Sacrifire

• Jemma Storay, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2004

The supermarket shelves are lined with food from all over the world. From Asia, France, Italy, Australia. Every second product was something Izzie wanted.
“Coco Clowns are my favourite sissy! Can we get some? Ooohhh! I love Cheesychooz! Please!”
“Isabelle, you already know the answer. Mum gave us $10 and she’ll check the receipt and count the change. No,” I say, explaining it slowly, like I’d already said it a million times, even though I’d only said it 4 times. Today.
“Claire, can you smell that?”
“Someone must have split something,” I mumble.
“No Claire, it smell like when mummy lights the fire in winter,” Izzie says, then sniffs again.
“Smoke?” I say, suddenly realising she’s right. I glance around and notice smoke beginning to appear under the roof.
“Izzie, do you think we should go home?”
“We’ll get in trouble, sissy,” Izzie says, looking scared. So I stare hard at the list, while Izzie puts the products on the shelf in order of her preference, out loud. Some how, while we were lost in our own little worlds, we never notice the smoke spreading. It took me a fair while to realise that it has grown hotter. My forehead is sweating, and I only notice that when it drips into my eyes.
“Izzie, I think we better go… Izzie! RUN!” I grab her hand and pull her away just as the shelf in front of us catches alight. In the few minutes since we first noticed the smoke, the whole shop is ablaze. I see a window with no fire around it. I try to find something heavy enough to smash the window but light enough to be able to throw, but my eyes, ears, mouth, throat and nose are choked with smoke. Then I notice a leaking cordial bottle that had been kicked under a pile of footstools. I run over and grab it. I muster up all my strength and hurl it at the window. I run up and kick and kick until the whole pane is out.
“Izzie! IZZIE! QUICK!”I scream, my voice reflecting my terror. ”ISABELLE!” but Izzie wont move, she’s frozen to the spot. I sprint over to her, while the path to the window grows smaller, with hungry flames looking for more food. Somewhere deep in my gut I had a feeling it was looking for me. I push the feeling aside and grab Izzie. The path is even thinner than before. The heat burns my legs and I can’t see very well at all now. The window isn’t very far away, but black dots are appearing in front of my eyes. I put Izzie down and push her towards the window. The last thing I see are hands pulling Izzie through the window, then endless black.