9-1-1

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His words sink in, making me smile like a fool.

"Say something, Cat. Anything!"

I start laughing, unsure of how else to react.

"I love you too, Dario."

He smiles back at me, pulling me into a hug. I let myself melt into his embrace, not afraid of my feelings.

After letting everything set in for a moment, Dario pulls away slightly just enough to gaze into my eyes. Just the look he gives me send butterflies wild in my stomach.

Lust?

I'm not sure if he feels it too, but the air is alive.

Dario slowly leans in. I inhale sharply, worried as to what might happen.

Is he really going to...?

Wait!

What's that smell?

I put a hand on Dario's chest, holding him at bay. He looks hurt.

"Do you smell something?"

He takes a whiff of the air, his nose wrinkling.

"Yeah. It almost smells like...gas."

He stands from the bed, throwing open his bedroom door. The floor is covered in a shine liquid, a strong odor rising off of it. Just as this is discovered, my phone buzzes.

Dad 2: Morris signed himself out earlier. Lock the doors to the house. We're on our way home. We'll see you in two hours.

Morris.

             Is.

                  Not.

                           In.

                                 Rehab.

Dario exits the bedroom, careful not to step in the liquid.

Gasoline.

We find him at the top of the stairs, lighter in hand.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll light this place up."

"Think this through, Dad. You don't need to do this."

"What I don't need to do anymore is live. I'm sick of existing without Kathleen and Katie."

Dario tries to reach for the lighter carefully but Morris pulls a knife, the blade slicing through the air.

He jumps back, opening up the opportunity for Morris to attack me. The blade brushes against my skin, blood spraying from the wound.

"Ow!"

The next few seconds are a blur.

Dario grabs me, pulling me back into his room. My arm stings.

A loud noise comes from the hall.

Indescribably loud.

Boom!

The odor slips under the door next.

Burning.

Something is burning.

The house is on fire.

Dario turns to me, panicked.

"I'm going to break the window. Call 9-1-1. Then, you need to try and squeeze through the bars."

I dial the number.

I explain the situation to the operator.

"Stay on the line!"

I set the phone on the bed, watching Dario smash the glass of the window.

"Slip through the bars!"

"No! I'm not leaving you behind!"

The fire licks the floor, thriving with the fresh fuel supply Dario has just provided.

"You need to get help!"

"The fire department is on their way!"

"Just save yourself, Cat. Please."

"No!"

Sirens.

Loud sirens.

He grabs onto me, frowning at the sight of my bleeding arm.

"I love you, Cataclysm. Don't you forget that."

The door gives way, letting in the smoke and flames.

Intense heat.

Wave after wave.

I grip Dario's shirt tightly as he brings us to the other side of the bed in attempts to keep us shielded while still visible to firefighters.

My head starts to spin.

The world around me blurs.

The last thing I remember is Dario's voice.

"I love you, Cataclysm."

Then my whole world goes black.

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