Burning Nightmares

The room was dim and warm, the faint crackling of fire filling the air. The faint smell of smoke wafted into Sylvia’s senses, and began to morph her dreams as she laid on the couch. She awoke in a new room, this one unbearably hot and smoke filled, crawling through her throat and strangling her lungs. She began to cough, trying to force out the thick grey. Her blonde hair fell limp and felt like straw and her eyes were dull and desperate. She tried to run, but tripped and fell. She scrambled to a bare wall, hands fumbling blindly along the rough surface. Sylvia urgently crawled along the floor. From the corner of her eyes she saw red and yellow flames flickering at a wall, growing ravenously. She began to whimper, panicking at the thought of slowly being roasted, the musty smoke choking her screams. Sylvia began to search again, clawing at the floor and walls with a new-found intensity. The flames licked towards her, getting bigger and brighter, until all she could see was smoke and flames. She let out a final, bloodcurdling scream before being shaken roughly awake. She darted up, panting and clawing at her neck, struggling for air. “Lady Sylvia, Lady Sylvia!” A small mousy maid cried. “All you alright?!” Sylvia took a few deep breaths and nodded, despite her small trembling figure. “I’m fine,” she managed. “Leave me, please.” Although unconvinced, the maid quickly nodded and began to race out. “Wait!” Sylvia cried, halting the small girl. “Before you go, put out that fire.”