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Author here. The first chapter was written by me a long time ago (probably 3 years if I remember right) , and I never got the time to write more of the story.
And now I'm writing directly from a 4" mobile phone, so I'll be changing the writing style of novel after this chapter.
In the original version, our MC was supposed to be an IPS officer, and that was what was supposed to be the reason behind her awesome all rounder knowledge. But since a lot of time has passed, I have been inflicted with a deadly system virus, so I'll be giving her a system instead.
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Pa pa paaan
Story starts
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"WE NEED MORE HANDS.. ITS A MESS HERE, AND WE ARE NEARLY OUT OF WATER.…"
The shoutings of a firefighter over his radio dies off by the sounds of sirens and the commotion of the mob; who like every good civilian, have gathered here giving a hard time to the police. Everyone wants to witness the mystical spectacle of the fire that seemingly became alive. People have started livestreaming on social media and its gaining likes and RTs in aww over the dancing revolving fiery tornado. Every now and then, occasional hissing and blasting sounds an be heard, and they are just adding the music to the performance .
Another red vehicle arrives amidst the crowded road just as mysteriously as the fire had in the building. After an intense battling, the fire starts yielding to the fighters paving way for the rescue operation.
In the crowd there is also this woman in her 20s trying really hard to break free of the police barricade. Tears are falling down her eyes and her voice is broken, perhaps because of her constant screaming or maybe it's just due to her helplessness.
Two hours and the helmets have doused off the fire completely, except on the top floor, where it is still holding firm.
Another loud blast shrieks and shatters a glass walls, raining down the shards on friends and foes alike. The policemen and the fire fighters who have just started to feel relieved, and the mob that was enjoying the show, are all shown what power the fire holds.
The police isn't sure anymore to what to do. Civilians are running in every direction. The firefighters are somewhat unfazed but the presence of confusion can be clearly witnessed in their eyes.
The lady, however, seems unaffected by all the pandemonium surrounding her. Her only focus is on her family and if no one has yet rescued them, then she is going in.
Her tears are blocking her vision yet she is determined.
She must do something and this is her chance.
She dashes towards the entrance and a red helmet follows hoping to stop her, only to fall down after tripping over a grass knot.
She is in.
Surrounded by thick black smoke.. Through the deafening roar of fire she hears now and then, all the sirens and commotion are like whinings of mosquitoes.
There is no light and even the power of the full moon seems inefficient in penetrating that darkness.
Fortunately she knows the apartment at the back of her hand, and goes straight up the stairs easily, that is, if you ignore the various burns from touching the railing and injuries from a trip.
She reaches the top floor, the 13th to be exact, and sees two firefighters being toyed by their adversary. As soon as they finish with one spot in the corridor, the fire emerges resurrected.
The woman runs past those men but for some reason they don't even try to stop her.
Maybe they are too occupied with the fire but that's no way to be a firefighter. At least they could have saved her dupatta from burning, after all, it just passed brushing one of them before it grew those flames.
"MOM!! ZAID!! ANYBODY?? Where are you??", she keeps calling out hoping for an answer, all the while feeding the black soot to her lungs via breathing and engulfing the smoke.
She slams open her apartment door with one kick, as if she has enormous strength in that feeble body. When it opened, ashes and smoke starts blowing through as the heat is pulled toward her.
There's fire behind her, and she sees nobody upfront. Apart from the smoke and heat, the smell of that fire is something that has reached its peak. It is not the cozy smell of a campfire but the putrid stench of synthetic carpeting, drywall plaster, and household appliances melting, the toxic cloud of the life disintegrating. Just then she hears a familiar voice,
"RUN!! GET OUT OF HERE!! RUN!!"
Hearing the panic in the voice, she is even more determined to rescue her family.
"Hold on! I'm coming,"
Sara shouts back and follows the voice to the dining room. The fire is leaving no stone unturned to stop her in her tracks and she is coughing badly. But she is determined, her willpower is soaring high as if some roohani power cheering up her spirit..
However what she sees breaks that will. No, rather it is more apt to say that her determination got completely decimated.
Her brother is completely surrounded by fire while a snake emerges from amidst those flames; a snake made of fire, or a fire itself that has been moulded in the form of a snake. Whatever that thing is, it hisses and engulfs Zaid in one go, before turning towards her, as if to show off its eyes that are even darker than the dark she has ever seen in her lifetime..
She is frozen but the burns and smell make her regain her senses and she runs for the door which is closed again somehow. She swings it open, and gets blown back by an explosion, knocking down a portrait of an eye.
Twelve hours later, she is awakened by the sun rays falling on her face. "She's awake..", says someone and from what she could make out with her half open eyes, a figure wearing white clothes advances towards her..