I don't member most of it, but I have faint memories of the heat, the bright lights, the screaming and sirens. I also remember the police officer asking me if I was OK. I think I said yes.

   Now I am laying in bed. I suffer from minor burns. I'm thinking about what happened, trying to remember. Was it all a dream? I'm probably just laying in bed at home. My parents are upstairs cooking breakfast. My alarm should be going off any minute now. I listen to my clock. Tick, tick, tick. Any minute now. Tick, tick, tick. Maybe I forgot to set it?

   I open my eyes. A bright florescent light shines down into my face. This definitely isn't my room. I sit up and look around. There are many machines packed in the small room. The walls are white as snow. The floor looks like a checkerboard. The table next to the bed has a glass of water and a jar of pink stuff. I pick up the jar read the label. It says, Shock medicine. 11 mL dose daily. Give to Julia Siver.

   I pause. Julia Siver. That's my name. This has got to be a dream. I pinch my arm, and that's when I see all the cords that are hooked up to me from the machines. I look at my bed and see buttons and wheels. I'm in the hospital. "Help!" I shout. The door opens and a woman in a lab coat walks in. She's carrying a tray that has a sandwich and a juice box on it. I look at her. She has tan skin and almond shaped eyes. Her hair is long and wavy. It is the color black, with brown streaks in it. She looks at me. Her eyes are a piercing blue ice color.

   "Good. You're awake." she says. She walks over to me and sets the tray on my lap. "I'm Nurse Oicos, but you can call me Niky." she tells me.

   "What happened?" I ask.

    She shakes her head. "I'm sorry Julia. I can't tell you 'til the doctor gets here." I notice she has a thick British accent. Just then, the door opens once more in a tall man, probably in his late 60's, walks in. "Julia! Your awake!" the man says. I stare at him. He's a bit tan. His brown hair has some white in it. He's wearing the same coat as Niky, and around his neck is a stethoscope. I pause, then I ask, "Are you the doctor?"

   He looks at me and nods. "Indeed I am. I'm Dr. Santoro." he says with a smile. He seems so cheerful. Maybe now would be the time to ask some questions. "What happened?" I ask.

   His smile washes off his face. "Niky," he pauses. "Get the medicine." I start to shake. I'm scared. What's he going to tell me? Niky comes over to me and gives me a small cup of the pink stuff.               "Drink this when you're ready." She tells me.

   I blink. What is that supposed to mean?

   Dr. Santoro takes a seat on the chair next to my bed. He takes a deep breath. "One night, your local fire department got a call. They were told that a house was burning down. They rushed over there. A few men went inside. They found a man and a women huddled around a little girl. The woman begged the firefighter to save the little girl. The firefighters took the little girl out just as the house started collapsing. When they tried to find the couple, it had been too late." he pauses. He takes a deep breath. "Julia,you were the little girl. Julia... your parents are dead."

END OF PROLOGUE

What do you think so far? What will Julia think of this news? Find out in Chapter 1!!