Chapter 5: The Great Fire

The charred scent of wood filled his nostrils as he ran. He ran with a terrible ache that was now not in his head but in his heart instead. Without a single thought, he just ran, because all he could see was that orange creature that was trying to devour his people.

He started coughing viciously as he arrived at the village, due to the thick, black smoke that had taken residence in his lungs. Tears started leaking from his vulnerable eyes which had been attacked by the ruthless fumes, emitted by the great fire. His heartbeat started escalating as he realized that every single one of the houses had been ignited with fire that burned in red and orange. The fire blazed with such ferocity that it seemed like it had been summoned from hell itself. His body was drowning in sweat, but he couldn't figure out whether it was from the heat that surrounded him, or from the fear that preyed on him.

His worst fears started to become a reality when he saw his own house burning, along with countless others. But the worst happened when his ears were filled with the gut-wrenching screams of his mother, screaming for help, shrieking for anyone to save her.

He felt his whole body tremble in violent jolts, as if freezing, even when the flame was almost touching his delicate skin. "Mother!!", he screamed at the top of his lungs as he bolted towards the house, which was barely even standing. He ran with a mind so blank that he couldn't even feel how the fire had started to burn him, but then suddenly he was halted backwards. He writhed while screaming, as he felt himself caged, in an iron-like embrace. He struggled, trying to break free from his oppressor, trying to go back to his family, his Father, his brother and his mother, who was still screaming agonizingly, in desperate attempts to stay alive.

Abner felt long, calloused fingers, playing with his hair, combing them, petting them, as he found himself lying on a soft, pillowy mattress while a wool blanket covered his body. He slightly lifted his eyelids when the jarring light rushed into his poor eyes through the little opening it got. Everything around him looked hazy as if a fog had taken his mind hostage. Those dark blond yet silky hair looked oddly familiar. Abner winced slightly when he attempted to move his hand.

"Hey, thank God you're awake", the person sitting beside him said "I thought I had lost you too", his voice filled with grief.

He tried to focus, but his body lost all consciousness, again.