Page 25 of Burn for You

The flames flare from the kitchen. That horrible whooshing noise invading my senses as the heat burns its way up my bare upper body. “Okay, time to go.”

May tries to push herself up, but she’s too weak. She sinks back to her knees with a sob, and my heart cracks at the sound of it.

A bang sounds from behind me as a beam tumbles to the ground by the door. If we don’t get out of here now, we’ll get stuck.

“We need to move,” I say, grabbing her under her arm, but she can barely get up. I pick her up, one hand holding her weak upper body and the other under her knees. She instinctively wraps her arms around me and buries her head into my neck, hiding from the flames.

The beam fell right in our way, blocking the doorway.

I look around for another way out, but the back door is next to the kitchen. That option is off the table.

“Rafael?” May looks up at me. Those green eyes peering up at me with pure fear laced in them. Her body is trembling in my arms, and I just hold on tighter. She’s in shock. We need to get out of here. Now. “It’s alright. You’re alright, I’ve got you.”

I survey the area, trying to make quick work of a solution to getting the hell out of here before we burn alive. I could jumpover that beam if I just pull that side table over. It would be a stretch, but it’s better than being charred.

But May can’t. There’s no way she can get over that, not with the state she’s in.

My heart races as I look around us. We are running out of time. My mind shuffles through solutions, and it lands on the fire extinguisher that sits in the back of my truck. I internally thank my nonna for forcing me to always keep one in the carjust in case.

I need to make a decision. Now.

“Okay.” I set May down on her feet. “I need you to wait here for me, alright?”

She shakes her head, tears cascading down her face in a steady stream. Her grip tightening on my forearms. Any animosity between us has vanished in this moment. There’s only terror, and what I hope is trust between us now.

“I’m coming straight back, I promise. I’m going to get you out of here, May. Can you wait here for me?”

She nods, crying even harder.

I push her hair out of her face, holding her head in my hands. “I will not leave you here.”

She nods again, and my body is screaming not to let her go as I turn around to face the beam. My body is running on adrenaline and fear. Not for myself, but for the girl I just left behind.

I drag the little table over, bringing it close enough that it won’t catch, but so that I can make the jump. I climb up onto it, and now that I’m up here, I’m sure May couldn’t make this jump. Making me even more determined that I have to.

I let out a breath and jump. I hear a gasp as I land, tumbling into the wall beside the front door, but I landed.

I turn to look behind me and there’s May, her terrified eyes meeting mine. Her cheeks are shining from her endless stream of tears. She’s got her arms wrapped around her body as she stands surrounded by flames, and it looks like my worst nightmare.

The scene catapults me into action as I sprint towards mytruck. I skid to a halt as I hit it. I reach into the bed, my hand roaming around until it lands on what I need.

I turn around and the scene in front of me looks ten times worse than it did when I arrived. I tuck the extinguisher under my arm as I run back to the cottage. Fear driving my body across the lawn.

When I look through the doorway, May isn’t where I left her, and my mind starts running with worst-case scenarios. My heart beating so loudly it nearly drowns out the sound of the flames beside me.

“May!” My voice is hoarse as I scream out for her.

A hand raises from behind the beam. I don’t waste another second before yanking out the pin and letting the foam spray over the beam in front of me. The flames go out immediately, allowing me to see the girl behind it. May is on the floor, my shirt still over her mouth as she coughs.

I quickly climb over the beam. The fire is still overwhelming the rest of the house around us, but I don’t have time to worry about that right now. I collect May up into my arms once again, climbing back over the beam and out the door before something else crashes behind us. May squeals in my arms at the sound and I hold her tighter to me. “You’re safe,” I say. “You’re safe.”

I don’t stop moving until I reach my truck. I open the passenger door and place May down in the seat. “I need to call for help,” I say, reaching across the dashboard to grab my phone. She doesn’t respond.

I fumble with my phone, willing my shaking hands to still as I call the fire service. It rings and rings. I look back to May and her eyes are glazed over as she looks at the cottage burning in front of her.

“Oh my god,” she breathes, another tear slipping down her face.

I finally get through. “Yeah, hi, we need help.”

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