Time couldn't save us

I woke up in a panic to the loud beeping alarm of the smoke detector . And the need to panic or act fast was real. I could barely see or breathe. My bedroom was clouded with thick dark smoke. But in this panic all I could remember was my little brother. "JUJU" I called out, as I moved toward the glowing red light to find my way out of my room and into the firey inferno that was once a hallway. I kept calling out to my brother as I cautiously moved through the danger surrounding me. His room was completely lit up in flames. But a moment of relief came when I heard my brother's voice coming from downstairs. "JULES, JULES, WHERE ARE YOU? HELP ME JULES HELP ME". The top of the staircase was blocked by raging fire, so I threw myself over the hot banister and crashed into the bottom of the staircase. As I picked myself up I found juju trapped under a huge wooden bookcase and other burning debris. I tried to push it off, I tried to pull him out, but to no avail. He was stuck and our home was burning down quickly. "Juju I'm going to get help, I'll be back, I promise".

I ran out the front door but the street was dark, quiet and empty. There was nothing there, except the burning house behind me. I turned back around to face the burning house. The front door was now closed and Juju was now standing behind the window screaming,crying and banging on the window. He was fully engulfed in flames."Please Jules help me, help me. Please don't leave me". He cried out. The whole house was now on fire I couldn't even go back in. There was no help and nothing more I could do. I just stood there watching defeated and ashamed. I broke my promise. Time was up.

I woke up in a cold sweat. Breathing hard and my heart beating fast, I sat up in bed relieved there was no fire. It was only a dream. A nightmare that felt so real, I had to go check on my brother. I walked into the dark hallway towards my brother's room to find him peacefully sleeping. I slid into bed with him, put my arm around him and kissed him on his cheek. "Ew, what are you doing"? Juju responded. "I had a bad dream, I'm scared can I sleep with you? "Whatever" he replied as he turned over and went back to sleep.

A few months later I found myself sitting in Ms.Carters 5th grade class waiting eagerly for the dismissal bell to rang. It was an exciting day for me because the night before Juju decided to bless me with his most precious 'Playstation 2'. I couldn't believe he was really going to let me have it, since we fought so much over it. I'd complain to our mom how it wasn't fair that him and his friends would hog the game and I hardly ever got a turn. I even begged her to buy me one of my own. But now miraculously, the game was going to be mine and I would make sure I always got a turn. At last the closing bell rang and I rushed out the classroom to find my brother so we could make it home to play the game before he changed his mind.

I skipped homework and the after school snack to play with my new prize possession! "All mine" I gloated. I wasn't playing long before our cousin Danny came over showing off his brand new black and green mountain cruiser bike. "Juju was enamored with the new bike. It was way better than the little old rusty bike he had. Danny was the cool kid and always came over to show us something new and trendy. We looked up to him. He was our favorite cousin. Juju and Danny rode their bikes up and down our street while I played the game. I eventually got bored playing by myself and grabbed my scooter to go play outside with Juju and Danny before mom called us in for the night.

The sun was going down when we decided to ride all the way up the hill and race down. Our street turned into a hill. We weren't supposed to go past the light but Danny was with us so it was okay. Danny let Juju ride his new bike and Danny rode Juju's old rusty bike. I rode my scooter. We made it to the top of the hill, and lined up. Danny was in the middle, Juju on his left and me on his right. We got ready as Danny began to countdown, "3,2,1, GO" Danny yelled as we zoomed down the hill. Of course I was in last place trying to keep up, since I was on a scooter. Juju and Danny were flying neck and neck down the hill. Who will win?

I laughed joyfully as I glided down the hill behind them. I felt so free and alive. My hair blowing in the wind I made. Then BANG!!! My glee was interrupted. I just witnessed a red truck slam into my brother and knock him out the race. I slowed the scooter down as I neared the end of the hill, then jumped off and ran towards Juju. Danny had veered off to the right missing the truck. He was standing there crying and screaming. In complete shock. The driver was crying, screaming, and banging on the steering wheel "WHAT HAVE I DONE OH LORD WHAT HAVE I DONE?" The world around us stood still. Time just stopped.

I knelt next to my brother who was laying on his back halfway under the truck. He lay there still with his eyes partly open, instead of tears a white fluid ran from his eyes down his cheeks. His head rested in a pool of blood with more blood flowing from his ears. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him "Juju, Im going to get help, I'll be back, I promise."

I ran home to get help. This time,I kept my promise. I did come back and brought help with me. But it never mattered. My brother was already dead. I still stood there and watched defeated and ashamed. This wasn't just another bad dream I could wake up from. This was real life and we both lost that day. Alarms weren't enough to alarm us and dreams that are prophetic aren't meant to warn us. Time couldn't save either of us.