New Year's Fire

The inferno blazed with such intensity that Tessy could barely hold her ground any longer, but it had happened all so quickly that she hadn't yet managed to start thinking again. Where was everyone else going? Had they already figured out that running was a safer choice. Tessy knew it too. Somewhere in the echoy chamber in the back of her mind someone was screaming at her, yet it's voice didn't reach her conscious thought. Nothing did. Until someone called for her, "Tess, we've already called for help. You can't do anything by standing there now!" It was Kan. That's right, he was there too. He had also been inside. He had pulled her out, but why hadn't she wanted to leave. "Tess!" He called again, "there's nothing you can do."
"Do what?" Tessy mumbled, "What did I want to do?"
Kan was now right by her side. He practically was biting her ear when he said her name again. "Tess run. they're probably alread gone by now."
Tessy snapped to attention. She felt like she'd jsut been hit across the face. suddenly, she remembered. Her parents were still inside and they were with Jessica. "gone already?" Tessy questioned.
"Yes," Kan whispered hoarsely, "It's been too long, they were at the center."
Kan's sorry tone spark a rage in Tessy ten times hotter than the fire that licked at the sides of the buildings. "I'm going to save them," Tessy stated.
Kan grabbed at her hand and held fast. "We've already called fire department. Don't be stupid!"
"It's you who's stupid!" Tessy cried, spinning around to face Kan for the first time. "It's New Years Eve. Do you honestly think the firemen will make it? Don't lie to me. I'm not that gullible." Tessy yanked her hand from Kan's gripped and sprinted into pyre grabbing a simple axe from the pile of yard working tools that hadn't been put away from the previous days work. She made it no further than the first room before she met with a blazing wall of fallen rafters. "I can't get through," Tessy snarled.
"Then let's go back." Tessy had been unaware that Kan had followed behind her. She shook her head. It was his choice.
Tessy contemplated her next move. There was no easy way around the barrier. She looked up over the rafters and found that she could see the other side though it was distorted by waves of heat. her eyes wided. there were more people on the other side. Inan instant she could count as many as four. The gears in her head started turning. She had nothing more than her axe and Jessica was still deeper inside. Tessy began whacking at a weakened rafter until it broke in two. She moved it aside and ingored the blisters that welled up on her palms.
The four on the other side were kids, young kids. Tessy figured she could carry two out at a time. she glanced behind her where Kan stood. He too was being burned and Tessy felt regret well up in her chest, but she couldn't leave the kids to die and she couldn't do it alone. Kan understood the pleading look in her eyes but he looked intently passed the children to the stairs. Jessica was on the third floor. Tessy understood what he implied. If she wasted time here she would lose the only chance to save Jessica.
There was no time. "I can't leave them here. I'm no God. I can't decide who lives and who dies."
Kan was already moving. Two kids were draped over his shoulders. However, it was clear he could carry no more. Tessy had to carry the other two.
She and Kan burst from the building and didn't stop until they were far from the flames. Tessy set the children down gently and turned back again toward the building.
"No Tess," Kan said. He attempted to keep his voice steady, but Tessy could hear it shake like vibrato on violin strings.
"But Kan, there's still..." Tessy trailed off. From such a distance Tessy could no longer feel the agonizing heat of the fire, but she could still clearly see it. The top floor where Jessica had been taking her afternoon nap had collsaped upon it's self. Stripped of all emotion Tessy fell slowly to her knees and watched the blaze consume what was left. Kan offered her his hand, but she didn't have the strength to take it. He picked her up carried her far away.

****
The break was over and Tessy returned to school. News of the New Years fire had spread fast and far. Tessy wanted nothing to do with it. She wanted nothing more than to find Kan. He was all she had left now.
"Tessy Emer?" The math teacher asked as Tessy walked into her first period class. she nodded in reply. "I have some news for you. It's about a boy named Kan. His parents wanted me to nform you." Tessy nodded again. "They infromed me that your friend Kan is in the hospital. It's my understanding that he was caught in the fire and the smoke he inhaled was too much for his already weak lungs. He's currently unconscious, but at least he's stable. You two were close?" Tessy barely managed a nod. "My deepest condolences."
That meant nothing to Tessy. She fled from the classroom as quickly as her feet would carry her. She wanted to see Kan. she had no idea where he was. There were hospitals in all directions and all of them equally too far to run to.
Tessy curled up in alocker cave and closed her ears with her hands, buried her face in her knees. She didn't know how long she slept and didn't care. What had woken her were voices just around the corner.
"-No he's stable, but it could be weeks before he's awake,"
"But how could that even happen? I was with him when we heard about it from the bottom floor and we all got out before even seeing a flame."
"I heard he went back to save a girl."
"Who Tessy?"
"Yeah, her, but I heard he went to save her knowing full well about his lung condition and that she only got mad at him."
"Oh my god."
"Yeah, and not only that, but she left her family behind. Even her five-year-old sister. They all died in the fire, but she managed to save herself."
"What? That's so cruel. She practically killed her own family."
Tessy couldn't listen anymore. How had the gossip spread so far already? How could they speak of her when they didn't even know the truth?
tesy began to stand up but a sudden realization stole the strength from her knees. They were right. Everything they said had been true. She was cruel.

****
The phone rang a Tess picked it up. She didn't say anything, just waited for the person on the other end to start talking. Eventually, someone did. "Is this Tessy?" Tessy said nothing. "Kan is requesting to speak with you. It was the first thing he said after waking up this morning."
Tessy took the metro bus to the hospital. Kan was on the third floor. She opened his door and he sat up.
"Tess!" That was all he said. Tessy had expected him to ask about her condition, but he knew better.
"Kan,"Tessy muttered. She hung her head low. "Kan, are you okay?"
"Tess come here." she did. He held out his hand and she took it. It was warm. she had been afraid it would be deathly cold. "Tess, those kids are here at this hospital. They are all leaving tomorrow in perfect health. Tess, you're a hero." His face was bright and his smile was wide. Tess didn't understand.
"Kan," Tessy said in monotone, "I killed my family."