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If there is anyone at all who hasn't given up on this, I am sorry! Thank you for keeping with it.
A small crowd of midnight walkers and late night workers only just returning home had gathered outside The Vic to watch the show. Many were locals and were horrified by what they were seeing, turning around to ask each other if anyone was inside, or if they knew how the fire had started. It wasn't until the crowd clocked the look on Roxy and Peggy's faces did they realise how serious this was. The word soon spread that Ronnie was trapped inside and Jack had gone into get her, only then did someone think to call the ambulance and fire brigade, causing Roxy to hate herself even more for not even thinking of that.
Roxy and Claire could do nothing but stare at The Vic. Neither had ever felt so helpless. They were both just standing and watching as a building burnt down with someone they both cared about inside. Roxy had stopped crying, her tears had ran dry. All she could do was wait and prey that Jack would get to her sister in time. This is what you wished for, said a voice in her head, remember the last thing you said? 'As far as I'm concerned, you're dead. I wish you were.' Roxy felt a huge wave of guilt and despair wash over her as she realised those may have been her last ever words to Ronnie.
Guilt also burned inside Claire, she knew something was going to happen. She had the feeling, she could have done something. If only she had told someone what had happened to Ronnie as soon as Ronnie told her, or encouraged her to tell someone herself, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. In fact, there was no maybe about it. None of this would have happened if she hadn't been so stupid and naïve to ignore her gut feelings. She thought she was just overreacting, being paranoid. She had told herself that nothing was going to happen, and to stop worrying and get back to running the shop. For the second time in her life she had failed to save a friend in need, although all the warning signs were there.
A woman came running over to where Claire and Roxy stood. She looked up and the raging fire and began to shout. "Not my pub!" Roxy caught sight of Peggy and heard her shout. She turned to her Aunt, anger flashed through her eyes.
"Is that really all you care about?" she shouted. A look of confusion passed over Peggy's face.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes pleading with Roxy to tell her that everyone was safe.
"Ronnie's in there!" shrieked Roxy. "Jack's gone in to find her, but of course you wouldn't care about that would you? All you care about is your pub!" Peggy gasped, her eyes filled with tears.
"No! She can't be, she's with Jack, she has been all day!" She said, not wanting to believe what Roxy was telling her.
"Well evidently not! Jack was running across the square shouting that he had to see Ronnie. They must have had an argument or something and she came back here." The tears escaped Peggy's eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
"I didn't know, I thought it was empty, I though..." he voice trailed away and Roxy continued to look at her in disgust.
"You didn't bother to ask either," she spat, then turned away from her Aunt and back to the pub, preying that both Jack and her sister would be OK.
Roxy didn't really blame Peggy. She knew that as far as Peggy was aware, the pub was empty that day. The only person there in the morning had been Ronnie, who had since left and as far as anyone knew, stayed out all day. Why couldn't she stay out all night too? Why did her and Jack have to pick today to have a row? Roxy realised that it wouldn't have made a difference, it was Tony who had done this. He would have just waited until she was alone in the pub to strike, or thought of some other way. Roxy wondered where Tony had gone. He had been behind her when she bumped into Jack and the pair of them had gone running to the pub. I hope he's gone all the way to hell, thought Roxy, hoping that once again, her wish would come true.
Ronnie watched her daughter's eyes light up as she touched Ronnie's stomach. She seemed genuinely happy that Ronnie was going to have another baby. Ronnie couldn't help but feel a wave of grief as she watched Danielle. She had just found her baby, she couldn't lose her again, not for the third time. Danielle's eye locked with Ronnie's and she seemed to understand. "I know," she breathed, "but you have to. It was my time, but it's not yours. There are people who need you. People you can't leave. There is nothing I want more than for you to stay here with me. I want that so much. I want us the have the chance here that we never had before."
That was it. If her daughter wanted her to stay, Ronnie was going no where. She was going to stay here whatever the cost. Jack, Roxy and the others would get over it in time. They would move on with their live, but Ronnie couldn't. Not without Danielle. "The I'm staying." Ronnie voiced her thoughts. "I'm not leaving you again. I'm not letting anyone else take you away." Danielle smiled sadly.
"No you're not," she said, softly. "You're going to go back and be a mother to this child."
"But what if I want to be a mother to you?" chocked out Ronnie. She was crying by this point. Something she thought she could no longer do. But the numbness wasn't a part of this world. How could she go back to that world of pain and emptiness, a world without her daughter now she had had a glimpse of how it could be.
Suddenly, Ronnie felt something move inside her. She was only a few weeks gone, the baby couldn't be kicking already. Ronnie stared down at her stomach in awe. "That's them telling you why you have to go back," said Danielle, smiling for real this time. Ronnie couldn't help smiling back, just the sight of her daughter happy sent a warm glow through her, something that she hadn't felt in so long, she had forgotten what it was like.
Danielle's outline was growing fainter, as if she was fading away. Danielle seemed to notice this too and looked at Ronnie, meaningfully. "I love you, mum," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. Ronnie stepped forwards and embraced her daughter.
"I love you too, you're my baby," she sobbed, "my Amy." Ronnie could feel Danielle starting to disappear beneath her hold. Her hair was growing softer under Ronnie's fingers, her body less solid. All Ronnie could do was hold her daughter until the very last second when she could no longer feel her, not even in her heart. She held on until the vast white had faded away and she fell back into the icy blackness.
Jack finally reached the top of the stairs, and fought to see through the flames. He could see what should be the door to Ronnie's room, but it was completely alight. Flames covered every inch of the wood, he couldn't see anything past it. Raising the extinguisher, Jack began to spray blindly until there was a gap in the fire large enough for him to dart through into Ronnie's bedroom.
Jack could see nothing through the haze of smoke that covered the room. He screamed Ronnie's name, listening out for her reply. After a few moments, he still heard nothing and began to search frantically around the room, calling her name as he looked. Then, through the wall of smoke and fire he saw a figure lying just a few feet away. "Ronnie!" she screamed, begging a reaction from her, he tried desperately to reach her, but the flames were too thick, impossible to pass through.
Desperate, Jack used the last of what was left in the fire extinguisher. He felt his heart sink when he heard the squeaking that indicated that it was empty. How was he going to get Ronnie out now? Jack chased away this thought quickly, his only current mission being getting to Ronnie. Jack staggered forwards and finally dropped to his knees beside her.
Ronnie was lying on her side, her hand curled into the carpet beside her. Her face was grey with ash; her eyes were closed and she was unmoving. "Ron," muttered Jack, as he swept a strand of hair from her face. "Can you hear me?" As Jack expected, she made no reply, nor did she move at all. He put his hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. "Ronnie," he said, more loudly. Still she didn't give any inclining that she could hear his at all.
Jack knew he had to get her out of there as quickly as possible. Carefully, he looped her arm around his neck, then slid his own arms under her knees and back and lifted her easily off the floor. It was a comfort to Jack just feeling her weight in his arms, he could feel her heart beating against him; the only thing which proved she was alive.
Jack had no idea how he managed to escape the burning hot monster that was trying to consume them both. Only thoughts of Ronnie passed though his mind as he walked blindly around the flames, hoping with all his might that Ronnie would be alive when he got her out, and that she would stay alive with him until they were both too old and crippled to do anything for themselves.
Finally, Jack felt sharp air of the outside world. The contrast to the burning heat inside the pub was so intense, it almost hurt. Jack stumbled out onto the street as Roxy, Peggy and some unknown woman all rushed forwards. Roxy was sobbing again and yelling her sister's name. Peggy was also crying, but more quietly than Roxy. Claire simply stared at Ronnie's still, limp form, he mouth forming an 'o' shape.
Gently, Jack lowered Ronnie down to the floor, but continued to hold her in his arms, stroking her hair and calling her name, but to no avail. Jack didn't even realise he was crying until droplets of water dripped onto Ronnie's face, making clear tracks amongst the blackened soot stains.
Thanks those who commented, but as I've said before, I don't like this very much. I've written better. This is one of my first pieces.
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