The Fire
1/1
Alex looks around as butterflies float around him. This wouldn’t be out of the ordinary, he lived where they were plentiful, except that all the butterflies that flew past him were dead as was everything around him. The whole world held a deep crimson hue as flames licked the sky, a deep black smoke rolled through like clouds, and the buildings around him were ablaze as the flames consumed them. It was like Alex was there, but he also wasn’t, no one acknowledged his presence, and nothing gave away any recognition on their faces. He had a burning feeling in his throat from the smoke tickling the back of his throat that worsened by the second. He looks up when the sounds of pained screams finally began tuning in and see the burning bodies of families in the streets, kids screaming, houses almost completely burned down around him. Alex didn’t know what was going on, he didn’t know how he got here, and he certainly didn’t know where these flames suddenly sprouted from. Alex thought back but couldn’t remember anything other than sitting at his desk and doing his homework, but then there was nothing. Did he fall asleep? No, he knew he was awake, this wasn’t a dream.
Alex knew that something wasn’t right about what was happening, he didn’t know what, but he knew that it just wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He could see the smoke, he could smell the flames, he could feel the warmth, and taste the burn in his throat, but nothing seemed to harm him. He began to pinch himself thinking he had indeed fallen asleep at his desk, but nothing, not even the pain from the pinching. It was like he didn’t exist in this current time. At the end of the street was nothing but a black void, but he did realize he was on his street, his home right behind him. He knew that he had to be dreaming or something now. The pain in his throat began intensifying as if his realization angered the vision. This scared him. He began to run towards the void, towards anything that could offer escape and if jumping from the void woke him up then he’d do it. However, a sudden thought stopped him, what if he really died? Like, not just in his dream, but for real. He shook his head and started running again but he wasn’t going to make it. His lungs felt like hot coals in his chest as he burned. He collapsed and dry-heaved hoping that something would ease his pain, but nothing did. Alex closes his eyes.
As his eyes closed in the dream his eyes opened at his desk. He glances at his clock and realizes that absolutely no time had passed so he did not fall asleep. He knew that that had happened despite him wanting to deny it, the burn in his throat and chest reminded him of how real it was. Alex stood up and walked to the kitchen to get something to ease the pain in his throat if he could, but that was when he heard it, a loud booming explosion. The sound cut out of his ears as he runs outside to get a look around and just like in the dream, the noises and pained screams suddenly began to become clear.
Alex knew that something wasn’t right about what was happening, he didn’t know what, but he knew that it just wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He could see the smoke, he could smell the flames, he could feel the warmth, and taste the burn in his throat, but nothing seemed to harm him. He began to pinch himself thinking he had indeed fallen asleep at his desk, but nothing, not even the pain from the pinching. It was like he didn’t exist in this current time. At the end of the street was nothing but a black void, but he did realize he was on his street, his home right behind him. He knew that he had to be dreaming or something now. The pain in his throat began intensifying as if his realization angered the vision. This scared him. He began to run towards the void, towards anything that could offer escape and if jumping from the void woke him up then he’d do it. However, a sudden thought stopped him, what if he really died? Like, not just in his dream, but for real. He shook his head and started running again but he wasn’t going to make it. His lungs felt like hot coals in his chest as he burned. He collapsed and dry-heaved hoping that something would ease his pain, but nothing did. Alex closes his eyes.
As his eyes closed in the dream his eyes opened at his desk. He glances at his clock and realizes that absolutely no time had passed so he did not fall asleep. He knew that that had happened despite him wanting to deny it, the burn in his throat and chest reminded him of how real it was. Alex stood up and walked to the kitchen to get something to ease the pain in his throat if he could, but that was when he heard it, a loud booming explosion. The sound cut out of his ears as he runs outside to get a look around and just like in the dream, the noises and pained screams suddenly began to become clear.