Fear

• Isabel Sepulveda, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2021

The fire in the fireplace was out. Cold ashes remained, proof of a non-existent fire for some time now. Distant gun shots screamed; my heart leapt. I pulled the woollen blanket around my shoulders and sighed gratefully. The sudden urge to knit last Summer had saved us. Especially Nana. I glanced her way. She was sitting in her armchair, snuggled up with little Josie in her lap, and wrapped in blankets. She looked so old and fragile sitting there, combing weak fingers through my sister’s hair. Josie was fast asleep, drool dribbling down the sides of her mouth, and helpless just the same. The last of our family was held together by the weakest cord. Emptiness stalked us. Hope was drifting. The silence was unbearable.
My foggy mind filled with incessant fears was made worse when Nana let out a cry. Her hands were shaking, Josie woke up crying. With tightness in my chest, I jumped from my chair and ran to the window. Yes. It was there. High above my own home stood Hadley’s cottage. My closest neighbour a single mile away, her home known as the furthest up the hill. She had a view for miles from there to her advantage. Promised us to light a candle in front of her window to warn me if danger came. If the soldiers came. We were all prepared. All waiting. In the darkness, I could make out a faint light. Was it the warning? I watched closer. The light grew brighter. Bigger. My eyes were transfixed on the glow as in a trance. It didn’t stop. Why wasn’t is stopping?
In one second I realised what was happening. That wasn’t the light of a candle. Hadley’s entire house was in flames. Before I knew it, gun shots approached, one after the next. Screams of terror and then silence. The soldiers were already here. They had reached Hadley, and now we were next. Nana was up from her chair. She was shaking uncontrollably. Silver hairs were sliding from her neat bun and were quivering with her. Josie was crying. Nana was doing her best to calm her. I didn’t know what to do. The soldiers would be here in moments. We had to go. Now.
Nana took my arm and I led her and Josie out the door and into the night’s frosty air. Picking up my heavy skirts, we tried to run to the shelter. It was a deep cave underground, but it was two miles down the hill. Would we make it? Our boots squelched under sticky mud slowing us down. Nana was panting, Josie screaming. Tears were slipping down my cheeks. Nana and Josie were afraid. So was I.
Turning around, I saw the open flames of destruction. In my mind’s eye I saw Hadley dead. Just like how I would be soon. How Nana and Josie would be if we didn’t hurry. I had to do something. But there was nothing I could do. Nothing but run.