I held her hand tight, and I knew I was gonna let go eventually. I carefully observe around us. Orange, yellow, and red leaves on the trees. The river, the robins, and of course Quinn and I sitting in the middle. I watch her face outlined by her curly brown strands of hair. Perfect people call her, but she isn’t she has sharp edges here and there but I love her for that. Quinn has a distant look in her grey eyes. “ What are you thinking? “ I poke her with a smile. Her grey eyes snap back to earth “ just what if we stayed out here? “ she asks. This confuses me. We both know our parents are a little overprotective.

“ We can’t you know that “ I say shaking my head. Quinn nods leaving me again. I let go of her hand and stand up. “ Come on it’s late let’s head back “ I start to help her up. We start walking towards the road silently. “ Evan? “ Quinn whispers. “ Hm? “ I say lowering my head closer to hers. Her house is just across the street so close. “ Quinn what is it? “ I ask now a little concerned at her mouth a little open and her round face fully frozen. I follow Quinn’s gaze to her house ablaze. There’s firefighters outside but the water isn’t doing much.

Quinn runs across the street and I follow. She beelines to the nearest firefighter and immediately starts talking “ Sir I’m Quinn Earster and this is my family’s house! Did everyone make it out? “. The firefighter gets a pitiful look as a scream echos from the house, and stares down “ Quinn we don’t think anyone will make it out “ he mutters. I stand there feeling stupid. Why didn’t we move quicker? Why did I say we should head back? “ I’m sorry “ I look at Quinn then realize the look on her face. “ Quinn don’t- “ I begin but she takes off to her burning house. The firefighters realize and try to block the way but she won’t stop for anyone. Quinn runs through the burning door and I take after her the firefighters trying to stop me too. I start to cough and raise my shirt over my face. Quinn does too and then observes the stairs. There collapsing. Quinn steps carefully on the first then tries to jump over the flame. The flame laps at her leg and shoes. Quinn does this up the unstable stairs and I try to following causing a few to break and getting burnt several times. Quinn makes it to the top first teary and burnt. I take suit and am burnt. “ Quinn! Stop! It’s not worth it! “ I cough out. “ Evan?! You shoudn’t have followed! “ she cries over the roaring flames. I sorta laugh. She continues through the roaring, flaming, collapsing house.

Quinn sprints to her parents room I’m quick on her tail. Ash. She chokes out a sob. The ash is starting to get to my lungs and I’m coughing. “ Quinn! We need to leave! “ I choke. She nods. The smoke and smoldering wood have made vision impossible, but eventually I lead us to the stairs. Except their collapsed and burnt. Quinn doubles over coughing. I don’t wanna die here. I am now desperate. I look for windows and see one that we’d be able to get out of. “ Window! Window! “ I scream. I get my shoulder under her arm and lead her past the falling wood and burning rooms. No need to check for her siblings. We know their ash. I smash the window with my elbow getting shards in my clothes. I scream for the firefighters but we’re at the other end of the house.

We have to do this by ourselves. “ Quinn! You first! “ I shout. Quinn is being racked by coughs. I help her get onto the window and slide out. “ Tuck and roll! “ I yell. She nods and jumps.

Quinn doesn’t tuck and roll. She breaks. Her fragile body looks so tiny. I am now freaking out when she just lays there. I climb through and jump I manage to tuck and roll but my leg isn’t bending the correct way. I take one look at Quinn and try to scream for help but my lungs have too much ash in them. I manage an army crawl to her and she’s bent in ways she shouldn’t. “ Quinn? “ I whisper my raspy voice catching. Her eyelids seem so heavy to her. Quinn’s lips move and I swear she said “ I love you “ but I can’t tell. “ I love you too “ I say tears streaming freely. I lean in and kiss her tasting ash and smoke. I pull back and she reaches her hand out. I held her hand tight and I wasn’t ever letting go.