was missing, but then my fingers came in contact with
it. I could have rejoiced as I flipped it on. The first thing I did
was confirm that I was the only one in the room—I even checked the
closet. The air was thick with smoke, so the second thing I did was
yank clothes from their hangers and shove them under the door,
hoping to stop the flow of smoke. I tried to stay as low as I
could, but every once in a while I’d have to raise up. I was
honestly surprised I hadn’t passed out already due to lack of
oxygen.
I pushed the dresser
against the door—the weakest part of the wall—then I ripped the
sheets and comforter from the bed and tossed them against the
outside wall. Gagging and coughing, partially blind from smoke, I
was finally able to yank the mattress off the box springs. Though
I’d never been trained to deal with fires, I hoped wrapping myself
in the blanket and sheets and using the mattress as a shield would
protect me as much as possible against the raging inferno just on
the other side of the door.
My lungs started to
protest, and I coughed to the point of getting sick. I inventoried
my wounds, a tortured gasp leaving me when I saw the damage. Some
of my skin was raw and looked like boiled meat, while other places
were blackened. I bit my lip as I checked my feet, which had me
crying out. Even my lips were burned. My mind couldn’t stop from
thinking about Jules, hoping she’d made it out okay. And then there
was Jenna. If I didn’t make it, she would be devastated. She’d
blame herself. But what was I supposed to do?
Adrenaline, probably the
only thing that had kept me going, dissipated, and my body shook
uncontrollably. I was in serious shit, I knew, as my body went into
all-embracing shock. Then I was light-headed and knew at any minute
I would pass out. My entire body throbbed, and the thought of being
unconscious was welcoming. The last thing I remembered was the
flashlight dropping from my hand and rolling away, lighting the
comforter in crimson, the sound of something crashing faintly
registering with my psyche.
<>
When I came to, I was
splayed on the cold ground and, from behind my lids, lights flashed
from every direction. It took me a few seconds to grasp my
surroundings, which I wasn’t sure were actually real or not. I
sucked in a breath, and my lungs weren’t pained from the simple
action.
“ This is my fault. I’m
sorry. I’m sorry,” said a heavenly voice, though it was distressed.
“Please be okay. Please.”
“ He’ll be fine,” another
voice reassured. “I’m healing him. Look, the burns are almost
gone.”
“ Then why isn’t he waking?”
that same heavenly voice asked, pleading. Desperate. I recognized
that voice.
“ Jenna?” I rasped, my eyes
opening. Several faces stared down at me.
“ Joseph?” Jenna said,
hopeful. She came into my view, her face red and splotchy from
crying, which she started up again. Her hand squeezed mine, and
through the tears, she smiled, albeit a quivering one.
“ Hey,” I breathed, still
trying to reorient myself.
“ How ya doing?” Gabby’s
face came into view, and she grinned down at me. She’d stopped
doing her healing thing, and the pain rushed in.
“ I’m just peachy,” I
quipped, throat scratchy. “Only hurts when I breathe or blink or
exist, if I’m being honest.”
Gabby playfully frowned.
“So, do you want me to finish healing you or not?”
I coughed. “No, I want to
know if tweed is fashionable this year.”
Gabby laughed.
“ Yes, Gabby, I want you to
heal me.”
Jenna shook her head at our
bantering but seemed relieved when Gabby started up again. A bright
light came from her hands, and each second I felt a little bit
better, a little less like crispy barbecue.
When she was finished, I
asked, “What happened?”
“ I happened. You know, I’m
getting tired of saving your ass,” Gabby joked.
“ Hah-hah,” I said, sitting
up. I tried to absorb the scene before me, but it felt so unreal.
it. I could have rejoiced as I flipped it on. The first thing I did
was confirm that I was the only one in the room—I even checked the
closet. The air was thick with smoke, so the second thing I did was
yank clothes from their hangers and shove them under the door,
hoping to stop the flow of smoke. I tried to stay as low as I
could, but every once in a while I’d have to raise up. I was
honestly surprised I hadn’t passed out already due to lack of
oxygen.
I pushed the dresser
against the door—the weakest part of the wall—then I ripped the
sheets and comforter from the bed and tossed them against the
outside wall. Gagging and coughing, partially blind from smoke, I
was finally able to yank the mattress off the box springs. Though
I’d never been trained to deal with fires, I hoped wrapping myself
in the blanket and sheets and using the mattress as a shield would
protect me as much as possible against the raging inferno just on
the other side of the door.
My lungs started to
protest, and I coughed to the point of getting sick. I inventoried
my wounds, a tortured gasp leaving me when I saw the damage. Some
of my skin was raw and looked like boiled meat, while other places
were blackened. I bit my lip as I checked my feet, which had me
crying out. Even my lips were burned. My mind couldn’t stop from
thinking about Jules, hoping she’d made it out okay. And then there
was Jenna. If I didn’t make it, she would be devastated. She’d
blame herself. But what was I supposed to do?
Adrenaline, probably the
only thing that had kept me going, dissipated, and my body shook
uncontrollably. I was in serious shit, I knew, as my body went into
all-embracing shock. Then I was light-headed and knew at any minute
I would pass out. My entire body throbbed, and the thought of being
unconscious was welcoming. The last thing I remembered was the
flashlight dropping from my hand and rolling away, lighting the
comforter in crimson, the sound of something crashing faintly
registering with my psyche.
<>
When I came to, I was
splayed on the cold ground and, from behind my lids, lights flashed
from every direction. It took me a few seconds to grasp my
surroundings, which I wasn’t sure were actually real or not. I
sucked in a breath, and my lungs weren’t pained from the simple
action.
“ This is my fault. I’m
sorry. I’m sorry,” said a heavenly voice, though it was distressed.
“Please be okay. Please.”
“ He’ll be fine,” another
voice reassured. “I’m healing him. Look, the burns are almost
gone.”
“ Then why isn’t he waking?”
that same heavenly voice asked, pleading. Desperate. I recognized
that voice.
“ Jenna?” I rasped, my eyes
opening. Several faces stared down at me.
“ Joseph?” Jenna said,
hopeful. She came into my view, her face red and splotchy from
crying, which she started up again. Her hand squeezed mine, and
through the tears, she smiled, albeit a quivering one.
“ Hey,” I breathed, still
trying to reorient myself.
“ How ya doing?” Gabby’s
face came into view, and she grinned down at me. She’d stopped
doing her healing thing, and the pain rushed in.
“ I’m just peachy,” I
quipped, throat scratchy. “Only hurts when I breathe or blink or
exist, if I’m being honest.”
Gabby playfully frowned.
“So, do you want me to finish healing you or not?”
I coughed. “No, I want to
know if tweed is fashionable this year.”
Gabby laughed.
“ Yes, Gabby, I want you to
heal me.”
Jenna shook her head at our
bantering but seemed relieved when Gabby started up again. A bright
light came from her hands, and each second I felt a little bit
better, a little less like crispy barbecue.
When she was finished, I
asked, “What happened?”
“ I happened. You know, I’m
getting tired of saving your ass,” Gabby joked.
“ Hah-hah,” I said, sitting
up. I tried to absorb the scene before me, but it felt so unreal.
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