Always Hate Me

11. Arguing with Fire

The Second Gate was in bedlam – its emergency sirens blaring as its operators struggled to cope with the crisis. The main stairwell was a no-go zone and soldiers were helping people to shimmy out of the windows. Devi was stuck on the second floor. Hearing someone approach she ducked down behind her cleaning trolley – struggling to keep her head and feet tucked in.

Devi's supervisor ran past with a clipboard tightly clutched in his grasp. He was headed for the young cadets – who's loud squabbling voices indicated that they were encountering some difficulties. Devi peeked out from her hiding spot and exhaled in relief. She hadn't been spotted. Keeping low, she darted to one of the back stairwells. The door had a sign on in reading, I AM ON FIRE – that Devi chose to ignore.

Her supervisor's booming voice in the distance made Devi's shoulders shrink down further as she scampered quickly down the concrete steps. She reached the bottom and furtively opened the door leading into the kitchen – not expecting that there would be someone inside. Unfortunately for her – there was.

Devi groaned at the sight of her grandfather blocking the exit. Seeing her, he raised his hands in the air and enthusiastically pretended to be a fire.

"Granddad," Devi whined.

"You've got to put me out." Dahnmeet insisted, his tone adamant. Devi crossed her arms.

"Granddad I'm not using a fire extinguisher on you."

"If you don't do it now, how will you be able to confidently do so in the event of a fire?"

"In an actual fire I won't have to argue with it!"

Her grandad continued with his weird fire dance. Rolling her eyes, Devi sighed dramatically and plopped down onto a stool.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm giving up." Devi replied flatly. "The fumes have overpowered me and I've passed out."

The elderly Dahnmeet Summan shook his head.

"You get that defeatism from your father."

The fire exit door behind Dahnmeet opened to reveal a concerned looking Ryder. He'd been on his way to visit them when he'd heard the sirens and broken into a run.

"No, I'm afraid you can't come through here, son. The buildings on fire." Devi's grandfather calmly explained. Dahnmeet had gotten used to Ryder's visits over the last few days – though he of course, like everyone else, thought that Ryder's name was Crevan Laurent.

Ryder cocked a brow in puzzlement.

"Right..."

"You can join me," Devi offered – beckoning him over. "I've been rendered unconscious."

The pieces clicked into place and Ryder remembered that Devi had been complaining about the Second Gate's bizarre training exercises. Dahnmeet returned to his joyful interpretation of fire and Ryder's eyes crinkled as he grinned.

"I can do one better than that." With easy grace, Ryder leapt passed Devi's grandfather. Playing along, he snatched a towel from the side and put it over his mouth – to spare his lungs from 'the fumes'. Devi gawped at him as he headed her way.

"What are you doing?!" She exclaimed when he picked her up off the stool and carried her in his arms.

"I'm rescuing you."