It All Ended In Fire
I ran up the stone stairs fearing the combustion I felt building up inside of me. I heard him coming after me, my heart beating as I hurried and tripped up the cold stone stairs and finally to the room at the top: safety. I ran into the cold but welcoming room I called my own. It was large, painted in a periwinkle blue and it gave a feeling of emptiness with its lack of furniture save the large bed located at the center of the massive space. I ran past the lonely scene and to the secret entrance in my closet. As I stepped through the door I entered a grey world of dust and cobwebs that swerved around me and made me feel caught. I sighed with relief when I reached the exit that lead to the front of the mansion. This house had always seemed so cold to me, but right now I felt as cold as the stone steps I had just run up. I heard the footsteps of my pursuer and I knew that despite my efforts, I would have to have this much unwanted meeting with him. Dylan came around the corner, his muscular body heaving from the climb he had just endured. “Laura ye don’t understand.”
“Don’t I?”
“No what ye saw back there I was just being friendly.” “Well do you call having an affair with Clara just being friendly? He was silent then. In that moment I knew my fears had been confirmed and I felt the horrible combustion explode and pop inside of me.
“You Scottish jerk! You honestly thought that all of this wouldn’t upset me didn’t you!”
“I don’t see why it would.”
“That was my sister back there! You think just because you can have any lass ye like you can have em all. Well you can’t and you most certainly can’t have me. Why don’t you go to America? I hear they have a shortage on Scottish arses lately! Good bye and get ye gone. I am sick of your stupid excuses and your philandering ways!” With that he turned around and huffed away, his beautiful shoulders heaving up and down as he fumed his way down the dirt road away from our house. After his looming shape disappeared over the hills I panicked. I knew where I needed to go so I ran with all my might to Ruins Hill. Ruins Hill was the most beautiful place in the world and lucky for me; I was the only one who knew about it. It was the most beautiful place I had ever been to, and best of all, it was my secret. The famine had left the people hungry and empty but Ruins Hill was as full and lush looking as the rest of Ireland. I looked out over the fields of green, the tall grass shades of purple green and even red. I leaned my head against one of the large ancient boulders that had stood strong and proud over the thousands of years that it had existed. I realized there, leaning against that dark and mossy relic of time, that my life was about to change drastically. I had been married to Darryl for two years and I although being exceedingly independent, I counted on him to keep me occupied. He had been cheating on me since last year and to be honest, I had had enough with him and his pride. I knew I had to stop thinking about what would happen the days to follow and just focus on now so I looked out over the view. Ireland looked like she always had, and as the cool but persistent wind blew, the array of colors danced and rippled like the sea. As it blew I felt myself being taken into the swirl and sweep of it. My long cinnamon hair blew into my eyes and my skirt danced in the playful winds. The feeling was calming and put me at ease. Then the wind began to blow more and more, and as the emerald sea swelled and bent the once light grey sky turned as black as a cauldron. I knew that I needed to get home before the storm hit. I felt the panic rise up in my throat like an unwelcome visitor I recognized as fear. I tried with all of my might to make it home before the storm hit. I ran and ran trying to beat Mother Nature. Alas, being my accident prone self, I didn’t see a ditch in my path. Before I had time to slow down, I tripped and fell face first into the sucking mud, and heard my ankle twist and snap. The pain shot through me like fire to kindle.As I fell into unconsciousness, I saw a face that I could not distinguish through the blur of the pounding rain. In that next moment I felt my body being lifted from sodden earth and all I could feel was warmth around me, endless and comforting warmth then, I fell into oblivion. When I awoke I was in my cold and empty room once again. I sat up and immediately regretted doing so when a blast of pain shot through my ankle. After a few minutes I remembered everything that had happened that afternoon, but to my surprise I was not panicked or angry. As I tried to lie back down I heard my door creak open and I saw my maid poke her head in to see if I was still sleeping. Seeing me awake, she came in and asked me if I needed anything. I told her I didn’t and that I would call if I did. After she left I began asking myself lots of questions, but the biggest question of all was how had I gotten home? All that I remembered was falling in the rain and everything after that was a blur. Except for the warmth I remember feeling warm and sheltered but I could not remember seeing anything. “Well you came around mighty quick for a lass with a broken ankle.”
I screamed and fell out of my bed and onto the floor. I watched as Allen Derwin cussed and ran to my side.
“Well that was interesting.”
“Interesting I nearly had a heart attack what the hell are you doi’n in my room?” “Calm down lassie there is no need to get fiesty with me I was just checking to see if you were all right who do you think I am Darryl?” he laughed at the remark he had found so funny. “I ‘ave never seen a lass give a lad a tongue lashing like that, but yours was one to mark the ages.
“Allen didn’t your parents ever tell you not to eavesdrop on other people.”
“They did but I never listened.” I sighed; Allen had always been the rowdy boy of the clachan. He was rowdy and prideful and had about three girls a day. I looked up at his beautiful face with wonder. At twenty three Allen was tall with wide shoulders and toned muscles. His surprisingly dark brown hair was glossy and short and he was perfectly tanned from his days in the fields. His eyes were marvelous, the color of emerald moss with specs of blue and gold mixed into them. As I looked up into them I could sense myself drowning in his glory. I thought to myself that looks were all very well but a man had to be kind hearted and hardworking. I cringed as the thought passed through my head because I knew that Allen was both of those things if not, more. Allen Derwin was perfect and beautiful and no one could argue with that. All of his features were perfect, but the most perfect of all was his smile. When Allen Derwin smiled girls all over the clachan swooned like ill children. Now, as he smiled devilishly at me I had to remember to breathe. However, as undeniably handsome as he was, his pride was just as undeniable. When we were little, I was one of his good friends. I remembered the first time I knew I loved him. One day when we were fifteen we were playing by the beach near the rock caves and I went into one of them to search for treasure. As I was searching my foot got caught between two rocks and I couldn’t free it. As high tide came in Allen got worried and came to check on me. He came in and freed my foot from the rock but as we tried for our escape we realized the tide had beaten us to our escape. I couldn’t swim but I knew Allen could. He grabbed me by the waste and together we plunged into the open sea. In his frenzy to get to shore he lost his grip on me and I fell deep into the thunderous swells of the sea. I still remembered the feeling of drowning, feeling my body being pulled deeper and deeper into the crashing waves. The sound of underwater thunder swirling and crashing around me. Finally, Allen had found me and pulled me out of the water. Soaking and dazzled I stood there and realized for the first time that I loved the boy standing in front of me. As we got older he would tease me about marrying him instead of my betrothed Darryl but I knew he was only joking. As he got older he became more and more conceited and finally, I stopped talking to him. I would avoid seeing him completely except for one problem: he worked for me. Allen had worked for my father before he died, and left the estate to me. In my father’s will, it was clearly stated that all of the help on the property were to remain employed. My father was a fair man and Allen was a hard worker. However, this did not change the fact that I hated him with a burning passion. In the beginning I had kept an eye on him to see if he slacked off or did anything wrong while he was working, but he saved his bad behavior until after hours when he was out with his friends.
It All Ended In Fire
I ran up the stone stairs fearing the combustion I felt building up inside of me. I heard him coming after me, my heart beating as I hurried and tripped up the cold stone stairs and finally to the room at the top: safety. I ran into the cold but welcoming room I called my own. It was large, painted in a periwinkle blue and it gave a feeling of emptiness with its lack of furniture save the large bed located at the center of the massive space. I ran past the lonely scene and to the secret entrance in my closet. As I stepped through the door I entered a grey world of dust and cobwebs that swerved around me and made me feel caught. I sighed with relief when I reached the exit that lead to the front of the mansion. This house had always seemed so cold to me, but right now I felt as cold as the stone steps I had just run up. I heard the footsteps of my pursuer and I knew that despite my efforts, I would have to have this much unwanted meeting with him. Dylan came around the corner, his muscular body heaving from the climb he had just endured.
“Laura ye don’t understand.”
“Don’t I?”
“No what ye saw back there I was just being friendly.” “Well do you call having an affair with Clara just being friendly? He was silent then. In that moment I knew my fears had been confirmed and I felt the horrible combustion explode and pop inside of me.
“You Scottish jerk! You honestly thought that all of this wouldn’t upset me didn’t you!”
“I don’t see why it would.”
“That was my sister back there! You think just because you can have any lass ye like you can have em all. Well you can’t and you most certainly can’t have me. Why don’t you go to America? I hear they have a shortage on Scottish arses lately! Good bye and get ye gone. I am sick of your stupid excuses and your philandering ways!”
With that he turned around and huffed away, his beautiful shoulders heaving up and down as he fumed his way down the dirt road away from our house. After his looming shape disappeared over the hills I panicked. I knew where I needed to go so I ran with all my might to Ruins Hill. Ruins Hill was the most beautiful place in the world and lucky for me; I was the only one who knew about it. It was the most beautiful place I had ever been to, and best of all, it was my secret. The famine had left the people hungry and empty but Ruins Hill was as full and lush looking as the rest of Ireland. I looked out over the fields of green, the tall grass shades of purple green and even red. I leaned my head against one of the large ancient boulders that had stood strong and proud over the thousands of years that it had existed. I realized there, leaning against that dark and mossy relic of time, that my life was about to change drastically. I had been married to Darryl for two years and I although being exceedingly independent, I counted on him to keep me occupied. He had been cheating on me since last year and to be honest, I had had enough with him and his pride. I knew I had to stop thinking about what would happen the days to follow and just focus on now so I looked out over the view. Ireland looked like she always had, and as the cool but persistent wind blew, the array of colors danced and rippled like the sea. As it blew I felt myself being taken into the swirl and sweep of it. My long cinnamon hair blew into my eyes and my skirt danced in the playful winds. The feeling was calming and put me at ease. Then the wind began to blow more and more, and as the emerald sea swelled and bent the once light grey sky turned as black as a cauldron. I knew that I needed to get home before the storm hit. I felt the panic rise up in my throat like an unwelcome visitor I recognized as fear. I tried with all of my might to make it home before the storm hit. I ran and ran trying to beat Mother Nature. Alas, being my accident prone self, I didn’t see a ditch in my path. Before I had time to slow down, I tripped and fell face first into the sucking mud, and heard my ankle twist and snap. The pain shot through me like fire to kindle. As I fell into unconsciousness, I saw a face that I could not distinguish through the blur of the pounding rain. In that next moment I felt my body being lifted from sodden earth and all I could feel was warmth around me, endless and comforting warmth then, I fell into oblivion.
When I awoke I was in my cold and empty room once again. I sat up and immediately regretted doing so when a blast of pain shot through my ankle. After a few minutes I remembered everything that had happened that afternoon, but to my surprise I was not panicked or angry. As I tried to lie back down I heard my door creak open and I saw my maid poke her head in to see if I was still sleeping. Seeing me awake, she came in and asked me if I needed anything. I told her I didn’t and that I would call if I did. After she left I began asking myself lots of questions, but the biggest question of all was how had I gotten home? All that I remembered was falling in the rain and everything after that was a blur. Except for the warmth I remember feeling warm and sheltered but I could not remember seeing anything.
“Well you came around mighty quick for a lass with a broken ankle.”
I screamed and fell out of my bed and onto the floor. I watched as Allen Derwin cussed and ran to my side.
“Well that was interesting.”
“Interesting I nearly had a heart attack what the hell are you doi’n in my room?”
“Calm down lassie there is no need to get fiesty with me I was just checking to see if you were all right who do you think I am Darryl?” he laughed at the remark he had found so funny. “I ‘ave never seen a lass give a lad a tongue lashing like that, but yours was one to mark the ages.
“Allen didn’t your parents ever tell you not to eavesdrop on other people.”
“They did but I never listened.” I sighed; Allen had always been the rowdy boy of the clachan. He was rowdy and prideful and had about three girls a day. I looked up at his beautiful face with wonder. At twenty three Allen was tall with wide shoulders and toned muscles. His surprisingly dark brown hair was glossy and short and he was perfectly tanned from his days in the fields. His eyes were marvelous, the color of emerald moss with specs of blue and gold mixed into them. As I looked up into them I could sense myself drowning in his glory. I thought to myself that looks were all very well but a man had to be kind hearted and hardworking. I cringed as the thought passed through my head because I knew that Allen was both of those things if not, more. Allen Derwin was perfect and beautiful and no one could argue with that. All of his features were perfect, but the most perfect of all was his smile. When Allen Derwin smiled girls all over the clachan swooned like ill children. Now, as he smiled devilishly at me I had to remember to breathe. However, as undeniably handsome as he was, his pride was just as undeniable. When we were little, I was one of his good friends. I remembered the first time I knew I loved him.
One day when we were fifteen we were playing by the beach near the rock caves and I went into one of them to search for treasure. As I was searching my foot got caught between two rocks and I couldn’t free it. As high tide came in Allen got worried and came to check on me. He came in and freed my foot from the rock but as we tried for our escape we realized the tide had beaten us to our escape. I couldn’t swim but I knew Allen could. He grabbed me by the waste and together we plunged into the open sea. In his frenzy to get to shore he lost his grip on me and I fell deep into the thunderous swells of the sea. I still remembered the feeling of drowning, feeling my body being pulled deeper and deeper into the crashing waves. The sound of underwater thunder swirling and crashing around me. Finally, Allen had found me and pulled me out of the water. Soaking and dazzled I stood there and realized for the first time that I loved the boy standing in front of me. As we got older he would tease me about marrying him instead of my betrothed Darryl but I knew he was only joking. As he got older he became more and more conceited and finally, I stopped talking to him. I would avoid seeing him completely except for one problem: he worked for me. Allen had worked for my father before he died, and left the estate to me. In my father’s will, it was clearly stated that all of the help on the property were to remain employed. My father was a fair man and Allen was a hard worker. However, this did not change the fact that I hated him with a burning passion. In the beginning I had kept an eye on him to see if he slacked off or did anything wrong while he was working, but he saved his bad behavior until after hours when he was out with his friends.