WIP

         She snuggles her feather down pillow trying to fight off a chill. Wind blows wildly outside crashing against the windows on either side of her headboard. She rolls over to her left and reaches down in the pitch black. Her left hand glids along the smooth floorboards searching. Her fingers brush against something near the left leg of her headboard. Cold air swirls around her exposed arm as she feels about a small box. She touches a button and depresses it. Her eyes pick up the soft green glow of the power light and her arm retreats under the bed covers. She holds her freezing arm to her tummy.

         Her face relaxes and her breathing begins to grow deep as sleep overcomes the load wind and lonely darkness.

***

         "So, what caused it?" The officer asks, starring at the scene before him. He watches as men pick through bits and pieces, eyes occasionally flicking to the fire chief beside him.

         "Looks like an electric blanket caught fire," the fire chief answers. He wipes some ash off his yellow coat and coughs. "D*** people had bad batteries in the smoke detectors."

         "Seems to be a running fad these days." The police man chuckles. He looks at the ground a moment. "I can't believe no one else was here. Who leaves there twelve year old alone in a storm with no phone? Or alone period for that matter?"

         The fire chief produces a quizical face. "No phone?"

         The officer points to the radio chattering at his shoulder. "Yeah I just finished talking to base. Not only did the parents not have cell phones, aparently there line phone service was cut last week." He pulls off his police hat and runs a gloved hand over his short gray hair letting in the winter cold wind. "Well, I have to go Derrek. I'll talk to you later. You have the other boys over there to help you out with our policing know how as usual."

         The chief nods as the officer gets into his cruiser.