This is for Sonya’s photo prompt
Photo ©Dominick Martin
The siren woke him, its familiar wail breaking into his dreams, but the stench of burning was what made him leap out of bed.
Smoke obscured the window, and the leaping brilliance of flames, and when the siren stopped abruptly, its clamour was replaced by the unearthly din of thousands of throats screaming.
He ran from the building, not even waiting to dress properly, fought his way through the crowds that filled the streets, the cars swamped in their futile attempt to get away quicker, further, but when he looked over his shoulder and saw what was looming through the smoke and flickering, failing city lights, he knew there was nowhere to run.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
Ooh, I want to know, I want to know… Or maybe I don’t? It is a little terrifying, after all. Good stuff!
It’s like a recurring nightmare of mine. I don’t think I want to know what’s looming through the smoke 🙂
Nice Take!
Thank you, Sonali 🙂
Incredible! So full of suspense and spookiness.
Thank you! It’s a theme I keep coming back to. One day I’ll try and get the story licked into shape.
Oh gotcha! Can’t wait to read that story one day 😉
It’s pretty…strange.
Wow — no where to run — now that’s ominous. Not a nice reoccurring dream to be having Jane. I wouldn’t try to analyze but write it outta your head.
I do! Often! It’s taken different forms since I was a kid, and it doesn’t scare me any more, but maybe it ought to.
What a way to end it! Loved it! ..
Though, to have a recurring dream like this might get difficult to handle at times…
I’m glad you liked it i:) Funnily enough, the dream isn’t really frightening any more. It used to be the kind of dream where you wake yourself up in terror, but recently I’ve always found a way out, or the ‘thing’ wasn’t really scary after all. Getting old and smug, probably.
Oh no! I’m not sure I want to know.
If I get around to publishing it, you can look the other way 🙂
No, I’ll have to find out.
On your own head be it…
😉
Riveting tale! Like everyone else I’m torn between wanting to know more and being ok with the unknown! Haha.
Thanks for finding it rivetting! In the dream I don’t know what’s coming, but in the story I wrote, I do—it’s not nice.
Something really, really bad … Great story – thrilling and atmospheric from the start. Poor lad.
I don’t think he’s on his own. Not much consolation, I know…
No, I guess not. Perhaps best to have died in the smoke, dreaming of something lovely
There are worse ways to go. I can think of lots. Bet you can too 🙂
Sadly, yes.
Exciting, mysterious and scary! Brilliantly written.
Thank you!
My pleasure, Jane. 🙂
oh.. this was good.. 🙂 well done for the prompt..
Thank you! I feel as though I’ve written this story a dozen times. I’ve certainly thought it 🙂