The Fire Rescue That Landed Me in Prison

The dorm building was on fire. I risked my life, rushing into the inferno to save the campus queen who was trapped inside.
I was awarded a plaque for Heroic Bravery. I became the hero of the entire university.
But when the campus queen woke up, in front of all the media, she pointed a trembling finger at me and said:
It was him! Hes the one who set the fire. He wanted to violate me!
My parents charged over, slapped me hard across the face in public, and knelt before the girls parents, kowtowing.
We failed to raise this monster! We disown him! We beg you, please be merciful!
My best friend took the stand in court and testified that hed personally seen me carrying a gas can towards the dorms.
I was sentenced to ten years. On the day I went to prison, my parents sent someone with a letter.
Atone for your sins in there. Dont you ever get out and embarrass us again.
My arms and legs were broken. I drew my last breath amidst shattered bones.
It was my parents who had paid off the prison bosses, telling them to discipline me properly.
A tear of blood streamed from my eye. I saved her. Why did the whole world want me dead?
When I opened my eyes again, I heard screams from below the dorm. The fire it had just started.
...
Fire!
Its the girls dorm! Somebody help!
The screams tore through the campus.
My eyes shot open.
Before me was the familiar ceiling of my dorm room, the yellowing walls.
The air was thick with the smell of something burning.
My roommate, Finn, leaped from his bed, barely bothering to pull on his pants.
Leo! Wake up! Theres a fire!
I sat up, my heart hammering against my ribs.
I had lived this scene once before.
It was identical.
Finn scrambled into his clothes and rushed to the balcony.
Below, the flames painted half the sky red.
Thick smoke billowed from a window on the third floor.
Its Alices dorm! Finns voice was choked with a sob. Shes still in there! I saw her this afternoon, she never came out!
He spun around and gripped my arm, his knuckles white.
Leo! Youre the most athletic guy here, the fastest runner!
Go save her! Hurry!
I looked at him, motionless.
In my last life, I had listened to him.
I had charged in like a bull.
I carried Alice out of that inferno on my back.
And I became a monsteran arsonist and an attempted rapist.
I stared at Finns frantic face. This same face, later on the witness stand, had spoken with such conviction.
I saw Leo with my own eyes, carrying a gas can to the girls dorm.
I pried his fingers off my arm, one by one.
Im not going.
Finn froze. He stared at me as if I were a stranger.
What did you just say?
Leo, thats Alice in there! The campus queen!
Shes going to die!
Im not going.
What did it have to do with me?
If I save her, I die.
If she dies, I live.
It took me an entire lifetime to earn a second chance at this multiple-choice question.
Are you insane?! Finn roared. How can you be so cold-blooded! Thats a human life!
The shouts from downstairs grew louder. Someone was yelling Alices name. Someone was calling 911.
I put on my shoes, grabbed my phone and wallet, and prepared to evacuate with everyone else.
Finn blocked my path, his eyes bloodshot.
Leo, Im begging you! If you just get her out, Ill give you anything you want! Youve always had a crush on her, right? This is your chance!
A crush?
In my last life, that crush got me ten years in prison and a broken corpse.
Move.
If you wont go, I will!
Finn gritted his teeth and turned to bolt out the door.
I grabbed his arm.
The fire trucks will be here any second. If you go in there, youre just killing yourself.
Let go of me! Finn thrashed like an enraged bull, shaking me off. Leo, I never knew you were this kind of person! A coward who just stands by and watches someone die! If anything happens to Alice, this isn't over between us!
He stormed out of the room.
I stood there, listening to his fading footsteps. I walked to the balcony. Tongues of fire were now licking out of the window, devouring it whole. The black smoke coiled into the sky like a great dragon.
I saw Finn make it downstairs. He was being held back by a couple of professors, who wouldnt let him get any closer. He was pointing up towards our dorm, screaming something at them.
Probably telling them how I, his good friend, had refused to save anyone.
Soon, the wail of sirens grew from a distant cry to a piercing scream.
I turned and left the dorm.
This time, I just wanted to live.
Even if I had to bear the worlds scorn.
The firefighters got the blaze under control quickly.
Alice was rescued. She was covered in soot, unconscious. An ambulance whisked her away.
I stood in the crowd, a cold observer. Chatter about the fire buzzed around me.
Heard it was aging wiring on the third floor.
So scary. Thank God everyones okay.
Is Alice all right? Shes the face of our university.
Just then, Finn marched straight towards me.
Leo! he bellowed. He got in my face and grabbed the collar of my shirt. Why didnt you save her?! You could have done it! Why did you just stand there and watch her burn?!
His spittle flew into my face.
Why should I?
What? Finn looked at me as if Id told the worlds sickest joke. Youre asking me why you should have saved her? He was trembling with rage. Thats a human life, Leo! Do you have a conscience?!
Our student advisor pushed through the crowd, his brow furrowed, and pulled Finn away.
Finn, calm down. He turned to me, his expression just as grim. Leo, what exactly happened here? Finn said that when the fire started, he begged you to rescue Alice, and you refused?
I nodded. Yes.
The advisor fought to keep his voice level. Leo, I need an explanation. Why?
What was I supposed to say? That Id already died once, murdered by the very person I saved and the friend standing right in front of me?
No reason. I was scared. I didnt dare. Is that reason enough?
Scared? Finn exploded again. Youre lying! You placed in the top ten at the S-City Marathon last semester! During orientation, you did the fifty-foot rope climb in twenty seconds! Everyone on this campus knows youre in peak physical condition! You were scared?
He turned to the advisor and the students gathering around. Listen to him! Hes lying! He wasnt scared at all! Hes just cold-blooded! He left her to die!
The advisor pushed his glasses up his nose, his expression hardening. Leo, this university teaches us to help one another, to have a sense of collective honor. Your actions today were incredibly selfish and callous! You have failed the values we strive to instill in you. I will report this to the deans office. You can expect disciplinary action.
I looked at his self-righteous face and found it almost funny.
Disciplinary action?
Better than a death sentence.
Whatever.
Finns face turned purple with rage. You you
At that moment, a well-dressed middle-aged couple, flanked by the university president, hurried over.
Alices parents.
Alices mother saw the advisor and immediately grabbed his arm. Mr. Henderson, how is our Alice? Her father just got off a plane, we came straight here!
Mrs. Green, please dont worry. Alice has been taken to the hospital. Her life is not in danger.
Mr. Green surveyed the scene with an imperious gaze. What happened with this fire? Has the cause been determined? This university had better have an explanation for us!
The advisor wiped sweat from his forehead. Mr. Green, rest assured, we will conduct a full investigation.
Seeing them, Finn seemed to find his courage and rushed over. Mr. Green! Mrs. Green! I know what happened! I know some things!
He pointed a trembling finger at me, his voice filled with grief and fury.
It was him! When the fire first started, he was the only one who had a chance to get in there and save her! I begged him! I got on my knees and begged him! But he wouldn't go! He just stood there and watched! He said he was scared! Hes a coward! A cold-blooded bastard!
Mrs. Green swayed, nearly fainting.
Mr. Greens face darkened until it looked like a storm cloud. He took long, deliberate strides towards me.
CRACK!
A sharp, ringing slap.
My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning.
Mr. Green pointed a finger at my nose, hissing each word.
If anything anything at all happens to my daughter I will make you, and your family, pay.
My parents drove through the night from our hometown. The advisor had called them, saying I was in huge trouble.
I was sitting on a bench in the hospital corridor, waiting for the results of Alices tests.
The moment my mother saw me, she marched over and, without a word, slapped me.
You monster! How could we have raised something like you!
Her voice was shrill, drawing the eyes of everyone in the hallway.
My father was right behind her. He kicked the back of my knee, hard. I buckled and fell to the floor.
Kneel! he roared, pointing at a nearby hospital room door. Get over there and kowtow to them! Apologize!
I looked up at them. One face, familiar and wrinkled from years of hard work. The other, which Id always respected, severe and unsmiling.
Do you even know what happened? I asked.
Of course, we know! my mother shrieked, pointing at me. Your advisor told us everything! You stood by and did nothing! You let that poor girl, that campus queen, nearly burn to death! Do you have any idea who her family is? Her father is the chairman of the Green Corporation! How could people like us ever afford to cross them?
My fathers lips trembled with rage. Ive lived my whole life as an honest man, and you, my worthless son, have thrown it all away! What was the point of raising you! Hiding when it matters most! If you had saved her, youd be a hero now! Youd bring honor to this family! But what are you now? A coward! The laughingstock of the whole university!
I pushed myself up and dusted off my knees.
I did nothing wrong.
You still dare to say you did nothing wrong?! My father raised his hand to hit me again.
I didnt start the fire. I didnt push anyone in. I just chose to protect myself. What did I do wrong?
You My fathers hand froze in mid-air.
But my mother was relentless. You did nothing wrong? Their daughter is lying in that room, and you did nothing wrong? If you had a shred of decency, you would have been the first one in! Its too late for excuses now! Youve ruined this entire family!
Just then, the hospital room door opened. Mr. and Mrs. Green emerged, along with the university president.
Mr. Green, Mrs. Green, Im Leos father, my dad stammered, grabbing my mother. Im so sorry, truly, so sorry!
He started to pull my mother down to their knees.
The president quickly stopped them. Please, theres no need for this. Lets just talk things through.
But my parents wouldnt listen.
We failed to raise this monster! My father pointed at me, pledging his loyalty to his future benefactors. We disown him! From this day on, he has nothing to do with our family! We beg you, be merciful, just let us live!
My mother was on the floor, sobbing hysterically. Were just ordinary people, we cant afford to pay
Mr. Greens gaze went past them and landed on me.
Disown him? he said, his voice dripping with contempt. Easy for you to say.
My daughter inhaled a massive amount of smoke. Her vocal cords and lungs are damaged. The doctor says there may be permanent consequences.
With every word he spoke, the color drained from my parents faces.
She is a broadcast journalism major, a future artist. Her voice is her life. Your son destroyed her future, and you think disowning him fixes everything?
Mrs. Green dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, her voice choked. My daughter shes only twenty
My father fell to his knees with a loud thud. He grabbed Mr. Greens leg, tears streaming down his face. Mr. Green, Im begging you! Please! Hit me, curse me, do whatever you want to me! Its not the boys fault, its mine! I failed as a father!
The university president tried to mediate. Mr. Green, look, whats done is done. Perhaps we can discuss a solution
A solution? Mr. Greens eyes, cold and sharp, turned back to me. Its simple. He drops out of school. Then, he will kneel at my daughters bedside until she wakes up and personally forgives him. Otherwise, this is not over.
I didnt kneel.
I was suspended from school and confined to my dorm to write a self-criticism report. Finn moved out. My parents called me a dozen times a day, trying to force me to go kneel and apologize to Alice.
Leo, do you even have a heart? Your father lost his job because of you! His boss said having someone from a family like ours was bad luck! Would it kill you to just go and kneel? Do you have to drive our entire family to ruin before youre satisfied?
I just hung up the phone.
In my last life, my parents had dragged me to my knees. And what did it get us? Deeper humiliation and the complete destruction of our family.
I wouldnt be that stupid again.
Three days later, Alice woke up.
The hospital was swarming with reporters and university officials. My advisor requested my presence. He said it was the Greens demand. I was escorted by two security guards and made to stand outside her room.
A reporter asked, Alice, can you tell us what happened during the fire?
Alices gaze slowly drifted past everyone and landed on me, standing in the doorway.
She raised a trembling hand and pointed.
I remember when the fire was raging, I was trapped. I was so hopeless. And I saw a figure, standing in the doorway. It was him
Her finger pointed steadily at me.
It was Leo.
He just stood there, watching me. I begged him for help, but he didnt move. He even he even smiled.
BOOM.
Oh my god! He smiled?
Is he a demon?
Thats terrifying! This was attempted murder!
My mother screamed and lunged at me.
CRACK!
Another slap echoed through the hall.
You demon! Youre not human! She tore at my clothes like a madwoman, pounding on my chest.
My father charged over, kicked me to the ground, and started stomping on me relentlessly. Ill kill you, you monster! We dont have a son like you!
I lay on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling. Through her oxygen mask, I could see the corner of Alices mouth curve into a triumphant smirk.
My parents fell to their knees, bowing their heads to the ground again and again. Were sorry! Were so sorry!
Just then, two uniformed police officers walked in. The one in the lead strode over to me and looked down.
Leo?
I didnt answer.
You need to come with us, the officer said, his voice firm. We found something at the scene of the fire. Something that might belong to you.
I was taken to the police station. The light in the interrogation room was blindingly white.
The officer across from me placed a clear evidence bag on the table. Inside was a partially melted disposable lighter. The cheap kind you get for a dollar.
We found this in a corner of the fire scene, he said, his eyes sharp as a hawks. It has your fingerprints on it. Leo, we now have reason to suspect your involvement in this arson case.
I stared at the lighter, a chill spreading through my chest.
In my last life, they framed me with a gas can.
This time, a lighter.

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