So sorry! Ack! Here's my post!

The Fire~

William ran through the fields of corn to his family's log cabin. Today was his birthday, and he was very excited. Mawma looked up from stoking the fire and smiled. Her face wrinkled kindly, and she brushed back loose hairs from her bun. 

"Hello, William. Pawpa finishing work in the fields?" William nodded and sat at the table. He inhaled deeply, smelling the familiar scents of musty wood and burning charcoal. At that moment, Pawpa ran into the cabin, a crazed look in his eyes.

"Fire! Headed towards the corn!" 

Mary screamed with shock, and Mawma dropped the earthen clay bowl she was holding. It hit the ground and shattered instantly.

Mawma stumbled down the stairs to the cellar, Pawpa following her. Swiftly, the old wooden washtub was brought out, and Mawma began filling it with water.

"You kids get into the cellar," she ordered.

"But-" William started to protest.

"Now!" Mawma growled. Fire flashed in her old green eyes. It scared William so much that he grabbed Mary's arm and yanked her after him down the cellar steps. They sat in the deepest corner of the cellar, shivering with cold.

William looked around at the barrels of cider, the whitewashed walls and drafty cracks. After a few minutes, the pair heard the unmistakeable scraping sound of wood against stone as Mawma and Pawpa entered the cellar, pushing the washtub in front of them. Pawpa's face was drenched with sweat, and Mawma's bonnet was lying, forgotten, halfway down her back.

"We did all we could," Pawpa panted.

Together, the family huddled between the casks of red apple cider. Suddenly, a roaring sound came faintly from the east. William squeezed his eyes shut. It got steadily louder as it passed over them, then......silence.

William opened his eyes. Mary looked petrified, and Mawma and Pawpa were talking in hushed tones. A few minutes passed before Mawma walked over to them. 

"Follow me, and stay close." She murmured. Her scared face betrayed her though, and William tried hard to ignore the look she shared with Pawpa. The family walked, single file, up the cold stone steps. William watched Pawpa slowly lift his head out, cough in the smoke, and then motion to Mawma. Once the whole family was out of the cellar, William surveyed his surroundings.

Three-quarters of the crops were blackened and burnt, and so was the house. Though throughly singed, the house still stood strong. 

"We were lucky," Mary whispered. William didn't consider losing almost a whole years worth of crops 'lucky,' but he knew she was right. He also knew he was a big boy and too old to cry, but Mawma hugged him tightly as he blinked back tears.

"Happy birthday to me," William whispered miserably.

And the results!!! (Admins, could you keep the spaces? Thanks a ton!!!) 

Ooh, I'm honored and surprised! Thank you so much! No, it wasn't a fractured fairytale. My own invention. Yum, two cupcakes! YUMYUMMY *chomps down on frosting and cake* 

New topic! Write about... birds! Flying birds, magical birds, talking birds, whatever has to do with feathered fowl.