Remnant Of The Gods

Chapter 14

My heart was still racing and my body still tender from being thrown so many times by the time I exited the cab. Hoping to whatever gods existed- greek or not - that no-one had noticed my absence, I was powering home as quickly as I could when I noticed the smell of smoke in the air. It wasn't the homely wood-burning smell, that brought scenes of family dinners and cold feet. The smell was stinging my nose and I dimly remembered the smell of the car exploding in my mind as if it was a trigger.. This couldn't be good.

Looking on the horizon I realised I must have spent a good long while at the cemetery trying to find answers. The morning sun was dull against the rising grey smoke continuously reaching up to small tendrils in the light. Heading towards the smoke, I rummaged through the bag I had brought with me to realise that I hadn't brought my phone.

I felt a twinge of dread in my stomach and I began to run now, pumping every fibre of my being towards the smoke hoping, praying that the ones I loved were safe from harm but the dread in my gut only grew. I was beginning to reach the smoke as the smell rose up my nostrils and into my lungs and my panic flared as I was only a few houses down and thanking any gods up there that the road was at least flat and I was so close now-

The blaring of a horn sounded as a car screeched its brakes and ran into me, winding me and knocking me down to the asphalt in the process. I was gasping for air, watching the flames lick around the house as I tried getting to my feet only to cry out in pain as my brain could only take in the pain. The owner of the car quickly came bustling out of the car to help me up, frantically helping to upright me as their gaze went to the building burning in front of us. As soon as I was upright, I stumbled towards the fire, pain be damned. I was still struggling to breathe between the smoke in the air and the wind being knocked out of me. I could see was the halo of red and orange as the flames licked up the smoke greedily..

I heard the car beeping again trying to get my attention but I couldn't focus on anything but getting home, they have to be safe. I chanted in my head. Safe, safe, please let them be safe. I rounded the last corner before I saw it.

So many people stood out the front, taking in the sight while calling for help. None of them were people I knew. The entire house was enclosed in fire, the amount of smoke surrounding it made me choke as I went straight for the front door.

Turning the handle it took me a second too long to figure out that none of the fire training that I had learnt in school had stuck. The handle instantly burnt my hand. I screamed as I withdrew my hand, trying instead to kick open the door unsuccessfully. Panicking now I kept chanting-

They're going to be fine, they got out, they're safe, they have to be safe.

I ran around to the side door to the laundry, it has always been the easiest to open as it was the only screen door. I skidded to a halt, cradling my burnt hand at what remained of the side door. The screen had burnt away, leaving it open for me to dive in. The smoke was getting to me and I was so dizzy from the pain, the smoke and the raw panic.

Crouching to make my way through two small bursts of fire from the door caused me to retreat back quickly. Chemicals. The laundry has all of the best ingredients to make a fire really pop.

I ground my teeth in stupidity as I realised the back window would still be open. It was the only place the fire hadn't ravaged just yet as I ran around to the back, kicking anything in my way. I pushed through to the little alcove that surrounded the window with my good hand, the burnt one still cradled against my chest, to see it still open but the frame blackened and reaching out tentatively after burning my hand I felt the heat radiating off of the metal frame. I bit my lip from screaming in frustration as I looked for any other way in.