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"Mommy! Daddy! Hurry up! Hurry up!" I yelled from my room, squirming under the covers and wiggling my toes from sheer excitement.

Mommy and daddy said they were on their way to my bedroom to read me 'Peter Pan' before going to bed like they usually do every night; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to sleep easily. I needed to hear a bedtime story being read to me through mommy and daddy's soft voices so I could feel my consciousness ebb away smoothly.

"Mommy? You pinky promised that it wouldn't take so long," I said from under the covers.

"Daddy?" I kept on calling their names repeatedly but they wouldn't answer.

I let out a sigh, scrunching my face up and drumming my fingers against the mattress impatiently. Why weren't they answering?

A few minutes passed and I sat up straighter on the bed, growing too restless. I was really eager to hear my bedtime story.

Maybe they'll hurry up if I go to their room and call them again while I'm there.

I grabbed Mr. Cuddles, slid down the bed, and walked out of my room with my favorite stuffie pressed up against my chest.

I stopped when I was a few inches away from mommy and daddy's door, remembering what daddy always used to say to me and Lukey about knocking three knocks on their door before opening it and that it had something to do with "not wanting to be traumatized for the rest of my life" or something, I never really understood what he meant but mommy would say that daddy was just being funny.

"Silly daddy." I giggled to myself.

I knocked on the door three times, waited for a whole minute, and then knocked three more. On the third knock, the big, wooden door slowly creaked open by itself. I peeked through the opening and found the room empty.

"They must still be downstairs," I reckoned.

I slowly crept towards the staircase and stopped at my brother Lukey's door. I wanted to say goodnight to him, but I remembered that he'd gone to spend the night at his friends'.

I stopped at the staircase, "Mommy? Daddy? What is taking you so lon-"

*GUNSHOT*

My entire body jerked suddenly to a standstill at the loud noise.

What was that?

"MERIDETH!" I heard daddy scream mommy's name from downstairs. I felt every hair on my back stand up as I heard my dad say the following dreaded words; "No, no, no, honey stay with me, stay with me, baby."

"Daddy? What is going on?" I yelled from upstairs, I still couldn't see them but I could tell they were near the front door.

I felt my heart skip three beats as I raced to the front door. I was stopped by daddy. He had red paint all over his shirt and hands and tears were pouring out of his hazel eyes.

An indescribable feeling washed over me as I locked eyes with my dad. His chest was rapidly rising and falling as his salty tears continued to stain his red cheeks.

"Hey baby, I know we promised to read you a story before bed but I'm going to need you to listen to me carefully right now, okay?" Daddy's voice was rushed, and he had a frightful yet blank look engraved in his eyes.

I nodded my head at him, my eyebrows were pinched and a frown had formed on my face; I was confused as to why daddy was scared.

"W-we're going to play a little game of hide and seek because mommy and daddy are getting bored, and you're going to play with us. Do you remember the hiding spot you and I would always hide in when playing with mommy?" Daddy asked quickly yet softly, tears still running down his face.

I wanted to ask him why he was crying, but I knew that he wanted me to answer him. "Yes."

"Well, baby I'm going to need you to hide there right now and don't come out until I tell you to, okay Sugarplum?"

I nodded my head quickly before daddy kissed my forehead and whispered, "Mommy and daddy love you so much, be a good girl for us okay?"

"But-"

I was interrupted when we heard footsteps... That must be mommy, I need to hide!

"GO OLIVIA, BABY. NOW!"

I rushed upstairs to the attic's ladder and cautiously climbed it . I walked over to the closet that was in the corner and closed it behind me.

I heard daddy's loud yell from downstairs and I jumped a little in my place. Mommy must have found him!

I stayed in the closet, waiting for daddy to tell me to get out. About five minutes after hearing the scream, I started to hear footsteps approaching.

"Matt, what the hell do you think you're doing? Come on man, we got the money now, let's get out of this place before the cops get here. Dave said he heard sirens."

"Shit! Okay I'm coming, did you start the fire? We need to get rid of the evidenc-."

"Yes man, I did, now hurry the fuck up before boss leaves us here to burn!"

I stayed where I was, I didn't know what was happening and where daddy and mommy were but daddy said to stay here until he calls me.

A couple of minutes later, I began hearing ear-splitting sirens and screams coming from outside.

"THERE'S A KID! LOOK FOR THE GIRL. QUICKLY! WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT!"

I smelled a horrible scent that made my lungs fight for breath and I let out a bunch of strangled, harsh coughs.

Before I could process what was happening, the closet door flung open and I was being carried out of the house by a man wearing a... firefighter suit? What's happening? Where's mommy and daddy?

The man carried me outside and I held onto him tightly, swiveling my head to the back to see what exactly was going on. My heart dropped to my stomach and I felt a wave of worry hit my body the second I caught the sight of my home being burnt down in flames.

"MOMMYYYYY!" I yelled at the top of my lungs in a shaky voice. No one answered. Where were they? Did no one hear me?

"DADDYYYYY" I cried hysterically.

I stood in disbelief as I watched what once was my home turn into a chaotic mess of ash and flame. The infernal blaze set everyone on a rampage in the area. No one could afford to stay back and help stop the spread. The firefighters were the only ones near the house and were trying their best to put it down. The whole house was burning.

My eyes roamed around the place, searching for my parents, I was internally begging to find assurance that they were safe and alive. But I couldnt. I couldn't find assurance. Mommy and daddy were nowhere in sight.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I started putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Mommy and daddy weren't outside with the rest of the neighborhood. Mommy and daddy were in there. They wer-

Before I could finish that thought my eyes caught the sight of two familiar faces inside the house. They were staring right at me through the window, their faces were barely visible as the flames caught onto their skin and slowly made it melt, pyrotechnic flames blazed on their heads and clothing.

They just stood there, staring at me with intensity, grins were slowly making their way to their faces, to mommy and daddy's faces.

"MOMMY! DADDY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? COME OUT! SOMEBODY HELP THEM!" My throat was starting to get scratchy from my screaming and I tried my best to gulp so I could moisten it but I was incapable of doing so. I couldn't swallow. I didn't care though, I just continued to scream to catch the attention of anyone and snap the people around me from their dazes.

No one responded, though.

I looked around and saw that everyone had suddenly disappeared and I was all alone, left abandoned in front of the fire. There was a bitter taste in the back of my mouth that I couldn't seem to get rid of.

My heart was beating a mile a minute and fear became a tangible, living force that crept over me like some hungry beast, immobilizing me; my brain, holding me. I was paralyzed to the spot, the menacing aura gripping me in a tightening hold.

I slowly turned my head back towards my burning house's direction. I was not frightened nor was I was afraid of the sight. What I felt was beyond such mere nouns.

Daddy and mommy were still grinning at me while burning alive.

"D-DADDYY PLEASE COME OUT!" I cried. "MOMMY!"

I then felt two pairs of hands being wrapped around my neck from behind and turned around, only to find..."Papa? Mama?"

They were still burning alive and grinning while choking me. They were mouthing two words...

Your. Fault.

I screamed their names louder and cried even harder. They didn't stop.

"PLEASE NO, STOP, PLEASE, MOMMY-"

"OLIVIA! WAKE UP!"

"STOP PLEASE, STOP" I screamed.

"Liv it's me, it's okay, wake up. I'm here, it's just another nightmare, please wake up."

My eyes snapped open. I was shaking uncontrollably, my heart was pounding in my ears, and I felt my whole body soaking in a cold sweat. I looked around the room, suspicious and paranoid that the horror may have followed me here.

I found a chest blocking my view from the side and shivered as I looked up. I was met with Luke's hazel eyes in front of me. Brushing the damp hair locks off my sweaty forehead, he looked at me with sad eyes.

As soon as I realized what was happening I buried my face into his chest and started crying, my entire body shaking from the harsh sobs I was letting out. Luke kissed my temple and started whispering sweet nothings, attempting to calm me down.

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