Page 2 of Chasing Sarah

“Go, Sarah!” Tommy shouts, pushing me toward Xander’s voice. “I’ll be right behind you.”

He’s moving away before I get a chance to protest. Fear courses through my veins as I watch him disappear into the smoke. Blindly, I crawl down the hallway until I reach the stairs. The bottom level is engulfed in flames.

There is no way out.

“This way!” Xander says suddenly appearing behind me, and he gestures for me to follow him into one of the rooms. “You’re going to have to climb down or jump.” He says nodding to the open window.

The sound of sirens echoes in the distance.

We just need a few more minutes.

Xander sways on his feet and I reach out to steady him. “Are you okay?” I ask, my brows furrowing.

Sweat slides down his temple and color begins to drain from his face.

“You need to climb down. Go.” He croaks.

A loud boom comes from somewhere in the house. “Fuck!” Ronny roars.

“Xander!” Tommy and Colson yell. “Ronny is stuck!”

They sound so far away despite our home not being more than 1000 sq ft.

I spin toward the door and Xander grips onto my shoulders, turning my body around to face him.

“Go. Now,” he pants.

“Not without you guys!” I scream and then cough uncontrollably once more.

I’m in sensory overload. Between the shouting from my brothers, the heat of the smoke and flames, and the blood rushing through my body, booming in my ears, it’s a complete clusterfuck, and I don’t know what to do.

Flashing red and white lights glow through the window, casting a color alternating glow across Xander’s face.

“Now, Sarah. The firefighters are here. We’re right behind you.”

It’s a lie. I know it’s a lie.

He pushes me toward safety.

“Xander!” My brothers scream, panic laced in their voices.

“Go!” Xander shouts and I climb onto the window’s ledge. The front yard is crowding with emergency services and gaping neighbors with horrified looks on their faces.

“Look!” A woman shrieks, pointing at me.

The house groans and creaks. I turn to glance at Xander one final time. His eyes are wide with panic. Then helunges, pushing me. My body is thrown backward through the window.

The last thing I see is the floor giving way and Xander falling.

“You’re not serious,” Roger complains as he stares up at the building leading to where we will meet the skydiving instructors.

“Don’t tell me you’re scared,” I tease, nudging him with my shoulder.

His nervous gaze drops to mine, and I give him a wide, innocent smile.

“Come on. It’ll be fun.” I swing open the door and step inside.

Roger is a new friend I met during my journey to New York. I couldn’t stay in Rhode Island another day without the reminder of my brothers no longer being alive and the fact that I’ll never be able to go on crazy adventures with them. I couldn’t deal with the overwhelming grief that clouded every fiber of my being.

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