Love Endures the Flames

Love Endures the Flames

Rachel V.                   

James stepped out of the door of his wooden house. The hot dry wind rustled his brown hair. He ran to catch up with his Father and sister, Mary, who were going to the city park.

 “Jip!” he called to his dog. Jip trotted up to him. James always loved these walks with his family down the bustling streets of Chicago. He looked around at the brown grass and the withering flowers. As he held Mary’s hand, he thought about how dry the year had been. “Not much rain.” He mumbled.

          Just then, he heard a crackling sound, and heard the cry of “Fire”. “Father, is there fire near?” James asked. His Father glanced around with a worried look. Then he herded them into a crowd of people running to cross the Randolph Street Bridge. Mary started crying, and Father handed her his handkerchief. 

          James looked away for a second only to see a town enfolded with terror. He saw people pouring out of buildings and running down the streets to cross the Randolph Bridge to safety. When he looked back, his Father was no where to be seen.

          “Father!” he cried, “Father, where are you?” He held on tighter to Mary, and guided her deeper into the sea of people. He felt the

heat of the fire getting stronger and he started to worry.

          Just then, he remembered the handkerchief his Father gave Mary. “Mary, may I have the handkerchief?” he asked. He held the piece of fabric up to Jip’s nose. “Jip!” he cried, “find Father!”. Jip ran into the crowd, his nose twitching, with the children close at his heels. While they wandered through it, the crowd took them near the Lincoln Park, a place of refuge for the tired band.

          Just then, Jip ran back into the crowd. A moment later they heard an excited bark, and Jip emerged with Father!

          “Father!” they cried. Mary and James ran to hug him.

“I was so worried,” their Father said. His deep voice was mixed with emotion. “Our house has been burned, everything is lost.”

“But we still have each other!” said James. “That is the most important. And I’m sure Aunt Mabel will let us stay with her in Virginia.”  “You are right, son.”

 Their Father’s small smile gave them hope that even though the Fire of Chicago had destroyed their home, it would never destroy their love.

*(This is an historical fiction story. It is based on the Great Chicago Fire of 1871)