"Excuse me...Ma'am, I don't want to play more...I am very tired", I told my teacher, with a nasty feeling of weakness, as though I was going to faint. Before she could reply the bell rang and everyone ran towards the class.

''Wait, I can smell the gas leaking. I guess its from the heater", I yelled as we entered the class. Everyone stepped out, but Alice was too tired to wait. She ran in and ignoring everyone's warning she turned on all the lights. And the next thing was a blast. The class was on fire.

The Principal, the teachers and the custodians darted towards the classroom but no one dared to enter in the mouth of death. Soon, frightened Alice screamed, ''Help..help..I am burning...''. And then there was no other word. We couldn't see her because of the dense smoke, but everyone got it. Alice died but the fire continued.

The Chemistry lab was adjacent to our class. And it as not late, that the lab was on fire too. We were asked to leave the school's building. With eyes full of tears, I said to principal, ''Alice is inside, mam. And we can't just go out for our safety, leaving her burning inside. Let me go in and help her ''. ''Are you in your senses? How can we let you go in the mouth of death? Go out, the fire fighters are here to save her '',the principal yelled, in a tensed tone. The tears rolled down my eyes as I headed towards the gate.

I wanted to go in but wasn't allowed to, but still I did what I was able to. I didn't give up hopes and kept on praying for my best friend's life. When the fire was put off, I ran towards our classroom. My legs trembled as I ran. When I entered our class, 'A Burnt Body', was all that I saw. The world seemed to close on me. All the moments, I spent with Alice came rushing to my mind.

The wicked fire extinguished but took Alice's life with it. Alice left this harsh world, leaving me alone. And the only thing I was able to was to cry buckets full of tears.