Chapter 1 - within these walls

I live in the small town of Fallsfiance Heights, in a tight-knit community of middle class people. And within these walls are the people I love, My mother, Elizabeth Walker, my father, Henry Walker, and my little brother Oliver (Ollie) Walker. It’s home- it’s family- And It’s all I’ve ever known.

I have always learned how to be compassionate, considerate, and kind. But above all else, safe.

I am turning 12 today, and every year on my birthday my mom makes a big dinner, and the four of us would sit down at the table together, talking about our days. Being. Happy. There was nothing else, just pure happiness.

We were all eating, and laughing, bonding, it was 5:30, we always ate dinner early so we could have more time to spend with each other. We were all so busy talking that we didn't notice the smoke coming from the kitchen, my mom had been cooking the casserole, my brother was hungry so we started eating before it was done. My mom and dad noticed the smoke and made a dash for the kitchen to attempt to put the small fire out. The thick smoke in the air made me dizzy, and I passed out.

When I came to, I heard Ollie screaming, crackling flames, and chaos. Whatever chaos sounds like. I pulled myself up using the table, and when I got, my five year old brother Ollie ran up to me. He looked absolutely terrified. I picked him up, and held him in my arms tight. The next thing that happened made everything worse, my dad poured water onto the flames, causing them to rise up and expand through out the room, causing a sort of explosion-like expansion of flames. My brother screamed and I stumbled backwards, and fell, causing Ollie to fall out of my arms, I started to pass out, before I did I saw Ollie run into the kitchen, and my parents were on the floor, next to each other, in front of the sink. I passed out, and when I came to there was high-piched ringing in my ears, I opened my eyes and I saw flames, everywhere, and a lot of thick smoke, making it hard to breathe and see.

It was getting really hard to breath and my whole body felt heavy and weak, I pulled myself up using the table, which wobbled and almost fell on top of me, but I managed to get up off the floor, I started to hear sirens in the distance, which were slowly getting closer to the house, so I knew help was coming. I got to the kitchen doorway and held onto the frame to prevent myself from falling, I got to my parents and Ollie was laying at their feet, passed out. He was partially conscious, I grabbed Ollie and told him to go into the living room, he ran into the living room and sat on the floor, hugging himself and rocking back and forth.

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I tried to wake up my parents, my mom woke up, but she was only partially conscius, and didn't have the strength to get up. It had gotten even harder to breathe than before, and I felt myself almost passing out so I ran over to the counter, opened the top drawer and grabbed a cloth to cover my mouth with, I tied it in place so I could have both of my hands open, I started to go over to my parents, but a beam fell on top of them, causing me to stumble backwards. I tried to lift it off of them but my mom stopped me by grabbing my hand. I looked at her, wide-eyed and confused.

“Nicci, you need to get you and Oliver out of here, ok? You guys don't have much time.”

“But what about you guys? I can't lose you.” I replied, my voice breaking.

“D-don’t worry about us,” She replied weakly. “Just get you and Oliver to safety. We love you..”

“I love you too.” I replied with tears in my eyes, but I had no time for tears, so I ran out into the living room and scooped Ollie up into my arms, I headed for the front door, but another beam fell, right in front of the door. I backed up, holding him close to me. I looked around frantically for an alternative exit. Then I noticed the window my mom had opened to let air in,

'No wonder the fire is spreading so fast, there was too much oxygen supplied to it.' I thought to myself.

I lifted Ollie up to the window and told him to climb out. He looked at me, scared. He didn’t move.

“Go Ollie! Now! We don't have much time!” I yelled.

He climbed out the window, and I climbed out after him. When I got outside I picked him up and ran from the house, not looking back. I noticed the fire department and police outside our house, along with our neighbors. A police officer ran up to us.

"Get in the car. I don't want you kids to get hurt, ok?"

"Yes, officer." I replied sternly.

The fire department was rushing to put the fire out, and I watched as the flames got bigger, until the whole house gave way and collapsed, there were tears in my eyes, but I held them back, I didn't want to scare Ollie. I blocked the window so he couldn't see the state that our house was in, and with our parents still in it no less. He may be And at that moment I realized that whatever hope there was of saving my parents was gone.

I thought to myself,

'within those walls was my life, my home, my parents, my memories, the only thing I knew. But those walls collapsed, on top of everything that was within them.'