The Leftovers
Chapter 1:

 Tragedy is, well, tragic. But the worst part is the leftovers. Who, or what is left to pick up the pieces. Me, well I am that leftover.

Life was never a walk in the park. My parents fought, my younger brothers constantly broke my things, I was still single at sixteen, and my house was as tiny as could be. Still, that never prepared me for the tragedy that was coming.

It is important that I first explain my home before telling you about the rest of my life. My house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and not a whole lot of space. It also had 8 people living within it's four walls. My parents had grown up with big families and had wanted one of their own. So, even though they weren't the richest people that you've ever met they'd bought a house and filled it with six children.

I am the oldest of the six kids. I am sixteen years young, and tall with curly blond hair. I also have brown eyes. All of the kids in my family have that light blond hair, and those rich brown eyes.My mother, Krista, was a beauty and my father, Tony, was a handsome hardworking man. In all I have two sisters and three brothers. Maeve is two and Lila is seven. Will is twelve, Mitchell is nine, and Carson is five. My name is Charlotte and as you know I am sixteen.

Now to the tough part. 6 months ago my family was living life as normal. Paying bills was a little hard and sleeping in a room with a two and seven year old never got easier. On a Tuesday night, six months ago, we had all finished up our dinner. My mom had just roasted us a delicious chicken in our brand new oven. We all cleaned up and within an hour everyone was in their rooms. My mom worked early and was always tired by the time that it was night, so she never had trouble falling asleep. My dad was the same. In fact, I was usually the last one awake.

That night I fell alseep around ten. At around midnight I woke up and my eyes were watering. I opened my eyes only to see a cloud of smoke filling our small bedroom. I then heard the smoke alarm's dreaded wailing and I knew that somewhere our house was on fire. I picked up Charlotte and woke Lila up. I the ran to the boys room and woke them up. Smoke was filling my eyes and the kids were crying. I grabed Carson's hand and I ran them outside. I told them to stand by the old maple in our yard and I sent Will to the neighors to call 911. Panic was coursing through my veins. I ran to the front door because my parents had still not come out. I knew that something was wrong and I just couldn't let myself stand around. I pushed through the door and into the kitchen. I had found the fire. Our brand new stove was engulfed in flames and by this point most of the kitchen was on fire. I looked at the doorway to my parents room and I realized why they hadn't left. It was covered in flames. I knew that the only way that I could get them out was there window. I ran outside and around to their window. I began to scream for them and I threw rocks at there window trying desperatley to break the glass. By this time I heard sirens and I knew that help was on the way. I continued throwing rocks but still with no response.

A fireman rushed to my side and asked if anyone was still in the building. Through my tears I told him that my parents were inside and that the window above me was there bedroom. The fireman ran to his team and a ladder was quickly attached to the side of my home. The fireman opened the window and disapeered into the smoke. The other firemen began setting up a large net. They pulled it taught and then waited. I watched helplessly, the tears and smoke stinging my eyes. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer that was interupted by yelling. The fireman was at the window with what looked like my mother. She seemed to be unconsious. The fireman knew he had to get to my father before it was too late and  he threw my mother into the net waiting below. By this time a crowd had gathered and our neighbor Jeanine rushed to my side. She had two children of her own. I told her that the other kids were waiting by the maple tree and she ran around so that she could soothe and check on them.

Then came my father he was also unconsicious and the fireman threw him into the net. My mom and dad were loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the nearest hospital. The fireman continued to try and put out the fire and Jeanine and my five siblings came to my side. Jeanine stuffed us all in her car and drove us to the hospital. I was crying and the kids continued to ask questions. I couldn't bear to answer them and thankfully Jeanine handled them. When we pulled into the hospital we rushed to the front desk. It was there that we were informed that they were in the ICU and we were to wait to meet the doctor. We gathered in the waiting room and, well, waited.

Days later my father was the only responsive one. My mother hadn't done much but she was alive. Everytime my father came to he spoke of "the baby". People told him that Maeve was okay but he continued his wailing. My mother's doctor came to check on her and then came outside to meet us. It was then that we found out our family was growing. My mother was pregnant again.

2 weeks after:

Thankfully my dad had come to. He was speaking and was on the right track to recovering. He confirmed the doctors fears and told him that my mother was pregnant. She was seven months along, but she wasn't really showing because of the six kids that she had had before.

1 month after:

My mother had still not said a word, but the baby was progressing. The doctors realized that the baby was taking all of my mother's nutrients and while the baby was inside of her she was never going to get better. The baby was old enough to be born and my father knew that it was his only choice. The doctors began the surgery to get the baby out. Hours later the doctors came out with a little baby girl in their arms. My father began to cry and kissed the baby girl. They then told my father the news that would change our lives forever. My Mother hadn't made it. My mother, was gone.