A cough wrecked up my whole body as I heaved. I staggered forward but I pushed my legs to keep  moving. Keep running.
Sobs left my body as I looked everywhere only to be met by the fire casting a dim illumination in the hall. Dancing, mocking and taunting me on how helpless I was against it. The flames licked the walls, swallowing whatever is in it's path into it's heat and charring the furniture.
I screamed out Adam's name in panic. "Where are you?!" I screamed out in frustration as I looked back and forth between the exit and the flames as tears of desperation escaped my eyes and trickled down my ash covered face.
The smoke was getting thicker and thicker by the second but I didn't want to leave any of them in this house. I've spent minutes trying to get to the bedrooms but even as I sprinted there, I knew it was hopeless.
I decided to sprint out the house to check if they made it out even thought it wasn't likely but I knew it was worth a try rather than worrying in the middle of a burning house.
Once I was greeted by the fresh air, I didn't stop running and kept on sprinting while circling the house, searching for signs that they made it out of the house.
"It's okay mom, we're safe now." A flustered, deep voice reassured and I was quick to distinguish it as Preston's as I rounded up the house again to see where the voice came from.
Carla was lying on the ground as she coughed weakly with her head resting on her son's lap.
Adam was right there with her, clutching her hand tightly, murmuring things hurriedly and trying to get his mom to calm down although his face was alert as he looked from one side to another looking like he was searching for something.
A girl with wavy dark locks similar to Carla's, who I assume is Cali, crouched beside Mr. Jones, huddling closer to him and I stared at the picture, my mind screaming to me that something's not right about the picture.
The Jones' family has 4 children.
I whipped my head back when I heard light thudding and a faint scream of a child. I raised my gaze towards the burning house that has smoke escaping through the windows and caught a glimpse of a tear stricken face of a boy that was screaming his head off, trying to get our attention.
When he saw me looking, he started screaming my name, banging his fist on the glass. He was on the second floor of the house, in his room, looking frightened out of his wits and I didn't have to think of what to do because my feet were already running towards the entrance.
Only to see that the entrance was engulfed in flames.
There's no way else in. If I try the windows, it'll take up too much time and I won't be able to get to Pio fast enough.
My mind decided to remind me to the things Bryant used to do when we were kids to annoy me. He would find a candle and instead of blowing it out like any normal people would do, he'll play with the flames, let it lick his fingers and cover it with the ashes of its smoke.
I would worry my head off when he would press his forefinger and thumb together on the charred rope that kept the fire going, effectively killing it.
I remembered what he told me back then. As long as you don't keep you hands on them more than 5 seconds, you'll be fine.
I closed my eyes and breathed through my nose as I prepared myself, imagining that I was those fingers but this time, the candle would be slightly bigger.
I didn't waste anymore time before barging in the house and I felt the flames lick my skin as I skidded through the pool of dancing flames.
I whirled to where the staircase is, only to find them half burnt and that the fire was already on them, burning half of the stairs but all thoughts went out the window as I heard Pio hoarsely calling out for my name.
His voice sounded weak and I could feel the anxiety drowning me.
I rushed up the staircase taking two of them at a time and rushed to Pio's bedroom.
I went to touch the knob and twist it but immediately released it as it scorched my palm. With a hiss, I thought of another way and backed up a few steps before running towards the door and kicked it for a few times before it finally went down with a loud crash.
I rushed inside, still coughing my lungs out from the smoke that was suffocating me and entering my lungs. It was unimportant at that moment though, as I felt my heart stop beating and my whole body stilled as I saw Pio's small form lying on the floor.
I let out a silent cry as I dropped beside him, the tears were fresh as new ones start streaming down my face.
I screamed out in despair and with a new found determination, slipped my hands beneath his limp body, carrying him with me as I came back and a small scream was forced out of me as a ceiling wall collapsed somewhere nearby.
I kept Pio's body close to mine as I ran down the stairs, almost slipping on the last set before heading for the flames that were blocking the exit, taunting me on my bravery.
I looked down on Pio's tear stained face and pressed my lip to his forehead before tucking his head on my neck and shifting his body to let him feel the minimum heat.
With Pio's face in mind, I ran into the flames, my head lowered to protect Pio's.
I felt the burst of fresh air but I didn't stop there, I kept on sprinting and finally saw a frantic Adam who broke down as he saw Pio's limp body in my hands.
I gave Pio to him and watched as he tried to nurse his brother back to consciousness.
I held my breath as Adam pressed his fingers against Pio's tiny wrists for a pulse only to look even more panicked as he hurriedly pushed his brother's chest and gave him CPR. He checked for a pulse once again, going for Pio's neck this time but his face said it all and I broke.
I dropped to my knees and weep into my hands. Now, I understood why Bryant chose to save me, chose to protect me from death. I felt the despair and helplessness bubbling up in me and I thought silently on how I never want to feel this feeling.
I did the same thing Bryant chose to do that night, I put Pio's priority first when I was about to step out that door but the difference was that while Bryant succeeded in saving me, I was too slow to save Pio. I was too late.
I sobbed and cried when something on the ground right beside my feet caught my eyes and I tentatively picked it up as I wiped the tears away only to have more tears replace them.
I inspected it and instantly knew that it was a lighter and I stood up abruptly, turning around to find other things that can tell me more about the cause of the fire but nothing else was there.
My gaze dropped to the lighter as I stared at it and I looked under it to see that a small piece of paper was taped there.
My heart skipped a beat and my stomach lurched as I read the tiny handwriting.
You thought you scared me, party girl? Let's see how you like it when someone is taken from you.
I stared at the paper and the words 'party girl' rang through my head and my thoughts flew to the bald man I confronted.
I was foolish to think that he was a harmless idiot.
How could someone be so cruel as to take the life of an innocent child?
I stared at Pio's face. He looked neutral. As if he came to terms with dying and has accepted it and that was certainly not something a child should seem like when they are in the brink of death. My ears rang as I continued to stare.
Carla was sobbing uncontrollably and no amount of soothing words will be able to calm her down.
I remembered thinking, 'I caused this. I killed Pio. I led that bastard to him and took his life'.
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I woke up with a gasp with sweat covering my being and shot up from the bed, throwing the duvet off half of my body, I was flustered and my hair stuck to my forehead and my shirt clung to my drenched back.
I croaked out a cry in relief as I finally realized that it was just a nightmare and a tear escaped as I breathed slowly.
I completely forgot about the pot belly guy and I felt my body tense up. How he set the house on fire in my dream almost ruthlessly without hesitating, without checking if there were kids inside.
The thought causes the hair on my skin to stand and I shivered under the warm covers.
I can't afford to loose that kid. He's practically a little brother to me and I won't loose him. Not like I lost Bryant.
Don't worry, Pio. I'll protect you from danger's way. I won't let anything happen to you.
â¢~â¢~â¢
Please comment on what you think about this chapter, I feel like I did a few things wrong.
I am so sorry for the heart attack or seizure I gave you.
Blame my best friend for feeding me ideas for this one. I was just telling her how one of the readers commenting on what ifs and it was as if a light bulb lit up and she suggested on making it a dream, possibly causing most of you to grow the desire to hunt me down.
Anyways, how was it?? HAHAHA
I love you all and I hope you still love me for doing that ^
Stay awesome and I love y'all. Ciao -J