Page 24 of Burn for You

My brain stalls as I watch the fire grow every second I sit here, watching the way the smoke drifts from the roof of the house all the way down the street.

Where is May?The thought slams into the forefront of my mind.

I don’t think I’ve ever put my truck into park quicker than I have just now. I open the door and slam it behind me.

“May!” I scream.

My stomach hollows out as I look around, my eyes not able to focus on anything with the smoky haze surrounding me.

She’s got to be outside somewhere. There’s no way she’s still inside. She’s smarter than that.

How the fuck did this happen?

As I get closer to the house, the flames double in size. Smoke billows out from under the front door like a waterfall. Terror floods my system.

“May!” I scream again, running around the side of the cottage.

She’s not here.

She’s not here.

My stomach drops even further, something I didn’t even know it could do. She’s inside. How did this happen?

My mind snaps at the fact that I came here with the purpose of bringing May food because she is sick.

Like really sick.

Like can’t get off the couch sick.

I grab at the door handle, but quickly pull away as it singes my hand. “Fuck!” I hiss.

I rip my shirt off, wrapping it around the handle so I can get in there. I don’t know what I’ll find, and the heavy feeling of dread sinks in.

I wrench the door open, and smoke comes pouring out into my face. I cough, putting my shirt over my nose and mouth before taking a step inside.

All I see is red.

Red and orange behind the smoke.

The kitchen is gone. It’s completely engulfed in flames, the whole room swallowed by the fire. I’ve been to this cottage a couple of times over the years, but right now I’m completely disorientated, the flames distorting the space around me.

My head snaps across the room when I hear a cough.

“May?!” I yell, my voice muffled through my shirt.

Another cough.

Oh my god.

I race across the room to see May doubled over beside the couch, coughing her guts out.

I freeze. My body is unresponsive as I look over her. She looks frail, her body weak, and her eyes afraid. Seeing her like this makes my stomach churn.

“Rafael?” She coughs, and it snaps me out of it.

I crouch down to meet her, passing her my shirt and placing it over her mouth. “What the fuck happened?”

She just shakes her head. We don't have time for her to explain.

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