Chapter 4
Smoke got thicker. Not gray now. Yellow gray. Stung eyes. Made cough sit low in chest. I held rabbit tighter. Left arm sweat against plush. Right hand kept brass nozzle. Hose still limp. No pressure. Man breathed hard behind rope. Sweat cut lines through soot on his skin.
I remembered Mommy before shed. Morning heat. Driveway gravel warm under my one bare foot. Mommy wore blue garden gloves. Knees on dirt by shed wall. She pulled weeds. Bucket beside her. She told me stay close. Don't wander. Then smell came. Smoke. She stood. Gloves off. She looked at shed door.
That memory sat next to fire now. Contradiction hurt. Mommy outside minutes ago. Now man said go find Mommy. Said it twice earlier. Voice cracked. "Macy, go find Mommy." "I know, go find Mommy." I didn't understand why she left. Why she not come back.
Man shifted against post. Rope creaked. He saw me stare at door gap.
Daylight showed thin line at floor. Door ajar. Black iron latch halfway caught. Smoke poured out that crack. Outside light looked white. Clean. My eyes watered. I thought Mommy waited past that line. Parking lot maybe. Or driveway where she knelt.
He tried to make words calm. Breath hitched first. He told me Mommy not inside. Not in smoke. She went for help. Only I could slip through gap. Size small enough. He could not. Rope held him. Shoulders too wide. He told me door gap made for child only.
I didn't answer with words. I looked down. Hose in hand. Brass nozzle cool despite fire. Water pooled around my pink sock. Soaked it dark. Rabbit ear damp. I squeezed nozzle again. Nothing came. Thought stayed same as before. "But fire needs water." I believed it. Fire needed water. Mommy needed finding. Both true. Could not pick.
Man coughed. Leaned forward despite rope. Tattoo stretched on chest. Shirt torn more now. He said run. Short word. "Run!" I flinched. Rabbit shook. I looked at door. Then back at hose. Then at his bound wrists. Knot thick. Natural fiber rough. I knew my hands too small to undo. Knew his voice wanted me gone.
I took one step toward door. Bare foot slipped on wet concrete. Reflective floor showed flames along baseboard. Orange licked wood. I stopped. Gap looked narrow. Dark iron latch hung above my head. I could duck under maybe. But hose dragged. Six feet of red rubber behind me to dark corner. If I left hose, fire stayed thirsty. If I took hose, it might snag.
I turned back. Looked at man. Eyes watery. Lips parted. Soot speck on cheek mirrored mine. He breathed slow on purpose. Showed me how. I copied. In. Out. Smoke burned less for second.
May you like
He nodded toward door gap again. Not shouting now. Quiet plea. Said gap viable. Said Mommy outside. I understood. Knew Mommy waited beyond daylight line. Knew door not rescue yet, only possibility. Knew staying meant smoke thicker. Knew going meant leaving him tied.
I stayed inside. Feet planted wet floor. Hose in right hand. Rabbit in left. Door glowed two steps away. I hadn't taken it. Choice sat heavy. Fire crackled behind post. Water pooled but no pressure. Mommy outside. Man bound. I in middle.
