Hidden Hope

Ch. 1 Mother Dearest

An orange flame could be seen for miles, ravaging a home similar to many others that surrounded it. Outside the flames, smoke engulfed the air, making the air difficult to breathe. Neighbors surrounded the house, unsure of what to do and helpless against the roaring flames. Calls from multiple phones where connected to dispatchers of 911, but there was nothing more they could do except wait. And wait they did. 

By the time the Fire Marshalls got to the house, half the structure was already destroyed and none of the family was seen outside the house, which left one conclusion. The family of four was still inside. 

There was little hope. The only part of the house that was still standing was beginning to collapse. The neighbors watched in horror as not a single body has exited the house and the final collapse was about to occur. Ten minutes ago there were no flames and now a family and home was to be destroyed. 

Bricks were falling into the mass of broken walls and flames. There was a second of hope where a body was seen at the window of the lone surviving wall. As it crumbled, the figure jumped with all its might and just barely landed in the neighboring tree. With a swift cry, the figure grabbed onto the tree's trunk in fear. The neighbor's eyes jumped from the figure in the tree to the side of the house finally giving way into the massive pile of rumble that was still in flames. 

Firefighters jumped into action, grabbing ladders and rushing a group of men towards the tree. Swiftly, they retrieved the girl and brought her to the ambulance to check her over. The whole street mourned, as they knew the girl's parents and brother did not make it out. 

She was put into the ambulance gently as she had burns all over her skin and seemed to have hurt her ankle. Driving drown the street, the ambulance's light could be seen until they turned onto the main highway. The firefighters put out the fire and checked for any survivors. They all came back without any extra bodies. The commotion settled down and the firefighters all got back on the firetruck and left down the same street as the ambulance. The ruins would be dealt with another time. The neighborhood was deadly silent as all the families escaped back into their homes, away from the destruction that took place right before their eyes. On several of their minds, the thought of it could have been my home with my family drifted across.

The ambulance finally arrived at the hospital and they quickly took the girl into the ER section. She seemed to be losing consciousness. They placed a device to help her breathe on her face and asked her to stay awake as they rushed her through the halls. They knew her lungs received too much smoke. 

"Only for a little." She whispered, diving into the darkness.

It was three days later the girl woke up. It was dark and the bright red letters on the clock read 2:37. A steady beep filled the room. She looked around, immensely confused. As she thought back she remembered the flames. She got hot while sleeping and woke up to see her house on fire. She could hear screams across the house and knew her family did not make it out alive. 

She looked around again and now noticed a figure in the corner of the hospital room. She stared at it for a second before speaking.

"Are you here to kill me?" She asked lightly, not knowing if it was a person, whether it be someone here to kill her or just a doctor, or if it was her imagination and the devil has come to collect her soul.

"No, dear Ariella. I am not here to kill you. I'm actually happy you are alive."

"Who are you?" Ariella wondered as she has never heard that voice before, but the woman seemed to know her as she knew her name.