Trial by Fire, Part 3

 Goodness, I did it again! Two posts in one day... Oh well! Enjoy!
Kathryn <3


“We have to go. Now.” was all she said. She turned, and picked up Ada. The four girls hurried down the steps and out the back door.When they reached the alley, that same strange light hat Alice had see earlier, hung over them. The light was now brighter and a smell that made Alice very nervous surrounded them. Smoke.

“Where is everyone? Where is everyone?” the words rang over and over again in Alice’s head. Alice and the girls raced down the alley and onto Townsend St. The smoke got thicker as they headed for Chicago Ave. As Alice passed Irene’s house, it was evident that Irene and her family had left. Looking up and down the street, Alice realized not one person remained. When they reached Chicago Ave., Alice looked far down the street, near her own apartment building. Bright orange and red flames leaped into the air. The buildings were all on fire sending thick billows of black smoke into the air.

“Elizabet, look! It’s the fire!” Alice cried. The girls started running the other way, toward the river. They ran past Bremer St. and finally stopped to take a rest.

“I’m out of breath,” Alice huffed.

“Me too,” Elizabet said.

“Elizabet, where’s Cora?” Ada asked, who was sitting on Alice’s shoulders.

“What?” Elizabet and Alice turned around and gasped. Cora was nowhere in sight!


“Cora?” Elizabet yelled. “Cora, Cora!” tears streamed down her cheeks. ”Oh, Alice! I told Mom that I would watch them! Cora’s lost in the city and the fire is getting closer! Look!” she sobbed. Alice looked down the street and frowned. The fire was gaining on them. They had to find Cora. Fast.

“Let’s not lose our heads,” Alice said, trying to sound like Mother. “We need to find her.” They tried to back track their steps on any side streets. They came across an alley they had gone through.

“Cora!” they yelled. Still no answer. Suddenly, Alice spotted something lying between some garbage. It was a grey shawl.

“That’s Cora’s!” Elizabet exclaimed. “Cora, where are you?”Alice wiped her forehead and looked upward. Smoke circled the sky.

“Elizabet, we have to fin Cora soon. The fire is getting to close for comfort.” Just then, they heard a faint bark.

“Was that a bark? From  a dog?” Elizabet asked.

“Yes, I think so,” Alice replied. Then, they heard a voice.

“Elizabet? Ada? Alice? Where are you?” It was Cora’s high pitched voice, yelling from the end of the alley.

“Cora!” the girl yelled.

“Oh, there you are! I’ve been looking for you.”

“You’ve been looking for US? Cora Francine Hilby, where have you been?” Elizbet waved her arms.

“I-I heard a dog bark. I thought maybe it was hurt, so I went down the street and found this dog. It’s bleeding.” she protested. Alice looked at the animal and gasped. It was Patches!

“Oh my goodness…You’re hurt. Patches are you okay?” she knelt down to the dog.

“Patches? Do you know him? Cora asked.

“I should say so! He’s my dog!” she cried. Alice looked at the dog’s leg and found a small cut. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her handkerchief. She wrapped it around his leg.

“There, that should stay tied.” Alice stood up and coughed. “The smoke is really thick,” she said, looking around. She ran to the end of the alley, to see how close the fire was. She turned the corner and suddenly, in front of her stood the wall of fire. The flames leaped higher every second. Alice screamed, frozen. Elizabet ran down the dark alley and grabbed Alice’s arm. Frightened, they ran back to the younger girls.

“Come on, Cora and Ada. We’ll go this way!” Elizabet choked. The four girls and dog ran to another side street and stopped.

“Elizabet, do you know where we are?” Alice asked, looking around.

“No, don’t you?” she said, eyeing her twelve year-old companion. The girls ran in one direction. Then another. And another. Finally they stopped. Alice sank to her feet and started to cry. Elizabet couldn’t comfort her. Her own lip quivered and finally she too, was sobbing.