Snowfall

The sudden realization that this may be the last moment in his life alive was crushing. Flames crawled up the walls, catching on the curtains and pawing at the ceiling.

"Elowen! Elowen, where are you?!" Fred was frantic, clawing at the sunken floorboards to find her. The smoke filled the room with a thick cloud, invading them. Glass from a blown-out mirror pierced his palms and drove deep into his hand as he crawled along the floor.

"Fred?"

Her voice was weak, drowned by the constant eruption of flames. Fred scrambled to his feet in desperation to find Elowen. There was never a time like this, his eyes widened at the sight before him; the room engulfed in an orange beast.

A piece of the ceiling cracked above, falling down next to him, Elowen's voice was no longer there. "El?!"

"I'm here, Fred! Please, I'm here!" Her voice carried through the room. Fred coughed and squinted in hopes of being able to make out some sort of figure. A hand rose from across the room, a wall of fire separating the two of them.

Fred dropped to his stomach as another piece of the ceiling dropped down, slamming his shoulders before hitting the floor. "I'm coming, El!"

As the room fell apart piece by piece, he too did unravel. Bright flashes of lightbulbs exploding slung glass shards in every direction possible. Elowen was the center of it all; him.

It had been snowing that day, it made the world fall quiet as if everything was beginning again. All was peaceful when there was snow, nothing could hurt them.

Her hand lay motionless on the floor, pieces of the walls came tumbling down with devastating BANGs. Crawling, he reached her, and in taking her hand, felt that he had regained his deepest strengths. Fred held Elowen's hand in his and squeezed, unsure if they would make it out of there alive.

The wind knocked out of him, he grappled for the window, just a few feet away, wanting nothing more than to smell and breathe and live in the fresh, clear air. Opening the window would only fuel the fire more, but the lack of escape route through the front door and the rapidly decaying structure made it their only choice. Elowen still wasn't awake, not quite alive, but she wasn't yet dead.

Fred took Elowen in his arms, holding her limp body against his own. His heartbeat louder than the roaring flames that surrounded them, the beat drummed loud in his ears, reminding him that he was still alive. Elowen in his arms reminded him that it was worth it all to get out of there as soon as possible before they both wound up succumbing to the smoke and heat. Fred gasped for air, smoke infecting his lungs, and making it more and more difficult to get a decent breath in.

"It's alright, El. Everything will be alright, darling." Fred whispered. The window taunted him, so far away. When he reached the latch, it no longer mattered how much it burned against his fingertips. The cool winter air flooded the room, the flames grew with a hideous growl.

Given the state of things, it would be a miracle if they would survive. Something as simple as a candlestick burning down to the bottom, catching on a Christmas decoration, caused all of this. The floor creaked and cracked under him, snapping in places where it had been burned the most. Fred stumbled around, falling a few times, always pulling himself back.

Outside the window was a small patch of roof, whether it would be enough to support both of them was a mystery. Neighbors surrounded the house, yelling for anything that may help. Fred flagged down an older man, "Take her to the ground, make sure she's alright!"

Fred lowered Elowen down to the man, situated ready on a ladder, the roof cracked below his feet. Soon it broke.

With a furious snap, Fred was held up by his hands grasping for any extra piece of the roof there was. He watched the fire below him slowly rise up the walls, it was only a matter of time before he was in there as well. Neighbors offered their hand, Fred reached, trying to hoist himself up with the remaining strength he had. He felt a hand and was finally able to lift himself with the help of another neighbor while the rest were tending to the fire and to Elowen. Fred watched as the rest of the roof collapsed.

The snow pressed against his back, against the bruises and cuts from glass and falling ceilings, Fred watched Elowen next to him. Her skin stained with soot and tears, her hair covered in ashes, her hands burned and bruised. The blood on his hands, the small shards of glass from the mirror stained the snow a miserable dark red. He reached and held her hand in his once again. "Fred?"

She sputtered out, Elowen drew ragged breaths from deep within her lungs, wanting more than anything to breathe the fresh air. To feel the cold fill her lungs and spread throughout her body. The taste of smoke was too much for her body to handle.

"El. It's okay, everything's alright, dear." Fred closed his eyes, the sounds around him grew louder as the house caved in on itself, into it's own fiery mess. He imagined a different time, he and Elowen sitting curled up in front of a crackling fireplace, the snow blanketing the outside world, hot chocolate. Fred wanted so badly to be anywhere else.

An ambulance and fire engines arrived shortly after their escape, the snowfall aided in slowing the fire. The night dragged on forever, and Fred lay in the snow, dreaming of hot chocolate and Elowen's body curled up against his own, her lips on his, holding her close as the fireplace crackled with little pops and bangs. Snowflakes landed on his face, the cold sensation felt like heaven when compared to what it felt like to be trapped in that house. Fred loved Elowen more than anything, and he proved it that night under the snowfall.