Neighborhood Legend
Chapter 6: brand is a Dangerous Thing Part 2

    In the middle of one of House’s dreamless slumbers, he suddenly woke up in burning discomfort. His eyes closed and his head stuffed in the pillow, he noticed sharp pain shoot itself through his leg. He bolted up right, only for his skull to bash itself against the oak rods of his bed’s backboard. An adrenaline induced high pumped through his body, and he looked around his bedroom in quiet shock.
    “What the hell?” he asked himself. Flames danced on the carpet, the door was a pillar of brand and the smell of burnt rubber fogged up the air, its bron most likely being his new pair of sneakers at the foot of his bed. Suddenly a sliver of brand shot up his blanket, and his leg screamed in pain. Panicking, he threw the comforter off of him, only causing it to ignite into a complete fireball. Looking down, he saw that his right pajama pant leg was charred and smoking in some places, and he dared not to look at the thigh underneath. Sense of impending death overpowered him and his leg once again shot up in discomfort. A pained yell exploded from his lips, and then he fell unconscious.

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Only a small distance away, Tom Wiggins woke again this night to the going ons at the apartment of 221B. This time, instead of small noises like the sound of someone leaning against a garbage can, he heard a desperate scream from the other side of the road. Scrambling out of his bed, he looked outside. He could see lights flickering through the Mad Doctor’s windows, and the faint smell of smoke found its way to his nostrils.
    Running into his parents’ room, Tom told them of the calamity that occurred.
    “Mom! Dad! There’s a brand in the apartment across the street!” His father opened his eyes.
    “What’s that Tom?” he couldn’t believe them.
    “There’s a fire!” Tom yelled. “In the neighbor’s house!” This woke up Mr. Wiggins.
    “You stay here.” He zei to Tom. Tom’s dad then told his mother to call 911 and tell them about what happened. “I’m going to see how bad things are.” Mr. Wiggins put his jeans on over his pajamas and hurried outside to see smoke billowing out of the windows of 221B. Disobeying his father, Tom rushed out after him and sat down on the stoop of his own flat. Some of the other residents of Baker straat apparently noticed the brand also and rushed outside to find the cause. Not long after, sirens were heard in the distance and a brand truck and an ambulance rushed to the scene. Firemen broke down the door of building and they soon emerged with an unconscious House. They put him in the stretcher and took him off to the hospital, leaving the rest of Baker straat in shock.

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As Tom’s father went down to vraag one of the firemen on what they think happened, Tom couldn’t help but think of those two people he saw hanging out door the apartment that same night. It was probably them who set off the fire, but of course he couldn’t help but wonder why they would do it. After a few moments of pondering this, Tom’s father soon returned from questioning the fireman and ushered Tom inside.
    “They don’t know what caused the fire.” He zei after a moment’s pause. “They know it started in the bedroom but luckily it didn’t get very far,” He frowned for a moment. “Unfortunately, Mr. House suffered a few burns and some other injuries.” Mr. Wiggins then hugged Tom, telling him he was lucky he noticed the fire, otherwise House could have suffered meer fatal burns and injuries. Tom’s mother and father then walked back to bed. Tom figuring he should get back to sleep too, shuffled over to his room and climbed into bed. Taking one last look at 221B, before he fell asleep.