Page 70 of Hoodoo House
Declan moved towards the hallway. The smell was stronger. He got to the cellar door and there was no doubt. He placed the back of his hand on the door. Nothing. No heat. Declan carefully opened the cellar door. The air was hazy. He began to make his way down the cellar steps, then partway down, he saw a strange orange glow reflecting on the ceiling above the shelving on the far wall…the shelves that hid the entrance to the tunnel.
“Shit.”
Choking smoke rolled over the shelves and started filling the upper part of the cellar. The house was on fire.
Declan ran back to the kitchen as quickly as he could, slamming the cellar door behind him. “Everybody out. Now!”
Charlie ran for the back door, but it was sealed with plywood. “Front door,” he yelled.
Declan led the others down the hall, out through the front door and onto the drive.
As they reached the car, he noticed that someone was missing. “Shit! Where’s Henry?”
“He was here a second ago,” Charlie said.
Declan stared at the house then barked out his orders. “You three, stay put. Charlie, call the fire department and the police. Keep your eyes peeled for anyone out there. I don’t think this is an accident.”
Mrs Cameron called out, “Henry!’” and began running towards the house. Declan grabbed her.
“Don’t do it. I’ll get him.”
Charlie took hold of Mrs Cameron’s arm. “Declan will find him. I promise.” Mrs Cameron and Charlie joined Sinclair beside the car.
Declan ran back into the house and started calling out Henry’s name as loudly as he could. The smoke was dense. It now poured from the cellar door, and from the main room at the front.
“Henry!” he screamed.
Declan considered where Henry might have gone, and focused on the stairs to the second floor. He knew he didn’t have a lot of time. The house was nothing but dry wood. It wouldn’t be long until—
He stepped on the lowest stair and bounced with all his weight. It hadn’t been weakened too much yet. He took another step. There was a loud crash. He turned in time to hear the windows of one of the front rooms blow outward with a force that likely meant that the floor on the other side had given way and the heat had risen into the room at speed.
He looked back up the stairs and made out the silhouette of Henry coming down the stairs draped in a thick blanket and carrying a small suitcase.
Thank God.
“Henry, what the fuck are you doing? We have to move fast.”
Before Henry could make it to the bottom of the stairs, Declan swept him up in his arms and jumped to the main floor just as the stair wall started to buckle inward.
Declan launched himself out of the front door. His mass, combined with Henry in his arms, carried them through the porch railing. Declan spun his body to protect Henry from the fall. They landed with the boy on top and Declan had the wind knocked out of him. As he struggled to get his breath back, he saw the tower of the house was now completely engulfed in flames.
“Come on, Henry,” Declan heard Charlie’s voice say as the weight of the teen was dragged off of him. “You too. Come on.”
He felt Charlie’s hand in his, pulling him up.
“God,” Charlie said. “Either you have to lose some weight, or I have to start working out.”
Declan, Charlie and Henry ran from the house. Charlie led them to safety behind the Beast where they joined Mrs Cameron and Sinclair.
Mrs Cameron leapt to her feet and grabbed Henry up in her arms.
“Oh my God, I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.” She and Henry were both in tears. She rocked the teen back and forth, petting his hair. Mrs Cameron turned to Declan. “Thank you,” was all she could get out.
Sinclair sat on the ground, his back to the car, his arms wrapped around his knees. All four of them joined Sinclair on the ground.
Charlie looked at Declan and said, “I called nine-one-one. Fire and police are on their way.”
“Good.”
