstop look for speeding drivers. The trees becoming all blurry and cars brake lights glowing in the night. I began to fall asleep.

          Within seconds, I did.

I awoke to my mother screaming.

          I jolted awake to see what was going on. “The house is on fire!”

          Bright orange and red flames filled our house. Fire trucks began swarming our house. Mom jumped out of the car and Dad ran out after her. “Ash, keep Adam in the car.” Chris demanded.

          Ashton nodded.

          Mom was breaking down in tears. Dad was trying his hardest to keep her by him. She suddenly had a worried look on her face. “Mikey.” I heard her say. “Mikey!”

          Mikey was our old miniature schnauzer. I pushed myself out of the car. Ashton tried to grab me, but I was too fast. I heard Mom screaming my name as I ran towards the house. I jumped in through a shattered window. Whimpering filled the loud crashing of the walls coming down. The sign was gone. It lay on the floor in ashes. “Adam!” A voice screamed from the window I came from.

          I found Mikey in his cage, clawing at the door and crying. “I’m comin’ boy. Hold on.”

          Mikey began jumping up and down, mixing his feelings with happiness and fear. I got to the cage and managed to try to get the door open. It was jammed. Smoke began filling my throat. I was coughing and my eyes began to water. The kitchen was covered in flames. I found a pair of scissors on the counter by the sink. I ran back to Mikey and pried the door open. It finally worked.