Fire

Vlad and Cheryl froze in fear as they witnessed the chaos around them. People were scurrying around like ants, trying to flee from the flames that were consuming the ship. But Vlad and Cheryl weren't just simply scared. They had memories of the fire that ran deep within them, memories that bound them together and haunted them in their sleep. Memories of a blaze that had once ravaged their city, memories that refused to let them forget.

But there was no time to dwell on the past. The fire was real, and they had to act fast.

"Come on, let's go!" Cheryl exclaimed, grabbing Vlad's arm and pulling him towards the stairs.

At first, Vlad didn't react to her voice. He was deep inside his memories. City walls, forest, late night, and the bright light from the all-consuming fire in front of him. His hands shaking, his legs cramping from using every muscle he had just to get closer to the fire, but never ending in front of the stone walls…

"VLAD!"

He turned his head to Cheryl. Just like that time before.

The group of teenagers followed closely behind, their faces a mixture of terror and confusion. As they ascended the stairs, they saw thick black smoke billowing from one of the upper decks. The heat was intense, and they could feel the flames growing stronger with each passing second.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they saw chaos. Passengers were running in every direction, screaming and shouting for help. The crew was trying to control the situation, but it was clear that they were overwhelmed. Vlad still looked dazed, as if he couldn't believe that the fire was real and not just a figment of his imagination.

"We have to find the source of the fire," Cheryl said, determined to get to the bottom of the problem.

Vlad nodded in agreement and they split up, each taking a different direction. The smoke was disorienting, and they had to rely on their instincts to guide them. As they searched, they saw flames licking at the walls and ceilings, and the smoke was becoming increasingly thick.

Suddenly, Vlad saw something that made his heart stop. The scene made him leave his memories and fully get back to reality. A woman was trapped on the deck, surrounded by flames. She was screaming for help, but no one was able to get close enough to rescue her.

Vlad didn't hesitate. He ran towards the woman, ignoring the heat and the flames that were threatening to engulf him. When he reached her, he took her by the arm and led her towards safety. Breathing was painful, but he inhaled fully, enjoying the pain in his lungs, the pain, reminding him that he still was alive. The woman was barely controlling her legs, but Vlad was strong enough to not notice that she could barely walk: he was easily pulling her through the smoke.

Meanwhile, Cheryl went looking for the source of the fire. It had to be the fire, she thought, of course, it had to be. Such an irony: fire, that united her and Vlad in the first place, and now again, fire right after their reunification. Do they have to be followed by the fire their whole lives? The air was hot, but she felt the goosebumps on her skin.

She saw a shadow of a person running out of the control room. The smoke wouldn't let her see properly, but she had a feeling, that the figure was somehow familiar. She held her breath and ran inside the room.

Yes, it started here. It was a small electrical fire that had started in the ship's control room.

The control room of the old ship, nestled deep within its wooden hull, exuded an air of both mystique and functionality. It was a place where the heart of the vessel pulsed, and the intricate mechanisms that guided its course came to life. Normally, as one stepped into the control room, the aroma of aged wood and salty sea air filled the senses, transporting them to an era long past.

The room, once alive with the rhythmic ticking and clicking of gears, was now a cacophony of crackling fire and collapsing timber. The once-orderly space had been reduced to a chaos of destruction, its former sense of authority and control shattered in the face of an uncontrollable force.

She quickly ran back to where Vlad and the woman were, shouting for the crew that something in the control room started the fire. The crew was useless, they had no idea what to do. Cheryl tried to act quick and she didn't notice Abdo on her way to find Vlad.

Meanwhile, Abdo saw Cheryl clearly. Moreover, he heard every word the shouted to the crew.

"Well," he said quietly to himself, "I guess it's my time to help". He changed his direction now heading straight to the control room.

Was it one of the tasks as well? Cheryl had a feeling that something was off.

As they regrouped with the rest of the teenagers, Vlad was hailed as a hero for his bravery. Cheryl couldn't help but roll her eyes at the attention he was receiving. Really? During the emergency?

The fire, however, slowly went down. The smoke still remained, but one could tell, that the situation was getting better. "Good", Cheryl thought to herself, "they crew probably figured it out".

"What are we going to do with the tiger?" one of the teenagers asked, referring to the polar tiger that had been following them around.

"We have to find its owner," Vlad said, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of the missing owner.

Cheryl shook her head in disbelief. This competition was turning out to be a real circus.

Suddenly, Cheryl realized that she forgot one important detail. She didn't even think about it earlier.

"Vlad", she said quietly, "Competition is supposed to have a prize, isn't it?"