Page 22 of Falling Too Late

“Yes.”?

He gripped my hand tight and pulled me down the stairs. It was still dark outside; I couldn’t tell the time. I could hear the sirens coming. Alex pulled me through the parking lot and to a shed behind the playground. The shed door didn’t face the playground. It was behind it and normally it was locked, but this time it was opened.

“Get in here, hide behind all that stuff back here, and don’t you come out until I tell you.”

“What are you going to do?”Panic crawled up my throat. I didn’t want him going back there.

“Wren, just trust me. Stay here.” He closed the door, and I was drowning in darkness except for what I could see between theboards. I had an almost perfect view of the apartment. Then, I could finally see it.?

The flames burst out of my mom’s bedroom window. I covered my mouth, horror engulfing me.??

Were they dead??

Police cars and fire trucks swarmed the area. Hooking up to a hydrant and they got to work, spraying the flames through my mom’s window. Black smoke billowed above the apartments.??

I could see Alex standing off to the side on the sidewalk behind the yellow caution tape. His hands were in his pockets. More people came out from the other apartment buildings and gathered on the sidewalk. Lloyd, his hands in his hair, was waving his arms around crazily next to two police officers.??

Two ambulances showed up, taking one person away in it.??

Gloria ran up to Alex, grabbing him by his shoulders and shaking him. She looked around, but Alex hugged her tightly.

I wondered what she was thinking. A sinking feeling fell in my stomach. Their home was up in flames. All the memories of Alex’s dad gone with it.

Hours passed, the sun rising and granting more light through the slats of the shed. I had to adjust my positioning, standing for a while before sitting back down, moving around a lawn mower and other yard tools in the rundown shed.

Finally, Alex started walking my way. I stood, moving to the door. As soon as he opened it, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he held me tight.

“Everything’s okay.” He didn’t let me go, giving me the time I needed to just hug him.

“Thank you,” I whispered in his ear.

“I got you.” He squeezed me tight. “Come on, Ma wants to lay her eyes on you for herself.”

He took me along the back of the property, coming up behind one of the other apartment buildings. The farthest one from ours. He opened a door on the bottom floor and pulled me in, quickly closing itbehind me.

I was enveloped in arms immediately. The sweet smell of maple syrup and Gloria’s floral bodywash engulfed me.

“Oh my god, I was so worried about you.” Her voice was laced with tears, and she held me tight to her chest. After a minute, she held me at arm’s length, looking me over. “Oh, you are alright,”she said, as if reassuring herself.

“Told you, Ma.” Alex spoke from behind me, a grin in his tone.

“I know you did, sweetheart, but sometimes a mother needs to see for herself to reassure her poor old heart.” Gloria brushed her tears away.

I felt awkward. I wasn’t used to being doted over, but that didn’t stop the warm feeling spreading through me.??

“What are we doing in here?” I looked around at the barren room. Void of all furniture and pictures on the wall. It smelled like fresh paint and musk.??

“The firemen closed off our apartment building and required Lloyd to put us in a different apartment. Thankfully, he had this one empty still,” Gloria answered.

I tried not to react to his name. I hadn’t seen him since I had gotten out, and I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t know if he would tell my mom where I was at.??

“Who got taken away in the ambulance?” I had been too far away; I hadn’t been able to see if it was Mom.

Alex and Gloria looked at each other. I couldn’t tell if I was worried about my mom or not.??

Or if I was hopeful.?

Did I really care if she was hurt?

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