I gasped at the sight of the house. Half of it was up in flames. I didn’t understand. I Rushed to the back door. I could hear Axel screaming and wailing. I don’t know what came over me but I flung open the door and ran inside. The heat hit me hard. Smoke floated around stealing all of the oxygen. My eyes teared up. I grabbed a dish cloth from a cupboard that was not yet in flames and doused it in water. I tied it over my nose and mouth. A thought overcame me as I glanced at the toaster. I took it and flung it out a window. I hardly heard the crash over the sound of the hissing orange and yellow flames. They rose higher and higher. I had to get out of there. I grabbed a cooking bowl and filled in up with water. I dropped it overtop of me and left the sink on. Hoping it would overflow. I passed a mirror on the way up stairs and punched it hard. It shattered. The flames were spreading quickly sharing their rage to other objects. I sprinted up the stairs. My eyes were burning. I busted another window. The fire was not yet up stairs though I could almost feel in chasing me. They thought this was a game.

’The house is going to collapse before I could save Axel’ I thought. I rushed into dad’s room. The dresser drawer was already torn out. Random junk was thrown everywhere. I grabbed the drawer and punched the bottom. It splintered leaving a hole where I could see a soft leather brown bag and a small tin can. I shook my hand quickly, ridding the hurt from punching with it too much. Ripping up the rest of the false bottom I lifted out a bag the tin can and 7 pass ports. Stuffing those in to the already stuffed bag. I kicked at the window and flung the bag out as far as possibly knowing that my mom and sister wanted it and so I could get Axel without a bag swinging from my arm. I tugged open his desk drawer and pulled out a loaded gun. I rushed out of the room. Fire had consumed the major part of the stairs now, and was creeping up silently, with the occasional pop or hiss in delight. I thrust open my door gun pointed forward ready to shoot. Though I’m not sure I could actually shoot my mother and sister. No one was in the room which led me to believe that they were in Axel’s room. The screaming and wailing had subsided but I could faintly hear a small whimper here and there. I grabbed my purse, phone, and photo album and some spare clothes and shoved them into my backpack. I kicked open my window I threw that too, outside. I silently stepped out of my room again. My face and hands and feet and legs, basically my everything was burnt and in pain. My clothes and hair were singed. I put my ear to Axel’s door. I heard talking and a quick scream and then a loud ’SLAP!’ I pushed open the door. Gun at the ready. Axel was tied to a chair. His face was red and tearstained though he looked determined. My mother and sister were standing in front of him and both turned toward me. Their eyes glinting with delight. 

"LET.HIM.GO." I said steadily. Though I was freaking out. It was me against them. Two against one. But I had a weapon. 

"So....Where’s daddy?" Ayla asked scornfully. Her face was contorted in anger but there was also a look of a little girl when she received exactly what she wanted for her birthday. I took a deep breath.

"Dead." I said. A look of regret quickly crossed my mother’s face before she shook her head and it passed. She wasn’t going to be merciful. She already had her son all set and ready to be left here to die. My hand shook as I raised the gun to level with Ayla’s head. "Untie him." I ordered as calmly as I could. 

"And why would we do that dear?" Lillian said mockingly.

"Because I’ll shoot Ayla then you." I said my voice was steel. I knew I could do this. Untie Axel then we would jump through a window retrieve the bags and get to dad.

"I don’t believe you. You were always the weakest. The weakest out of all of us. Ayla said gesturing to me and Axel her eyes taunting me. I shook my head ever so slightly. I also had my ability to use whereas theirs wouldn’t help in a battle. I again re-targeted Ayla. I pulled the trigger.

Next Chapter: ~Rescue~