Chapter 21
Soon, All the students that Were on
the top floor started coming down.
They all started running downstairs.
The students began to run Helter-skelter as the fire began to spread quickly.
" Students, Please come down at once! " The Vice-principal said aloud with a microphone to the students upstairs and soon more Students continued coming down.
Some teachers went upstairs to check out the classrooms.
Since our class was on the ground floor, all my classmates had escaped.
The firefighters were soon called but they haven't arrived yet.
Some teachers were questioning the cook.
" What's going on! How did the kitchen catch fire? " She was questioned sternly.
" Well... I am not sure ... But I think I left the gas stove on so ... When I tried lighting it .... There was a booming sound, it caught fire but I managed to escape. " She explained.
" But how could you be so careless to leave the gas stove on! " The Vice-principal scolded.
" Well, I... Am sorry VP.."
" You should be, what if? "
" I'll try to be more careful next time. " The cook assured bowing her head in shame.
" You better do, take her to the school clinic now! " The Vice-principal told the other teachers when she noticed some slight burns on the Cook's hands.
The fire continued to spread and the whole kitchen got burnt.
We watched it in silence, some students were asked to get soapy water to control the fire.
" Oh my! It seems like I am watching a movie! What caused the fire? " I heard some of my classmate's voices next to me.
" I think the cook left the gas stove on so... "
" Oh, that's too bad. I hope no one gets stuck up there. "
" Yeah, but no one is stuck since everyone is down here now," she said.
" Hm. "
" Ella, are you alright? " Jack's gentle voice was heard beside me.
" Umm... I am. "
" I never for once thought something like this will happen right in front of me. " He sighed as we watched the fire continue spreading, now another Classroom had caught fire.
" Yeah same here. "
" Well, the building can be rebuilt as long as no one is injured and no life is lost. "
" Tru... Wait! .... Steva... Where is Steva? " I said panicky as I started looking around Me.
" Steva? I haven't seen her. Perhaps she's somewhere among the crowd or with Tina. " He said.
" No! That's not possible, Steva is a little introverted and Tina had been expelled from school. "
" Oh? When did that happen? "
" On Monday. " I replied absentmindedly as I continued to look around.
I then left where I was and began to ask everyone about Steva.
" The last time I saw Steva was when she was heading to the studio immediately after the Bell for society time was ringing. " One of my classmates informed me.
" Wait, what! Don't tell me... " Before anyone could stop me I ran away from where they were then into the burning building.
" Stella, wait! It's dangerous! " I heard Jack's worried voice behind Me but I was too worried to care.
All that was on my mind was ' Steva '
I ran upstairs despite the voices of disapproval.
By now, my destination which was the middle floor was covered with smoke.
The room beside the Studio was burning.
Due to the smoke, I began to cough but I Continued going till I got to the front of the studio.
I kicked the door opened and then I saw Steva sitting on a stool by the window, she was in front of the drawing board which had a Sketch pad glued to it.
She was painting.
She didn't even notice me as she was so lost in her world of painting.
I walked towards her, Then stood beside her and said loudly to her, " Steva! We have to go. "
Almost immediately her concentration broke and she turned to face me.
Her face showed bewilderment. " What's going on, Stella? " She asked me.
Oh, how I miss hearing my name from her.
" There's a fire! This floor is burning! We have to go now! " I told her with urgency.
" What! How did..! "
" We'll chat later! We gotta go now! " I said.
" Okay, she removed the Sketch pad and then folded it into her school bag, she was about to strap it around her back when I collected it from her.
She looked at me with confusion but I didn't pay attention to her as I opened her bag and brought out an inhaler, Thankfully I found the one I got for her as that was very effective.
" What...! "
" We gotta go now! " Instead of giving her back the bag, I strapped it around my back instead and just handed her the inhaler before I pulled her hand.
We both had the surgical mask I took from Steva's bag on.
Immediately we got out of the Studio.
We heard a bang which was followed by the falling of the ceiling in the hallway.
I dragged Steva and we got to the staircase and began descending it.
Along the way, Steva suddenly went limp and I had to support her with my shoulders.
I guess she had inhaled too much smoke despite the Nose mask but I wouldn't blame her as she got a slightly weaker lung than normal people.
She was asthmatic.
I just hoped that Her Asthma doesn't get worse.
It took me time before I could get downstairs as I had to half carry the now conscious Steva.
But I got downstairs anyways.
I could see everyone's stunned gazes.
Just when I got downstairs, the firefighters came along with the ambulance.
They brought a stretcher and We lied Steva on it.
I then looked up at the studio and realized that it had been consumed.
So, what if?
I smiled faintly.
I was about to move away.
When I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head and that was the last thing I knew.