Liz’s lap. Black ash covered Liz’s face, but her eyes were strangely dry. Devoid of tears, Liz was literally watching her whole life being taken away from her with a calmness that scared Faith to her very core.
Looking down, Faith realized that it was Daniel cradled in Liz’s lap.
“Daniel! Jesus, are you all right?” Faith asked running her hands over his soot-covered clothing searching for any signs of injury. “What happened?”
“You were right. I shouldn’t be allowed to cook,” Liz’s voice came out like the cold whisper of a deathbed confession.
“ You did this?” Faith whispered.
Liz nodded slowly. “It all happened so fast. I was at the fireplace. A shot…an ember just…popped out…and landed on Jason’s blanket in the rocking chair. It just…started to burn. Smoke filled the room. Jason tried to put it out, but it all went up so fast.”
Faith trembled at the calm tone of Liz’s voice, like she was simply reciting a story instead of facing the loss of her home and her livelihood. “Jason tried to put it out alone?”
Liz looked up at her as Daniel’s head dropped from her lap.
“I couldn’t help. Daniel was stuck.”
“Stuck? Where?”
“Up in the loft. He’d gone to get my kitten so she wouldn’t die. The ladder caught fire and he couldn’t get down. The flames followed him…I had to get him out.”
Faith and Charles lifted Liz off the ground, and turned to Jason. “Are you all right?” Faith asked.
Jason stared at Liz. “Yes, I’m sorry. It was…out of my control.”
Faith hugged him. “It doesn’t matter. Just as long as everyone got out alive.”
The ground began to quiver beneath her feet as the townspeople raced over the hill. Screams of anguish and worry flowed from their friends, reaching through the mist of Liz’s guilt-ridden brain.
She stared at them all. Their eyes filled with tears.
Daniel’s father rushed to him. “Are you all right, son?”
Daniel released a harsh, cold whisper, “I had no choice. There was nothing else I could do.”
“You were here with Liz. She’s alive, son. You’ve done me proud.”
Liz heard their exchange. Turning away, she walked directly into Jason’s open arms. Burying her face in his chest, Liz sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what you think of me now.”
Jason tightened his grip around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Don’t ever be sorry. I understand…I think. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’d do anything for you.”
Liz cried, “You don’t even know me.”
“Then let me get to know you better.”
Charles’ deep voice broke through the smoke-filled air. “What will you do now, Liz?”
“I don’t know,” she said glancing at Faith. “Start over, I suppose.”
“But this is your home,” Jason said.
“No,” Liz replied, pointing at the burning rubble. “That’s my home…and it’s gone.”
“Finally!” Charles shouted. “I am finally happy my parents are rich, good for nothing people—because I can help.”
“I can’t take your money, Charles,” Liz replied.
She heard the voice of Faith behind her, “Well, I can. And I’ll work hard to pay it back.”
“Then you must travel with me in order to do that,” Charles replied. “Jason’s no good at carrying my things and making my dinner. I have prayed every night for someone more reliable than him. Prettier, too,” he said winking at Faith. “It’s a sign. You’ll both join us on our new journey; a quest to find you a new home.”
Liz was so tired. She was barely eighteen and yet she felt like a great grandmother getting ready to go to her Maker. She raised her chin and stared into Jason’s handsome face. “Do you want us to come with you? I can’t promise anything but friendship.”
He gave her an understanding smile saying, “God knows I need someone else to talk to besides Charles. If I hear his boring stories one more time, I may throw myself into the ocean just to get a break.”
Liz
Looking down, Faith realized that it was Daniel cradled in Liz’s lap.
“Daniel! Jesus, are you all right?” Faith asked running her hands over his soot-covered clothing searching for any signs of injury. “What happened?”
“You were right. I shouldn’t be allowed to cook,” Liz’s voice came out like the cold whisper of a deathbed confession.
“ You did this?” Faith whispered.
Liz nodded slowly. “It all happened so fast. I was at the fireplace. A shot…an ember just…popped out…and landed on Jason’s blanket in the rocking chair. It just…started to burn. Smoke filled the room. Jason tried to put it out, but it all went up so fast.”
Faith trembled at the calm tone of Liz’s voice, like she was simply reciting a story instead of facing the loss of her home and her livelihood. “Jason tried to put it out alone?”
Liz looked up at her as Daniel’s head dropped from her lap.
“I couldn’t help. Daniel was stuck.”
“Stuck? Where?”
“Up in the loft. He’d gone to get my kitten so she wouldn’t die. The ladder caught fire and he couldn’t get down. The flames followed him…I had to get him out.”
Faith and Charles lifted Liz off the ground, and turned to Jason. “Are you all right?” Faith asked.
Jason stared at Liz. “Yes, I’m sorry. It was…out of my control.”
Faith hugged him. “It doesn’t matter. Just as long as everyone got out alive.”
The ground began to quiver beneath her feet as the townspeople raced over the hill. Screams of anguish and worry flowed from their friends, reaching through the mist of Liz’s guilt-ridden brain.
She stared at them all. Their eyes filled with tears.
Daniel’s father rushed to him. “Are you all right, son?”
Daniel released a harsh, cold whisper, “I had no choice. There was nothing else I could do.”
“You were here with Liz. She’s alive, son. You’ve done me proud.”
Liz heard their exchange. Turning away, she walked directly into Jason’s open arms. Burying her face in his chest, Liz sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what you think of me now.”
Jason tightened his grip around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Don’t ever be sorry. I understand…I think. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’d do anything for you.”
Liz cried, “You don’t even know me.”
“Then let me get to know you better.”
Charles’ deep voice broke through the smoke-filled air. “What will you do now, Liz?”
“I don’t know,” she said glancing at Faith. “Start over, I suppose.”
“But this is your home,” Jason said.
“No,” Liz replied, pointing at the burning rubble. “That’s my home…and it’s gone.”
“Finally!” Charles shouted. “I am finally happy my parents are rich, good for nothing people—because I can help.”
“I can’t take your money, Charles,” Liz replied.
She heard the voice of Faith behind her, “Well, I can. And I’ll work hard to pay it back.”
“Then you must travel with me in order to do that,” Charles replied. “Jason’s no good at carrying my things and making my dinner. I have prayed every night for someone more reliable than him. Prettier, too,” he said winking at Faith. “It’s a sign. You’ll both join us on our new journey; a quest to find you a new home.”
Liz was so tired. She was barely eighteen and yet she felt like a great grandmother getting ready to go to her Maker. She raised her chin and stared into Jason’s handsome face. “Do you want us to come with you? I can’t promise anything but friendship.”
He gave her an understanding smile saying, “God knows I need someone else to talk to besides Charles. If I hear his boring stories one more time, I may throw myself into the ocean just to get a break.”
Liz
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