The Scream

There was only one rule: don’t open the door.

Actually, there was another one: sit in the bath. Run the water. Get all the towels in there, get them really sloshy. Us too.

There was another rule for my big sister Annaliese: get a big towel really soggy, and put it across the bottom of the door.

Mummy's gone to get my baby brothers. But she's been gone ages. I feel bad and wobbly.

I want to go after her. I want her to pick me up and carry me. Away from the hot, and the scary, and the choking smoke.

Anna grabs at my arm, but I pull away. She begs me to stay with her in the cold water with those towels. I say, No! She's shouting at me to get in the tub, nearly screaming. When I remember that night, I gotta remember really hard, because my head doesn't want to go back to it. But when I do, that's the bit I remember the strongest. Her mouth is so wide it might tear, her face pink. Her hair is normally light yellow. But now, in this remembering, it's all wet from the sploshing. It looks dark and scraggly, and her eyes are scrunched small in her face, because her face is nearly all scream.

I reach out for the door but I can't even touch it. It's hot.

I cry and cry. She talks nice, she shouts, she says mean things, like she will slap me if I don't do what I'm told. But she can't scare me, not when the fire is right there on the other side of the door, waiting to eat us up.

When the glass smashes, it makes us jump. It looks like a monster at first, and I cry some more. But it's a man, specially dressed up to protect him from the flames and smoke. He puts something on the broken glass and lifts us out of the window.

I remember hard, because I want to remember the last time I saw mummy, when she said, Don't open the door, and I'll be right back, and I promise, but all I remember is the scream.

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Word count: 366

(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and author's note.)

Submitted on Thursday 24th October at 21.11

Quick Author's Note

A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This continues my 298 daily micro-fiction story streak since 1st January. I'm nearly at 300!!

ONLY SIXTY-EIGHT DAYS TO GO!

Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day!

Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

The story behind the story: this was inspired by the recent challenge, but I didn't make the deadline! I had the Grenfell fire in mind, when some of the survivors described shutting themselves in the bathroom and flooding it while they waited for rescue.

Thank you

Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and I am extremely grateful for your ongoing support.

Thank you to those who leave feedback/comments. Bear with me while I catch up on reads!

If you enjoyed this one, the very best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another!

This is my latest dollar challenge. Please have a look.

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Thank you again!