As Leo ran down the stairs he could hear the sirens from the fire trucks and ambulances, blaring outside. He wanted to get out of the burning foster home but his mind moved faster then his legs and getting out didn't seem to be an option. Leo could see the flames, vibrant, red, and orange flashing in front of him. Leo saw the walls crumble and the ceiling falling and at this moment started to regret taking the bedroom at the top of the house. He pulled his shirt up over his face to prevent the smoke from reaching down, into his lungs and pulling out the final gulps of air he had left. He saw his life pass before his eyes, coming to the home meeting his foster brother and sister, all the meals, as he began to see the light of the sunnyday that didn't seem right for the situation coming through the doorway. He wanted to see the light. He wanted to feel the fresh air brush across his face. He wanted to see his foster brother and sister that he hated, but loved at this moment. He needed to get out. As Leo took his last few steps through the door and began to feel the fresh air on his face, everything went dark.

Leo woke up in a nondescript room. He looked down and saw an IV tube coming from his arm . Still looking around the room he saw it only had one window which overlooked a parking lot. He looked behind him and saw computer screens with lines going all over the place which Leo guessed were tracking his heart rate. Leo was a thirteen year old 8th grader who lived in Bloomsbury, London. He had red hair and was short. He was never a kid who liked to talk because he never had anything to say and no one to say it to. He wasn't a very popular kid in school and was hoping that the fire would finally be a nice conversation starters in his small public school. A nurse, tall and pale, came into the hospital room and seemed surprised to see Leo awake. 

“You're… awake,” she said in a mix of surprise, happy, and confused voice. Leo answered with the only thing he could think of,
“Yes.”
“Do you know what happened?” the nurse asked in a soothing voice.
“Not really,”
“Well, your house burned down,” she answered. After that Leo blanked out and started thinking about the house that he would definitely not see again. He knew that the big thick flames had ripped apart and brought down his beautiful foster home. He knew that even though the house was gone the beautiful memories would never leave his heart. The memories of the summers he had at the house where the sun would fall through the sunroof. Or the days when the beautifully cut grass would smell so perfect and crisp. And the days where Leo would run down to the river and jump into the ice cold water that was so cold it burned. Leo remembered the winters where he would wake up and look out the the beautiful gleaming snow. Or the days were all that Leo would do is sit in his living room and look at the dancing flames in the fireplace. Leo remembered the nights that he would sneak out of the house to take his midnight walks.
Leo came back to reality.     
“You have a minor concussion,” Leo heard the nurse say, “you'll be ok. You will be released tomorrow.”
Leo was happy to hear that he wouldn't have to stay in the room much longer. The doctors office smell was getting to his head and making it hurt.
“Can I see Mrs. Fletcher?” he asked.”
The nurse nodded and walked out of the room. In came Ms. Fletcher. Ms. Fletcher was the nicest foster mother Leo could ask for. With her big smile and huge hugs she was the kind of person everyone needed in their life.  She came in with a huge smile on her face. One that people might say go from ear to ear. Her eyes were red and Leo could tell she had been crying. Ms. Fletcher came over to him and wrapped her arms around Leo. He burrowed his head into her arms and found himself start to cry. He was overjoyed to see Mrs. Fletcher and to know that not everything had vanished in the fire.
In came Robert and Emma. Leo Was surprised to have a big smile on his face when he saw his two foster siblings.  He was excited to be back with the foster family. The day went by to fast, so fast infact that Leo forgot to eat. When darkness took over the sky, his family left and Leo dazed off.

Leo woke up with a shout. His face was wet and he realized that he was sweating. His heart was pounding so hard, it felt like it would jump out of his chest. In ran a nurse that Leo didn't recognize.
“Is everything alright?” she asked urgently.
Leo was trying to figure out what happened, and why he had woken up so suddenly. He thought  of his dream. He had been dreaming of the fire, except in the dream he didn't get out of the house.
“I'm fine,” Leo lied, “just a bad dream”
“Those come from the concussion,” She answered, “you will keep getting them.”
The nurse left and leo went back to sleep.

Ms. Fletcher popped her head into Leo's room to see if he was awake. She came further in with an outfit in her hand that Leo didn't recognize but he knew it was for him.
“put this on” she said, “I have something to show you.”
Leo threw on the outfit and ran out of the room, eager to get out of the hospital. Leo saw
Ms. Fletcher and went to her.
Without any acknowledgment to Leo, Ms. Fletcher said, “Come with me.”
They walked down the hospital halls with rooms that all looked the same as Leos. Leo saw the nurse that had been taking care of  him. He waved goodbye as she mouthed, “Have a good one.”
Leo was excited, and a little scared, to see what Ms. Fletcher had for him. Leo walked outside through the sliding doors and saw four people waiting for him. Two of them he knew, They were Robert and Emma, but the others Leo couldn't figure out. Leo knew the faces but couldn't figure out where from. Then he realized. They had come into the foster home and were looking to adopt. Leo remembered it so clearly. It was the week before the fire. Leo couldn't fall asleep so he was going to go down stairs to get a drink of water when he heard voices. Leo had heard them talking about adopting.
Leo put the pieces of the puzzle together.
“Leo” Ms. Fletcher said, “these are the Whites, they want to adopt you.”
Leo was confused. He would have to leave his family. The family that he had grown up with for twelve years. The family that had brought him in and loved him when he had nothing. Leo looked back at Ms. Fletcher who was crying. It was so much for Leo to take in at once. Just a few days ago he was running through a burning house and now he's walking through the doors of the hospital thinking everything is going to go back to the way it was, and now this.
“We know it's a lot to take in,” Ms. White said.
“Yeah,” Leo smirked.
Ms. Fletcher interrupted, “Leo, you will be with me for a few more days until we figured out the details, but right now we are going to look at your knew home.”
Leo didn't want to look at his new home. Leo didn't want a knew home. Leo wanted to stay with Ms. Fletcher.
Leo was lost. He had what he wanted in front of him, in arms reach. At the same time he wanted to stay. He was in a place that he was happy, with people that he was happy. Then again, he had the chance to have a real family. Leo walked down stairs. He saw Ms. Fletcher sitting reading the newspaper. He went over and gave her a hug.
“Thank you.”