Chapter Six

I woke up with a start. My heart was racing, my breathing erratic, I pressed my palm flat on my chest to calm myself down. It was all a dream, nothing more than a dream. My eyes scanned the room, it was not burning, it didn't smell of smoke, there was no scream. The night was quiet, and would have been peaceful if not for the disturbing dream I just had. I stood up from my bed, and drank a cup of water as I was feeling thirsty. The electricity was out again, that must have been the cause for the sweat.

I checked on all of my sisters, they were sleeping peacefully, I smiled and covered the properly, so mosquitoes won't bite them so much. I checked on my mom, she was sleeping too, my dad was not here this night, he had to stay with my step mom.

I laid back down on my bed, the dream re playing in my head a thousand times over. I wondered why I had that dream, it was a year ago since I had my last dream.. why was it coming back again. I turned in my bed, twisting and turning because I could not fall asleep, no matter how I tried, sleep did not come. I laid awake, facing the ceiling, I remembered the dream where the ceiling fell. I swallowed, the dream seemed too real, it was very real... I almost thought I was going to die.. who was I kidding, I thought I was going to die.

Walking back to Terra's bed, I stood there for a second, she was still. My heart started drumming in my chest. I touched her, she was warm, and tapped her, she stirred in her sleep, I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I went back to my bed after kissing her forehead. It was then I could fall asleep again. But I wish I did not, because if I didn't, then maybe, I would not have had this second dream.

Smoke filled my lungs, I could not shout, I tried to run, but I was too weak to. I looked back, the heat of the fire burned my eyes, and the roar of the fire made me cry harder for my mom. I tried to run, but the walls were falling, trapping me in. I cried and cried, the fire was consuming the place, the speed at which it licked everything in it's path was alarming.

"Mom! Dad! Any one!" I shouted.

I noticed it was not my voice that came out of my mouth, it was Terra's. I walked forward, the places the fire had not consumed was small, but I managed to pass through.

I looked above me, the ceiling was going to collapse around me, and I screamed.

"Tessa! Tessa! Wake up"

I woke up drenched in sweat, and gasping for air. I scanned the area for any fire, and I could not find any.

"What is it?" Mom asked.

My restless eyes, finally rested on her worried face. I hugged her immediately and started crying.

"What happened? You were shouting in your sleep, I had to come wake you." She said.

I could not answer, I just cried into her arms. While she patted my back.

"Was it a night mare?" She asked gently. I just nodded.

"Want me to call daddy to pray about it?" She asked. That was it? Why didn't I pray? I told her no, I could handle it myself.

She looked at me skeptically. I just smiled through the tears.

After a while, she left me alone. It was morning already, so I rushed to find Terra, she was brushing her teeth. I smiled gratefully and hugged her. She just stood there looking at me weird.

"Good morning sweetheart." I told her.

I skipped away before she could reply me. I was happy nothing happened to her.

"God, Thank you for the life of my sisters." Was all I said.

For the next few weeks, I had no dream, nothing, I expected them, but they didn't come. I even bugged my father to get a fire extinguisher for the house, lying that my teacher in school asked us to do so.

But no fire, not even a spark. I was glad, at first I was weary, anxious, always expecting a fire out break. But there was nothing, so I relaxed.

The next Sunday, in church, the preacher talked about the importance of prayer in the life of a believer. I zoned out because, the prayer was supposed to be an adult thing, i was a child, I did not need the prayer thingy, it was for adults. So I zoned out, imagining different things.

When I zoned back in, I heard the preacher say something along the lines of,

"Prayer is a believer's weapon, fighters use guns, swords, bombs, but a believer, a true Christian's weapon... Was prayer."

I don't know why it stuck, but it did. And that was what i went home with.

One fine evening, I came back home from school, my father had enrolled me in advanced classes, the school ended by two pm, but I stayed till five, because of the advanced classes.

"I am home!" I announced to my family.

"Tessa!" Tia and Terra greeted as I came into their view.

I hugged the both of them together.

"Good evening mom, good evening dad." I greeted them. They answered with a nod of their head.

I went inside to get changed and come out for dinner.

"Tessa, I made rice today!" Terra exclaimed excitedly. I beamed at her,

"Really? Congratulations!" I told her as it was her first time cooking.

"Want me to get some for you?" She asked.

I nodded excitedly. She ran to the kitchen. I sighed as I stretched. I changed into my house shorts and a simple top with a Minnie mouse bow by the side.

I remembered my dad teaching me to pray every time I get back home from wherever. I got to my knees, at loss for words. I did not know how to pray. I wanted to get up back for I felt silly, then something flashed in my memory, the dream... The dream about fire.

"Heavenly Father, I really don't know what to say, but Thank you for bringing me back safely from school... And also.. thank you for protecting my family, and watching over my sisters." I said closing my eyes.

After a while, I got back up.

"Jesus!" Mom screamed.

I heard running, and I ran there too. I saw my dad using the fire extinguisher to fight a fire. I looked, I saw Terra crying in a corner.

My mom ran in when she saw it was safe.

"What were you doing?" She asked Terra.

"I..I just wanted to give Tessa my rice." She said pointing the blackened stove.

I hugged Terra, she put on the stove that nearly caused a fire to warm the rice for me.

"Thank you God, for nothing happened to her." I whispered.

"This is why you should pray.."

A tiny voice whispered.