~improvision~ [chapter 3]

The fire cracked and snapped. The thunder roared. The lightning struck and a tree fell. They were both squinting from the heat and Izac started coughing from the smoke. The smoke was darkening and the fire spreading.

“Its time!” Izac shouted between coughs. Jack grabbed his brother and ran out of the forest. The fire was increasing at a speed where they had enough time to get the authorities before the fire got out of control. They lived so near the forest they knew they wouldn’t raise suspicion by getting help. They stopped running to town when they reached their house. They had to make sure there wasn’t any soot on their clothes. Izac panted heavily. The smoke had done some damage.  

“Stay here and control your breathing!” Jack shouted at his brother. There was too much coughing for them to claim that they had seen the fire from afar. They would have to change their plan. Jack would have to improvise. “Change of plan. Whatever I say just go along with it. Ok?” when Izac nodded and went in the house, Jack took off running again. When he reached the nearest mansion he skidded to a stop and spoke to a guard. He had difficulty catching his breath.

“I… need… to speak… to someone… of authority!” Jack panted. The guard looked Jack up and down.

“He is busy,” the guard shrugged. Jack gave the guard a hard look. He felt the panic bubble up in his chest as he looked back at the big burly man.

“Please!” he begged. “There has been a fire.” Jack silently prayed the man would believe him. There would not be enough time to go find someone else’s assistance. As he looked up at the man he noticed a spark in his eye at the mention of a fire.

“A fire you say? Has it got anything to do with this blasted storm?” Jack blinked. In his rush to find help he had completely forgotten to continue the rumbling thunder. The lightning flashed above them and Jack looked down, focusing. The guard watched the boy closely. Noticed how stiff his back was and how he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. As thunder rumbled the guard’s eyes grew wide. “Where is this fire you speak of?” There was something definitely strange about this lad. The guard could not seem to shake the feeling of familiarity either. Like a friend he used to have.

The guard shook his head. Now was not the time to reminisce the dead. He looked down at the boy who was studying him. The boy’s eyes held truth.

“Answer me boy! Where is this fire?” Jack let out a long breath in relief. This man believed him.

“In the forest, sir” he told him, pointing in the direction of where he had come from. “Deep in the forest.” Jack saw panic flash through the guard’s eyes right before he took of running.

“stay there,” the guard called over his shoulder at Jack �" who was hot on his heels, following him. They ran into the grand house. Jack faltered as he took in the most beautiful set of stairs. Who would have thought a staircase could be beautiful.  As he was drooling over the vintage modeled house he ran right into another guard.

“Thomas!” the first guard said grabbing the new guard. “There has been a fire in the forest! We need to notify master Grandal.” Thomas pulled out of his grasp and glared.

“And how would you know that, Douglas?” Thomas sneered. “Or have you abandoned your post?” At this point Thomas had not even noticed Jack’s presence.

“He came with the message.” Douglas pointed at Jack. On cue thunder rumbled, loudly. “I highly doubt him to be lying of such matters. We don’t have much time. Guard my post while I speak with master Grandal.” And without another word the left a scowling Thomas behind and ran towards the study. Once they reached the humongous oak doors, Douglas stopped and adjusted his clothing. He then proceeded in adjusting Jack’s.

“What are you doing?!” Jack exclaimed turning a crimson color. “I can do that myself, thanks!”  He stepped back and fixed his clothing on his own. “That fire will not put out itself, you know!” Douglas nodded and knocked at the door.
            “Come in,” came the muffled reply. “What’s going on here? Why are you not guarding your post?” master Grandal asked the guard. “And who the bloody hell is that?” he demanded. What was this stranger doing in his house without his permission? He gave the boy a warning look �" sizing him up. He then looked at the idiot who had brought him in. He tried to remember the name. Daniel? David? Darren? Douglas? Yes that was it! Doughlas. “What is the meaning of this Douglas?” Douglas kept his head down.

“Please sir. The lad has a message. ‘Tis urgent.” At the guard’s words Grandal’s eyes shifted to the boy.

“And what urgent message would I get form a 16 year old boy?” Grandal chuckled. “Wait! Is…is this about… about her?” he demanded fiercely suddenly serious.

“No! No sir. This is nothing of that sort!” Douglas quickly assured sneaking a glance at the boy’s reaction.

“Sir? There has been a fire!” jack interrupted. They were running out of time and he was having trouble following the conversation while continuing to rumble thunder. “In the forest!”

“Is this true?” Grandal turned to Douglas. Douglas nodded mutely. Jack watched as the man picked up a device and proceeded to speak into it as if someone on the other side could hear it. “Is there anyone near the forest, lad?” he turned to Jack �" who nodded quickly.

“Yes. My brother Izac. H-he was taking a stroll in the forest when he saw the fire.” Jack suppressed the urge to groan loudly. He had never had to rumble thunder in complete silence before. He had been able to yell and shout as he pleased when the power would get to be too much. The noise would always be covered by the thunder. It was not easy. Doing what they did.

 

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Brianna watched from her window mesmerized as smoke puffed out of the forest. What could possibly be making so much smoke come from such a dead forest? She though to heself.

“Aaaaaanna!” came Lady Margaret Maxwell voice, breaking Brianna’s reverie. “Come here dear!” Brianna rushed out of the room. There was a ball coming up and the old bat had promised to let her go if she was good. Balls were the only place she felt like a 15 year old girl should. The old women would finally treat her the way she had promised to treat her when she was adopted.

“Yes maggot?” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that dear?” Margaret asked, not looking up from her knitting.

“Yes nana,” she said loudly. She nearly gagged, saying that. Maggot had insisted she call her that. She wanted their names to rhyme. “Was there something you needed?”

“Be a dear and clean out those sheets. She pointed at a bucket full of delicate lacy sheets sopping in muddy water. Brianna sighed recognizing them as the sheets she’d cleaned several times the past two days. “And don’t leave any dirt on them this time. Oh, and when you are done with that I need you to redo the garden. I do not like those sunflowers you planted several weeks ago.

“Not the flowers!” She protested. She watched sadly as maggot shook her head.

“Remember our agreement.” She laughed. Brianna nodded, curtsied and picked up the bucket to clean the blasted sheets again. That woman spends her nights planning my chores, I swear. She could not believe what she had gotten herself into.