Four

Troy pulled out his gun, pointing it menacingly at Jeff. "You better run," He began, a crazed look in his eyes, "Or not- I'm going to kill you anyway."

He pulled the trigger, but Jeff dodged the bullet, running towards the stairs. He dashed up them, two at a time, making his way to the bathroom to hide.

Troy, still at the bottom of the stairs, looked back at Keith and Melanie and shook his head. "Get the kid out of here, Keith." Was all Troy said before he followed Jeff up the stairs.

Many bullet shots were heard, but the pair didn't hear Jeff yell out in pain. He hadn't been shot.

Keith placed Melanie down on the floor, who immediately tried to make her way towards the stairs, but she was stopped by Keith's scolding look. Instead, whilst Keith picked up Randy's body and placed it down on the sofa, Melanie made her way to the back door. As she opened the door, the first thing she saw was her mother running up to her.

"Melanie!" Margaret yelled, bringing her daughter into an embrace. She let go after a few seconds before speaking again: "Where's Jeff?"

Melanie held her mother's hand in her own, bringing her into the room where everything happened. Many others from the party came inside too, gasping when they saw the cloth-covered body and the glass on the floor. "Is…. Is that?" Margaret started, not baring to say her son's name.

"No." Keith spoke up, shaking his head, "It's Randy's."

People, once again, gasped, as some parents even pulled their children behind them, storming out of the house. The family that lived in the house fled back outside, the middle-aged mother saying she'd ring an ambulance.

Now, only four people sat in silence on the floor of the room. Peter, Margaret, Melanie, and Keith. When there was a bang from upstairs, making the four flinch. What made it even worse was that they could now hear screaming. Jeff's loud, pained screaming.

And then there was more screaming. There was a loud bang that drew Melanie to her feet, followed closely by Keith and her parents. There was only Jeff screaming now, but his footsteps were getting closer to the stairs. When he finally came into their vision, Margaret let out a loud scream of fear, whereas Peter pulled Margaret aside and let her sob into his arms.

Jeff was on fire. He was the centre of a raging flame.

Melanie let out a pained screech, reaching out for Jeff. Keith pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "Mellie? Mellie was that you?!" Jeff exclaimed, painfully trying to make his way down the stairs. He failed, tripping over himself and tumbling down the stairs and falling to a heap at the bottom. Jeffrey Woods passed out right when the paramedics appeared.

The paramedics had two ambulances, one which they set Jeff down upon after they saved him from his inferno. The other ambulance was for the deceased bodies of Randy and Troy. Only one person was allowed to go to the hospital in the ambulance with Jeff. Margaret followed them immediately, her hands shaking, knees weak.

"Right then Melanie, get in the car. We're going to the hospital." Peter announced, briskly walking out of the house, and rushing back to where their car was parked. Melanie signalled for Keith to put her down, which he did. She grabbed his hand instead, dragging him to the car.

Before either of them could get in the car, Peter let out a dry laugh. "Why is he coming with us?"

Melanie huffed, forcing Keith to sit beside her in the back seat. "He's coming with us because he saved me and went against Randy, knowing that he could have got hurt doing so."

Peter stared at Keith through the mirror before starting to follow the ambulance to the hospital. "Thanks for doing that, then. Can I call your parents or something so that they know where you are?" Keith froze, shaking his head.

"I'm…... I'm an orphan…" He muttered, staring down at his lap. Melanie grinned, leaning over to give him a sideward hug.

"You can live with us! Right, Dad?�� Melanie's tone was hopeful and energetic, with an undertone of cockiness. She knew Peter wouldn't refuse.

"Ah…... okay." He muttered, smiling at the pair.

By the time they had reached the hospital, the trio had been talking a little while. During the ride, Peter had got a call from the police station. They knew that Liu was innocent, and he'd be back by tomorrow.

They'd found out a lot about Keith, such as the fact that he's eighteen, he's an orphan, he likes pasta- prefers it dry, and in Melanie's mind the most interesting thing: he's never dated anyone before.

Once the car stopped, the trio rushed over to the ambulance what was opening up, Jeff passed out on a stretcher beside a shaken Margaret. The four met each other halfway, all turning to the paramedics. "You four, he'll be placed in room 394, second floor." At that news, the four rushed to the front desk, asking for permission to go to said room. They were allowed, and so they made their way to the lift.

Once at the list, the four stood in silence. "Mom, this is Keith. He's a good guy. He also lives with us now. Oh, and he's eighteen." Melanie stated, nudging Keith who gave Margaret an awkward smile and extended his hand. Margaret only shook her head, giving Keith a tight embrace instead of shaking his hand.

Once the four had climbed out of the lift, they made their way to the second floor waiting area. They hadn't sat there long, only around forty-five minutes, before the passed-out Jeff was being wheeled along the corridor. The four stood up, following the stretcher to room 394. Once the doctors had lay Jeff down on the bed, they turned to look at the family.

"He's been badly disfigured. The boys who did this to him poured vodka and bleach over him, and then set him alight. If we didn't arrive the time we did, he would've died." The head doctor explained, making the four grimace.

"His skin is stark white now, and his hair has been charred black. Other than that, his physical appearance seems to be the same. He'll be in bandages for the next two weeks, and after that he'll be free to go after we simply run some tests on him. Once he's been released, he'll still have to take pain killers, I assume." The doctor continued, smiling slightly, "I'll leave you all to have some time with him. He should wake up within the hour."