Contest Entries

Fire!

Christian ran. Ran as fast as he could. Fire followed behind him. He didn't know why it was happening. If he could reach the edge of the lake he would be safe. Suddenly a tree fell down in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He had to get out of there, there was a fire to the city. People ran around with torches in their hands. He lost his home. His girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. Engulfed by the fire. He had no choice; he had to climb over the tree. The fire inched forward threatening to devour it. He gulped. Then he started climbing over it. The tree fell on its own. It would block the traffic heading toward the lake as well. Over the trunk of the tree he went just as the fire inched its way onto the tree. There was no time to waste. He had to keep on going. He wasn't safe on the street. A looming flying figure could barely be seen among the smoke. The source of the fire. He didn't know what it was, only that he needed to hide from it. The sword in his side could come in handy.

Finally, he made it past the trunk just as the tree burst into flames. Seeing the flames reminded him of his missing girlfriend and how much she encouraged him to save himself. To go to the lake away from the fire. He gritted his teeth and turned around to continue running. Away from the fire. His girlfriend wanted him to live, even when he saw no reason to live. She was taken by the fire. That flying thing being the cause. Never before had the city been under fire before. Come to think of it the wings were stiff, like a jet. Still, that didn't explain the people running around with torches. They were spreading the fire. Dressed with air packs, so they weren't breathing in the smoke. This city was under attack and he was safe running in the middle of the road so far. 20 miles to go to reach the lake and hide. He was an excellent swimmer. Just then a rough guy with a torch struck him down.

"Out of my way!" That guy yelled running over him.

"Sheesh, I am." Christian mumbled, struggling to get back up. It had been like this throughout the run from his home.

"Keep on running, I escaped. You're too slow," a familiar voice whispered into his ear.

"Kristy!" Christian choked, relieved that his girlfriend is alive and safe. Faster than him, that's her alright.

With renewed energy, Christian ran alongside his girlfriend down the road. 15 miles, 10 miles, they were going to make it out of this fire. Each time they had to watch for and dodge people with torches and up in the air for more flying things. There seemed to be something the government wasn't telling them about. He knew about a war going on but he didn't expect it to happen here, in his home town. Just then a line of torched people gathered in their way, blocking their path.

"It's time to fight. Prepare our swords," Kristy said, drawing her sword.

Christian drew his sword and the fight began. The fire was hot as they exchanged blows, and he was able to get the upper hand in the fight, knocking down the torched people. It came at a cost, he got severe burns all over his arms and body. He gritted his teeth as tears came to his eyes. The water. The faster he got to the lake the better he would feel. Out of this fire. Looking around, he saw his girlfriend badly burned up as well. She was crying too.

"The water. We will get relief when we reach the water. We can't stay here!" Christian encouraged her.

Together, they started running again, faster than ever. They couldn't face another round of torched people. Those people spoke in a different language to themselves he noticed. Different country. Possibly an enemy country from where they came from here to wipe out this city. Five miles to the lake. He encouraged his girlfriend to push harder for the last five. She tripped and fell. He stopped and picked her up. The fire was spreading rapidly all around them. No torched people in sight here. He mustered his strength to pick her up and limped toward the lake. Now that he was carrying her his pace slowed down considerably. Still, he wasn't going to leave her behind. The fire seemed to follow the road. A big boom sounded as another flying thing appeared. More torched people dropped from it. It was an invasion from the sky! So that was how this fire started. The water will stop it. Water and tough people, people who could withstand the heat.

One more mile to go, and it seemed to take forever. At least they were away from the buildings into the woods now. Other stragglers struggled to run with the same idea: to get to the lake. Christian started sweating. So far they hadn't run into any more torched people. Only a spreading fire. A fire that was spreading even into the woods. Tree branches were falling down, luckily not on the road. Some trees had been uprooted and were laying on their side. Once again, not on the road. He took in deep breaths as he carried her along. The lake would be a place of refugee. It stung and hurt with each step, yet he had to keep on moving forward. Those torched people would die soon in the fire, he was sure of it. They couldn't survive for long in those suits. He plundered onward until he reached the lake.

The water remained untouched and burning trees blocked the way. Was this the end? It couldn't be. There had to be a way in. He observed many people pushing forward toward the lake only to be absorbed in the flames of the burning trees blocking the path. There seemed to be no way around it. The flames burned everyone it touched down to ashes. Then he spotted an opening and weaved his way toward it. Maybe he could get past this fire to the lake through this opening through the burning trees. Just a little bit further. Then he felt hot, as hot as he ever felt before.

Note ▼

Prompt: Fire; No demons
Word Count: 1,074
Contest: "Horror Writing Contest"