CHAPTER 16: THE FIRE
1090 Words
VESPER'S POV
March 21st.
6:00PM.
Elias came.
Back for good.
We worked.
Quiet.
Safe.
At 11:47PM, I smelled smoke.
March 22nd.
12:03AM.
The alarm screamed.
Fire.
In the shop.
I ran downstairs.
Bare feet. Pajamas.
Flames.
By the counter.
By the sign.
`BLACK PETALS`
“NO,” I screamed.
Elias was already there.
He broke the door.
“Vesper! Get out!”
“No!”
“The roses!”
“Leave them!”
I didn’t.
I ran inside.
He grabbed me.
Pulled me back.
“Let me go!”
“No!”
The fire grew.
Fast.
Gasoline smell.
This wasn’t an accident.
March 23rd.
12:15AM.
Fire trucks.
Maren.
The town.
We watched.
Black Petals burned.
The sign.
The greenhouse.
The 400 seeds.
All of it.
Elias held me.
Tight.
I didn’t cry.
I couldn’t.
March 24th.
2AM.
It was out.
Nothing left.
Ash.
Black ash.
Like my roses.
A cop said, “Arson.”
“Who?” I asked.
“We don’t know.”
I did.
Calder.
Had to be.
March 25th.
6:00PM.
No shop.
No six.
Elias came anyway.
To the ruins.
“Vesper.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know,” he said. “But I’m still sorry.”
March 26th.
I didn’t speak.
For two days.
Maren brought me clothes.
Food.
I didn’t eat.
March 27th.
Elias sat with me.
In the ash.
Every day.
At 6:00PM.
He didn’t talk.
He just sat.
March 28th.
Day 4.
I touched the ash.
Cold.
Dead.
“This is me,” I said.
“No,” Elias said. “This is not you.”
“It is.”
“No,” he said. “You’re not ash.”
March 29th.
Day 5.
I found something.
In the rubble.
One seed.
Black.
Unburned.
In a metal tin.
I held it.
“One,” I said.
“One is enough,” Elias said.
March 30th.
Day 6.
Maren said, “Insurance?”
“No,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t have any.”
“f**k,” she said.
“Yeah.”
March 31st.
Day 7.
One week.
No shop.
No money.
No seeds.
Except one.
At 6:00PM, Elias said, “We rebuild.”
“How?”
“I’ll pay.”
“No.”
“Vesper—”
“I said no,” I said. “I won’t owe you.”
“Then who?”
“Me,” I said. “I will.”
April 1st.
Day 8.
I started over.
With one seed.
In a cup.
By the ruins.
Elias watched.
“Can I help?”
“Yes.”
He did.
Soil. Water. Light.
April 2nd.
Day 9.
The town came.
With wood.
With nails.
With money.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you’re Black Petals,” Maren said. “And we’re Ashford.”
April 3rd.
Day 10.
We built.
Me. Elias. Maren.
Ten people.
Twenty.
The town.
At 6:00PM, we stopped.
Walls up.
Roof not yet.
April 4th.
Day 11.
The seed sprouted.
Green.
Tiny.
Alive.
I cried.
Elias held me.
April 5th.
Day 12.
Cops found something.
Gas can.
Fingerprints.
Not Calder’s.
His cousin’s.
Arrested.
“Good,” I said.
April 6th.
Day 13.
The walls were up.
No sign yet.
At 6:00PM, Elias said, “What do we call it?”
“Black Petals,” I said.
“Again?”
“Again,” I said. “Because they burned it. But we’re back.”
April 7th.
Day 14.
Two weeks.
The roof was on.
The greenhouse was back.
Smaller.
But real.
April 8th.
Day 15.
I painted the sign.
Myself.
`BLACK PETALS`
`BURNED. BUT BACK.`
Elias saw it.
He didn’t say anything.
He just kissed my forehead.
April 9th.
Day 16.
We opened.
At 9AM.
One plant.
The sprout.
In the window.
People came.
To look.
To leave money.
$300.
In a jar.
`FOR SEEDS`
April 10th.
Day 17.
I bought seeds.
Not 400.
40.
With the town’s money.
I didn’t take it.
I borrowed it.
“I’ll pay you back,” I said.
“We know,” Maren said.
April 11th.
Day 18.
Elias slept here.
On the floor.
Not with me.
Near me.
“Can I?” he asked.
“Yes.”
April 12th.
Day 19.
The plants grew.
Fast.
Like they were angry.
Like me.
April 13th.
Day 20.
Three weeks.
Black Petals was back.
Smaller.
Stronger.
At 6:00PM, Elias said, “Vesper.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t burn.”
“No,” I said. “I’m fireproof.”
April 14th.
Day 21.
I told him.
“I thought I’d die,” I said.
“When?”
“In the fire.”
“I know,” he said. “I would’ve died too.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I mean it,” he said. “You’re my life.”
April 15th.
Day 22.
We planted.
All 40 seeds.
In the greenhouse.
In the alley.
In me.
April 16th.
Day 23.
Maren said, “You’re scary now.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t break anymore,” I said. “I burn.”
April 17th.
Day 24.
Elias touched my face.
Ash still under my nails.
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
He kissed me.
Like we were alive.
Because we were.
April 18th.
Day 25.
The town threw a party.
“Black Petals Reborn.”
I didn’t go.
I stayed.
With the plants.
Elias stayed too.
April 19th.
Day 26.
I found something else.
In the ash.
The necklace.
Melted.
Black.
I kept it.
April 20th.
Day 27.
Four weeks.
Black Petals was alive.
So was I.
At 6:00PM, Elias said, “Vesper.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for not dying.”
“Thank you for not letting me.”
April 21st.
Day 28.
I slept.
For 12 hours.
First time since the fire.
Elias watched.
April 22nd.
Day 29.
I woke up.
He was still there.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi.”
“Did you sleep?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I was scared you wouldn’t wake up.”
“I did.”
“I know,” he said.
April 23rd.
Day 30.
One month.
Black Petals stood.
So did I.
At 6:00PM, Elias took my hand.
Ash and all.
“Vesper,” he said.
“Yes.”
“We’re not done.”
“No,” I said. “We’re just starting.”
The fire took everything.
Except us.
*END OF CHAPTER 16*
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