- Serena -

The snow flew past me like the wind. The adrenaline pumping through my veins made me thrust my ski poles harder into the snowy ground to gain speed.

My elder brother, Shawn, was a distance next to me and we made sure to give one another room for movement.

I skied faster and Shawn raced me harder.

I smiled as the sharp cold wind burned my face. The cold will never bother me.

I was part of the cold, as it was part of me.

Then I heard a loud roaring. I watched and was warned about this many times. The monster in the snow.

I saw Shawn turn to me and though I couldn't see his eyes, I knew that he knew we were in danger.

I turned behind quickly to see the damage and saw the avalanche rolling down towards us.

I looked at our surroundings, there wasn't anything to grab onto.

There was no way out of this, the only way was to ski sideways or get buried.

I bent my knees and moved sideways, seeing Shawn go in the opposite direction away from me.

He turned to me and waved, a signal that we'll meet back somewhere later.

I gave him a thumbs up and focused on my terrain.

An avalanche was basically death, but Shawn and I survived one before so we knew what to do.

Then I felt the snow behind land on my ski and I lost my balance.

The ski flipped and I was thrown along with it. 

I felt like a rag doll. Arms and legs flailing in the air.

I could barely hear my scream, the avalanche's growl was louder than anything I've ever heard.

Then I stopped moving, I was under heaps of snow.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't even move my arms to dig an air pocket.

I couldn't feel anything, I couldn't feel my own body.

I only felt the heaviness of the snow weighing down on me, pressing on me, pulling the life out of me.

***

- Benjamin -

I flicked my wrist and watch the vegetables fly in the air for a few spilt seconds before landing back in my pan.

I mouthed a 'yes' to myself for finally not spilling any food onto the stove.

"Are you playing with your food again Benjamin?" My mother nagged through the phone that I was pressing really uncomfortably to my ear with my shoulder.

"No I'm not," I chuckled and I could feel my mother rolling her eyes.

"Don't cook and do other things at the same time Benjamin, you've never been good at multi-tasking. Call me when you're done."

I took a swig of the wine I had next to me near the stove.

"Come on mum, I can manage. We've not had a conversation in forever."

The wine is going to go well with the steak I bought earlier.

"Ben, call me later," and I knew that there was no talking around it. 

I grabbed the salt and pepper to season the vegetables.

"Alright mum, I love you."

"I love you too Benny."

I grimaced at the nickname and my phone fell to the tiled floor.

"Fuck," I put the seasoning back to where it belonged but knocked into the wine glass.

I stared in horror as the wine spilt onto the flames on the stove and flowed down the counter.

I pulled the apron I had on me and tried to cover the stove to contain the fire.

The glowing flame of alcohol flowed down to the ground, to my phone.

I don't remember what happened next, but there was a bright light and then there were flames surrounding me.

I felt my skin burn and melt.

My phone exploded and so did the gas pipes in my kitchen.

I was buried in flames of unbearable heat. Everything was orange and hot around me.

I couldn't feel anything, I couldn't feel my own body.

I only felt the heaviness of the heat and smoke weighing on me, pressing on me, pulling the life out of me.