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Everything was dark still. No lights were on, no streetlamps glowing neon orange. Outside nothing could be seen, except a cape of shadows covering everything it could reach. It was a quiet, still night, softened by a waning moon. Stars high above twinkled rhythmically in an inky black sky.
Through my bedroom door, out in the hall, something flickered. It was hardly visible, like a frog's tongue quickly lashing out to catch a fly, so fast you could hardly see it. So fast, so small that I wondered if it'd just been something I imagined.
Then it happened again.
It was brighter the second time, closer. Like it was edging along the carpet, reaching out, clawing to get me. Scrambling up my door and into my room'
I kept still, paralysed with fear.
Suddenly, my whole world tumbled, like a boat on stormy water, and I was clinging to hold on. My vision blurred, and I fumbled at the blanket, trying to peel it away. I was suddenly very hot, too hot. I put my feet down on the floor, trying to feel my way across the room. Everything was shrouded in mist. But I knew it wasn't mist, it was my sight. As I put my feet on the carpet something licked at them, and I pulled them away sharply.
I heard a scream, and I scrambled to the other side of the bed, trying to get out, to find the person who had screamed, to help. I heard thuds on the stairs and shouts and I tried to call out but smoke filled my lungs and I choked.
There are flames all around me now, flickering orange, yellow, red. I try to feel a way around them, but I can't find one. Fire starts to climb up the bed and onto my pillow, closer and closer, like a lion stalking its prey, getting ready to pounce. I scream and scream and the smoke fills my lungs and makes me feel light headed and dizzy. I look around, but I am surrounded, trapped. There is no way out from the fire's burning grasp.
Suddenly, the door bangs open'