Bring the Rain by Lizzy Charles

Author:Lizzy Charles [Charles, Lizzy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Lizzy Charles
Published: 2015-02-16T16:00:00+00:00

***

Dad throws a log into the crackling fire. Marshmallows roast on the tip of my stick. An edge kisses gold so I rotate it. Burned marshmallows really taste disgusting.

“Why does Mom have to spend another week in New York?” I ask.

He takes off his work gloves and wipes his brow. I wipe the sweat from mine too.

“Well, Bug,” he says as he sits at my side and messes up my hair. “She’s getting things in order.”

“Why?” I pull my marshmallows out of my ember cave, a perfect gold crust. Dad takes his time sandwiching them between graham crackers and chocolate. He hands me the S’more. “Why Dad?” I ask again as I take a bite. Melted chocolate drips from the side, rolling down my hand and onto the collar of my favorite purple shirt.

“Well, I know you’re worrying about us.”

“You’ve been fighting a lot.” I hate saying it, but it’s true. They used to watch stars together out back. Now they go there to fight.

“And we’re sorry about that.” He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close. “We don’t want to fight anymore. Not around you. So your Mommy is looking for a place for you both. To stay.”

“Stay? Like…” A lump grows in my throat and tries to block the question’s exit, but I need the answer. “Without you?”

“Yes, baby.” He sniffs then he’s crying. He’s not supposed to cry.

“Don’t cry, Dad. You can come visit. Maybe if we ask, we won’t have to leave. Just ask her, okay?” I hug him. “I don’t want to go either, Daddy. Ask her, please?”

“I will, Autumn. I promise.”

“Good. I’ll ask her too.” I kiss him on his rough cheek before plunging my hand into the bag for more marshmallows. Instead of finding plump puffs, I meet hot goo. We never cooked these. I search through the heat, finding one intact marshmallow. I touch it and immediately it disintegrates. The inside pours out, boiling hot. Ouch. I yank my hand out of the bag. The horrible burning smell dives into my lungs, choking me.

Dad grabs my shoulders and leans in, whispering, “Wake up, Autumn.”

I cough and he brings his face close to mine. His eyes are wide and his voice trembles. “Now, Autumn. Wake up!”

My eyes fly open. I’m still in bed, but the darkness is wrong. I choke, my lungs searing. There’s a thick haze hovering above. Rolling from my bed, I press myself against shaggy carpet below. A swirl of whites and greys hangs inches above my head.

Holy shit.

The fire’s here.

My door’s closed, but smoke pours from the crack under the door into my room. The window is my only option. It’s so frickin’ hot. Adrenaline takes over as my fingers somehow find the window. I yank on it but it won’t budge.

It hasn’t been open in over seven years.

I grunt as I pull up once more. It doesn’t budge. No!

I duck below the smoke line again, gasping for air. Black tendrils now snake through the hinges. The door isn’t an option, and I’m not burning in here.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.