runaway (a The Greatest Showman fanfic)

nine (II)

as i come to, i get an immediate sense that something isn't quite right.

it could be a hunch, yeah.

but it also could be the fact that i feel hear horses screeching, people running, and glass breaking.

wearily, i open my eyes but i still see darkness. i stretch my arms out and try to feel my way around where i am, but my hand just sweeps through the air helplessly. trying to keep calm, i push myself upwards and think.

okay, so the door should be a few feet away.

i slowly pace forwards, sweeping my hand ahead of me so as not to run into anything. however, i seem to continue going in circles, not ever reaching the door.

i stop and close my eyes, trying to re-calibrate my natural compass.

north, east, south, west.

north, east, sou-

wait. i smell something. i smell smoke.

i open my eyes and my suspicions are confirmed.

a faint, rectangular slice of orange glows straight ahead of me.

oh no.

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"hello? hello?!" i yell, banging my fists on the door. "i need help! please, i'm stuck and i can't get out!" by now, i can already feel the smoke building up in my throat and lungs as i struggle to breathe. i grab the door handle again, frantically shaking it back and forth. "pt! anne! anyone! " tears begin to pool in my eyes and i panic.

i back up until i reach the wall behind me and then i prepare myself. i push off and throw all of my weight at the door. however, all the weight hits my shoulder and i feel it shatter as i fall to the floor in agony.

the severe pain and smoke starts to overwhelm me as i lie there, and i panic.

im going to die and the last act of my life was me screaming at my best friend.

my sobs are uncontrollable at this point and my vision begins to fade.

god - i know i'm not the most holy person, but if i have to go today, then i'm going to pray. i pray for charity and pt and i pray for those sweet little girls. i pray for phillip and anne, and that those people don't see colour. i pray for lettie, i pray for wd, i pray for tom - i pray for everyone!

and, god, if you're listening, then... can i see my mom and dad in heaven?

as i'm about to give in to the darkness the door swings open and both pt and phillip burst in. i feel relief wash over me completely. however, they're looking above me - not at me - and, all of a sudden, pt (closely followed by phillip) lunges towards me.

the last thing i see is a wooden roof beam about to crush me.