Page 9 of Fate

Chapter Three

Kathleen

I glance around my costume closet. Black clouds of smoke billow along the ceiling and push through the bottom of the single closed door. The room is in the basement level of the San Francisco Theatre and is closed off from the rest of the production team. The show transformed the area because of the exorbitant number of necessary costumes, and it’s definitely not the safest place towork.

Getting up fast, I head for the window and stand on a chair to reach it. For some reason, it’s blocked with what looks like wooden boards that weren’t there yesterday. I pound on the window, trying to open it. No dice. The smoke around me gets thicker.

Grabbing a scarf, I place it over my mouth and nose and breathe through it. I don’t know much about smoke, but I do know fire sucks all the oxygen out of the air and that smoke is harmful to breathe. Going over to the only door, I grab the handle and scream as the heat from the metal knob sears the center of my palm. I back up and get my bearings, ignoring the throbbing pain in myhand.

I’m starting to feel light-headed. A tightening around my chest adds pressure to my upper body as though someone is stepping on me one foot at a time. I wrap a scarf around my blistered hand, wincing and blinking away the pain. Then I grab another piece of clothing near the door and use it to turn the handle. I have to get out ofhere!

Right before I grab it, the smoke alarms sound. I clench my teeth and hold my breath, trying not to suck in the fumes coming up from under the door. Finally, I yank the door open with my right arm, and I’m blasted by a wall of fire. Pain rips up my right arm and over my side as I use another piece of clothing to smother the fire licking against my skin. The scent of charred flesh pierces my nostrils. My mouth waters.

“Help me! Please help me!” I scream before I kick the doorshut.

Tears fall down my cheeks, wetting my face. My eyes burn from the smoke, and I can barely breathe. The air in the room is as thick as a Bay Area foggy day, only hot ashell.

“Help!” I scream at the top of my lungs, but no one hears me over the alarms.

A pounding sound comes from the window as I fall to my knees, the lack of air suffocating me. I gasp like a fish out of water, looking up toward the window. A speck of black night comes into view. Fingers yanking and then bare feet smashing against the window. My eyes roll back in myhead.

“Help…” I whisper as I fall face first to the floor. “Helpme.”

“Wake up!My God, Kat, please wake up.” Gigi’s voice breaks through the fog and haze of my nightmare.

I jump back, my arm throbbing and aching. I groan and cradle it protectively.

“Kat, Jesus! You scared the hell out of me!” Gigi cries, petting my arm andhead.

“Us. She scared the hell out of us,” Chase clarifies from his perch against the wall. He’s shirtless, wearing nothing but a pair of silk pajama bottoms and a frown, his arms crossed over his chest.

Shit. The nightmares.

I blink away the fear still clawing at my psyche and press my fists against my eyes. “I’m sorry, guys. Uh, just a dream.”

“Honey, you were screaming for help. Over and over.” Gigi places her hand at her throat, a worried gesture if ever I’ve seenone.

Taking a deep breath, I shake my head. “Again, I’m sorry.” I start to shift my feet and push the covers back. “I can go home. Really.”

“No, no, no! Chase!” Gigi’s voice is pleading.

“Absolutely not. You’ll stay here with your family. But I am upset you didn’t mention you were still having the nightmares.”

Like a balloon deflating, all the strength I’d built up about this secret seeps out of me. “I have them every once and a while.” Lie. “Seriously, they are not a big deal.” Lie. “I’ve already forgotten what I was dreaming about.” Triple lie. I’ll never forget that night. It plagues me daily.

What if they hadn’t broken through the window?

What if Maria had come alone and passed outtoo?

What if the bodyguard hadn’t been able to pull us bothout?

Chase scowls. “Kathleen, you can lie to us all you want, but it never works.”

Totally not true. That shit works on the girls all the time. Just not on Chase. He’s always been able to see through people.

I ruffle my hair out of my eyes and pat Gillian’s hands. “Honey, I’m fine. Really. I’m sorry I woke you guys up. It was just a nightmare. I’mfine.”

Gillian stands up, placing a hand over her small bump. She’s only four months, but she’s already showing.

---