I'd just like to ask if anyone would like to check out the 'novella' thing I'm writing for a competition? I can only post 3 chapters, but there's a whole lot more written up on my computer. The link is www . movellas en / book / read /201303042331356607 (remove the spaces)

Christine practically bombed it down the road towards the hospital the next morning. With little knowledge of how her son was doing, her heart thudded in her chest with worry. It was not so much his physical injuries that even worried her, as she knew that the hospital staff could deal with him. She just couldn't bring herself to think about the possibility that it might have been him that started the fire in his place.

But he'd been okay that morning. He'd been okay. Or maybe he hadn't been, and she'd just not noticed the signs?

"We've run a few precautionary scans on Connor's brain," the doctor explained. "Everything is showing up fine, although from observation he seems to be displaying a few signs of amnesia. Upon speaking with him, he shows little recollection of yesterday's events."

"So the scans weren't accurate or?" she was slightly confused.

"We think that this may be dissociated amnesia. Sometimes it's easier for the mind to forget than to actually deal with what has happened after a traumatic event. And of course, there is always the possibility that he is lying?"

"Can I see him now? Seeing as I was forced away last night?"

Christine was expecting something reminiscent of the nightmarish dramatic scenes from soaps, with him hooked up to all kinds of wires with a machine beeping in the background, but it turns out that he actually seems okay. He's bruised and bandaged up, and he has oxygen because of the amount of smoke he had inhaled, but he seems fine upon first glance. She didn't particularly have the same assurance about his mental health though.

"Hey," she wandered over.

"I can't remember starting it, mum," he stared up at her, his eyes lifeless and cold. "I didn't start it."

"I know son, I know. Don't worry. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess. Head hurts, but that's kind of obvious. And my chest."

"There was nothing that would've... triggered you into fire starting the past few days, right?"

"I remember feeling kind of down after the appointment on Monday, but not... not that bad."

"Can you remember anything about the fire?" Christine just wanted for all of her worries to have been misplaced.

"I remember... I don't know. The flames, kind of. I remember there being a fire, but I don't actually remember the fire itself, you know? I might have just got... startled by it... I have no clue."

"Don't worry, Connor," she stroked the back of his hand as he grew slightly more agitated.

"H-how's everyone else? Is anyone else hurt?"

"Imogen and Dynasty got out completely safe, don't worry. Scout and Barry inhaled quite a bit of smoke and are being treated."

"Kevin?" he couldn't help but notice the absence of his name.

"He's on one of the wards. Smoke inhalation and burns to his arm. He's okay so don't fret about it. I was speaking with Mr Chalk last night and he seems to be doing fine. I was so worried last night-"

"They said you needed to go... Get some rest because I'd be in here for a while," he coughed deeply.

...

Imogen practically had to beg her mother to drive her up to the hospital to visit Kevin and Connor and see how they were. She was a giant ball of anxiety, worried that two of her closest friends weren't okay. Unsettled by the constant triggers of the fire that had had happened before that the events of the previous day had brought on, she wasn't particularly in a great mood, but the worry outweighed her own personal angst.

Whatever had been responsible for Connor's okay health that morning seemed to have worn off. His chest ached desperately, the hot and toxic gases from the fire finally started to make him feel the effects. Although the oxygen helped, he still felt awful.

"Hey," Imogen wandered towards his bed hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like..." he shrugged, unable to find an answer that fully lived up to the pain he felt. "Like death."

"Good news is that school won't be open for a while."

"Does that mean there's bad news to follow?"

"We have to go to another building to sit our exams next month."

"Oh god... I completely forgot... I've still not finished my art final, and-"

"Connor, don't freak out. I think they're going to contact the exam board and extend the deadlines for folio work, at least for those that were injured, and they may be able to give you special permission to do it here as well."

"Mum's probably going to bring piles and piles of books over the past few days so I can study," he laughed, but ended up coughing. "Have you seen Kevin yet?"

"I was just about to go and see him. He texted this morning so I think he's alright. Smoke inhalation and a burn on his arm, but it's nothing they can't fix. You're... You're okay aren't you?"

"The oxygen's helping-"

"No I mean... You know what I mean Connor. I mean... with the fire and all?"

"I barely even remember what happened. One minute I was in a hall, and the next minute it was just... red. I remember running into a classroom, shocked by the fire or something but I have no clue..."