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Grade
12

Everyone loved the vibrant green house that settled on Packard Street, it’s remarkable yard work stood out upon all the other houses, making people feel at ease as they strolled past the property. It’s beauty was cherished for many years among the people and made Abigail Fisher, the house owner, always feel connected to her community. That is, until that one terrible summer night when ashes flooded the entire street, clogging people’s lungs as they fought for each sharp breath.

Abigail Fischer had always adored her beautiful green home on Packard Street, it’s exterior was made of carefully aged wood with a light coat of a vibrant yet gentle green paint. Her yard was painted with phenomenal green grass and tulips that appeared as if they were dancing under the sun, reflecting their joy onto the many citizens that walked past Abigail’s property. Her several sprinklers danced throughout the yard, as if they were putting on a water works show as they nourished the earth with every spray and twist, leaving small water droplets on the delicate petals of the various Tulips.

One night, the dancing of the sprinklers erupted into a vicious roar that shook the whole street, their dances were no longer rhythmic but instead, were a hefty stream of power and rage that hissed through the air. Abigail had parked her car outside of her driveway just as her face began to shrivel with confusion and devastation as she peered at her beloved home. It’s green paint began to peel and turn to ash as the wood beneath it snapped and cracked with every growing moment. Clouds of ashes flooded her lungs and ripped at her emerald green eyes, causing them to tear up with a deep sorrow as she watched the whole event unfold helplessly. How could this happen? When did this happen? Abigail pondered, still in shock of what was happening as the angry stream of water slammed against the charred house, causing more ashes to flutter into the dark sky, appearing as if they were replacing the beautiful stars that once shined, with a dark and angry hatred.

It was in this moment, that the shadow of a dark male figure stood in front of the entrance of Abigail’s home, as if he was admiring the dancing flames. A tired match was firmly grasped in the sweat of his palm as a grin similar to the one of a bobcat’s, grew upon his face. The strange part is, is that the figure looked somewhat familiar to somebody that Abigail knew. The way his dark, ashy hair framed his face and the way that his eyes narrowed while he grinned seemed all too familiar to her. It was then, when Abigail peered closer at the man, that she finally recognized who he was.

John Smith, an old friend of Abigail’s, was the creator of this terrible house fire. He always seemed on edge to Abigail, but she never imagined him doing something like this. “What am I going to do with him? What should I say to such a crooked and corrupt person?” Abigail pondered to herself as she stealthfully approached John. His ember colored eyes burned through Abigail’s heart, similar to how the roaring flames engulfed the house that once settled behind them. She felt disgusted just looking at him and having to acknowledge what he did to her home.

“Wh...Why did you do this to me John? Why?” Stuttered Abigail as she fought back her tears. John chuckled as he flung the tired match into the flames, his grin crawling upon his face once more.

“You know Abi..”

“Don't ever call me that, we aren’t friends John. Friends don't burn their loved ones house down.” Abigail hissed, it took every ounce of control that was within her not to lunge at John.

John’s grin remained plastered on his face as he began to recall once more, “You know Abigail, you never loved me. All I wanted was for you to love me and accept me but you chose...him.” John snarled as he peered at the small house across the street labeled as number ‘1070’.

1070 Packard Street was the residence of a young lad named Gerald, a previous lover of Abigail’s from high school. Gerald carried himself nicely with proper composure and sweet caramel colored hair that embraced his ocean colored eyes, everyone loved him during high school, especially Abigail. Abigail had grown apart from Gerald after they graduated high school but he still remained in his house across from Abigail’s property and they talked from time to time. However, during high school, John had always had a crush on Abigail and was determined to win her over, even if that meant taking extreme measures to do so. At one point, John had even tried to murder Gerald during their times in high school by poisoning his lunch but failed miserably when he was caught by the authorities at the school. He was locked in prison but recently escaped, plotting to burn Abigail’s house to the ground. However, John’s plan didn’t go exactly as planned. He thought that Abigail was still inside of the house and that he had managed to take her down with the house in it’s raging flames. Now, Abigail stood upon him with rage fuming in her eyes as she stared at this monster of a man.

“I never loved you because you were and still are a psycho! You tried to kill Gerald when we were kids and now you’ve tried to kill me!” Abigail hissed as she firmly held her ground, trying to prepare herself for whatever else was to come.

“Now now Abigail..” John cackled under his breath as he began to shift closer to Abigail, placing his hand under her ash covered chin.

“Don’t touch me, get away from me you monster!” Abigail cried out.

It was in this moment that Gerald’s door had flung open, the smoke from Abigail’s house began to flood his front walkway. He squinted his eyes as he gazed across the street, his face turning a fuming ember color as he realized what was going on. Gerald began to run, tossing bits of torn apart asphalt with his every stride, his eyebrows wrinkled in a way that made him look even more agitated as he got closer and closer to the scene.

“What the is going on he-” Gerald’s eyes began to open in shock as he stared at the man that was holding Abigail’s chin. Anger began to slither through his spine as he realized that that man was John, the man who had tried to kill him all those years ago.

“You dirty demon...How dare you show your face around us again?!” Gerald crowed, like an eagle ready to slaughter it’s helpless prey. He lunged at John, knocking him into the flames that were still ablaze behind them all. John’s cries were engulfed in the flames as he melted away, almost as if it was a symbolic ending to Jon’s reign, his own terrible creation meant for destruction had finally destroyed him.

Abigail’s eyes began to fill with tears once more as she watched the flames, almost as if it was soothing for her to watch everything burn and shrivel away. Gerald had turned away from the flames, letting go a heavy exhale as he felt relieved that John was finally gone for good. He slowly turned towards Abigail and carefully locked her in a gentle embrace, it felt similar to the comfort and protection that a kitten receives from it’s loving mother figure.

“It’ll be okay, Abi. I’m here for you now, you won't have to worry ever again.” Gerald cooed softly into Abigail’s ear, causing a soft and sweet smile to crawl upon her face as she slowly departed from Gerald’s arms and glanced at her house.

It was in this moment, when the sound of the roaring water works beside them had tuned out the hissing of the final flames, that Abigail felt safe. She knew that she could rebuild her house and make it a more beautiful structure than it was before and decorate her garden in ways that she never tried before. It was in this moment, that she realized that everything would be okay and that once again, the people that walked past the house on the top of Packard Street, could feel at ease once again as their troubles slipped away and are swallowed by the rhythm of the water works.