2. Leaving Poole (Fragment)

“Oh! You found our birth certificates! I kept looking for those but never found them because of Charlotte. She always caught me but now you found them! Great, I’ll keep those for now!” Lottie said while she stroked my hair.

I wanted to jerk back. I hated it when she did that. As soon as she got to the bottom of the strand, I jerked back.

As Lottie talked on and on about everything, I began to yawn. Every time I tried to do anything, I got cramps and my eyes drooped, so I just went to bed.

I got up and stretched my hands out everywhere on my bed as Elsie jumped onto my bed.

That’s when the sirens turned on again.

I felt like my ears were bleeding and I could feel the little prickles climbing up my back. This time we didn’t hide under a bed.

I felt someone grab my arm. I felt around to see who had grabbed me. But instead of feeling the silk dress Lottie was wearing, I felt hair. Short little thin hair. Then, I felt the arm that had grabbed me and was pulling me out the door.

It was Elsie!

“Elsie!” I shrieked, “What are you doing?!”

“Following Lucy,” said Elsie with a calm voice. The one that Lottie always used. I was surprised because even though the sirens were on, Elsie kept calm. Usually, she would cry or become annoying.

I felt some kind of heat. It burned my skin. I wiped my sweat several times before I heard screaming. Everyone stopped and then we suddenly picked up a fast pace. I had never needed to go this fast.

Then Elsie tripped. I stopped and helped her up. The heat blasted over us, and I realized it was a fire!

It was my turn to lead.

I ran forward as far from the heat as I could.

“LUCY!” I screamed, grabbing Elsie and hugging her tightly. I screamed and ran until I bumped into someone. It was Lucy. I felt her hair whip against me when she turned her head near me. I hugged her tight as we ran.

Everyone was running around and screaming and holding on to the person next to them but suddenly we heard the abrupt sound of a bell.