Page 67 of Tipping Point

That I was still conscious was a miracle. The flames spurred me into action. I undid my harness with numb fingers and reached up to pull myself from the ruined car, but arms reached inside, pulled me free. Strangers with big eyes and shaking hands.

They had scattered. Wounded people were being dragged away by their friends and family. The man who had pulled me free turned towards the car.

I followed his terrified gaze.

I saw her long legs, motionless. She was wearing white sandals with plastic sunflowers on the straps.

Then, with an almost deafening whoosh, sound returned to me, and I heard the screams of those around us, the angry hiss of the fire, and the keening wail of a small child.

She was burning. I could smell it.

I leapt over the car. I was wearing the suit. it would protect me. Her skin was exposed to the flames. I knelt down low to see what I could do.

A spectator whipped away the keening child, and they ran, fearing an explosion.

I should run too.

She was pinned and unconscious. Fuel had spurted over half her face. It was on fire, melting before my very eyes. I had nothing to help her with.

I whipped the top half of my suit off and dived over her, pressing the material over the raging flames trickling all over her skin.

I managed to put it out.

The flames danced over the shoulder I had exposed to free enough of my suit to put out the flames on her.

Instinct makes you flinch away from pain.

I did. I had no control.

Flames immediately leapt up around her again. Her skin was thick and swollen, charred, bursting at the cracks.

I fought my instinct to pull away, drew the material over her face again, shielding her from the surrounding flames. Seconds, and I smelled my flesh burning.

I couldn’t bear it. Every nerve ending inside me screamed at me to pull away from the agony the flames caused over my skin.

I had to abandon her and get away.

I couldn’t.

The heat overwhelmed me. I couldn’t breathe without it burning my lungs.

I thought I was dying, and when I could bear it no longer, the plume of the extinguishers billowed over the both of us and I passed out.

12

Chapter 12

FINN

Iactivate the onboard fire extinguisher and jump out easily, the adrenaline still flowing through me. Lachlan is off to one side and I jog over as we watch the safety crew put out the fire together.

“Sorry mate.” Lachlan heaves a massive sigh.

“Cheers.”

I slap him on the shoulder because this is one we get to walk away from, and I couldn’t give a fuck about the cars.

An ambulance picks us up, and we fight off their barrage of questions. They drop us off at the track medical centre for a check-up.

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