I slid myself on the edge of the bed.
I grappled on the edge of the bed with my hands while standing up.
I started painting.
I could not see the door because of the heavy smoke in my room.
I started walking with muffled steps.
I then began coughing.
A minute later, I reached the door.
I held the doorknob in my hand, turned right, and opened the door.
I screamed as loud as I could.
“Aunt Agatha.” My voice was excessively loud.
I stepped out of the room, and then I noticed the corridor was also filled with black smoke, which was coming from downstairs.
A quick nod escaped from me.
I placed my hand on the wall while coughing.
I dashed towards the stairs, went to the ground floor, and ran towards the kitchen, where I saw Aunt Agatha lying face down on the floor.
I sprinted over to her, turned her around, and tried to wake her up.
But she was not responding.
Her breath was shallow.
A wound on her forehead from which the blood was coming out.
My eyes stretched with a sudden jolt of surprise.
It was like someone attacked her.
I again called up.
“Aunt Agatha, wake up,” I said, trembling lips.
I stood up, grabbed the piece of cloth, and wrapped it around my face because of the smoke; I had trouble breathing.
I grabbed Aunt Agatha from her arms and started dragging her outside the kitchen.
When this happened, the blast occurred, and I fell face up to the ground.
A few minutes later, I opened my eyes and looked around.
That is when I noticed Aunt Agatha was gone from the spot next to me.
I screamed.
I rose to my feet and started calling up Aunt Agatha.
“Auntie, Auntie.”
I saw the flames getting high by the exit door, and the room next to it was totally on fire.
I started checking each room for Aunt Agatha, but she was not anywhere.
I nodded and ran upstairs, looking into the rooms for her again, but still had no luck.
The smoke was getting thick, making it hard to see anything.
Suddenly, I realized that if I did not go out, then I would die from the consumption of smoke.
Before I could reach the room where I was sleeping, I collapsed on the floor.
A minute later, I felt a hand on my hand.
The grip tightened in a second.
I tried to open my eyes but could not.
“I promised myself I would never see you again but fate does not listen.” Someone whispers in my ear.
I was standing face to the door in shock; I felt someone’s arms wrap around me in the dark… But when I turn, the stranger is gone.
Suddenly, I heard a police siren wailing in the distance.
A minute later, a man approached me, clutched my hand, and dragged me outside the house through the window.
My foot slipped, and I fell on the grass below.
I opened my eyes and saw Max was staring at me.
I turned round and lay on the ground on my back.
I saw a hand in front of my eyes.
I extended my hand to grab the hand and pulled myself to my feet.
“Are you okay?
Max asked.
His tone was steady.
I ran my hands through my hair.
“Yes,” I giggled.
Then I realized that Aunt Agatha was not there.
The man on my face disappeared, and it was replaced by a worry on my face.
I looked around, calling up Aunt Agatha.
“Has anyone seen my aunt?” My voice was loud.
My emotions were frantic.
Suddenly, Lydia’s soft voice echoed in my ears.
“Hey, she is here.” Lydia motioned me to come to the ambulance, which was parked on the driveway down the road.
I looked at Max.
I gave him a gentle hug and then started walking to the ambulance.
When I got there, I saw Aunt Agatha lying on the stretcher with an oxygen mask on her face.
Her eyes were closed.
I sucked in a big breath.
Lydia gently reached out, squeezing my hand, offering silent comfort.
I shifted my gaze from my hand to Lydia’s face.
She asked me to get inside the ambulance with an eye gesture.
Without asking questions, I went inside the ambulance and took a seat next to Aunt Agatha.
I placed my hands on my lap.
My hands started trembling.
I deeply sighed while placing my hand on Aunt Agatha’s hand.
I feel really guilty seeing her lying there on the stretcher, completely still.
I keep thinking about our arguments.
I said some mean things, and now I regret it.
I wish I had not said those things, but I cannot take them back now.
“Is she okay?” A low rumble came out of my mouth.
I asked, trembling lips.
In the interim, a low voice pulled me back into reality.
“She is fine, but the smoke inhalation caused her trouble breathing.” I glanced at the woman’s face, who was in a paramedic uniform.
“And the wound on her head,” I sounded urgent.
I noticed the moment in Aunt Agatha’s hand.
Aunt Agatha slowly opened her eyes, moved her eyeballs towards me, and started talking.
“Umm…stop investigating.
I am fine.” Her voice was low, murmur.
The corners of my mouth moved upwards into a smile.
I leaned in, wrapped my hand around her, and hugged her.
“Aunt Agatha, you scared me.” I delivered my words with firmness.
Aunt Agatha held the oxygen mask, took it off her face, and sat up.
“I am fine,” Aunt Agatha said while going out of the ambulance.
My eyes widened with surprise.
Now I was thinking that I am feeling guilty because of that woman who was fine.
Lydia clutched Aunt Agatha’s hand and turned her to face her.
“You are not okay.
I think you should go to the hospital with them,” Lydia spoke with a quiet, resonant tone.
Aunt Agatha made a claw around Lydia’s hand and forced her to let go of her hand.
Aunt Agatha dropped her hands on her side.
“I know what I am feeling right now.” Her voice was strong.
“If I am saying I am fine, then I am fine.” Aunt Agatha asked me to get out of the ambulance with a hand gesture.
I thought I better follow her order before I become the victim of her wrath.
So, I hopped out of the ambulance.
When this happened, A loud voice touched my ears.
“Max, come with me.
I want to talk to you in the police station.” It was Marty.
A hint of anger colored his voice.
I shifted my gaze from the ground to Max’s face.
He has no worries on his face even though I saw a smirk on Max’s face.
“I am not going with you,” Max added with a heavy chuckle.
Before Dorian said something, Aunt Agatha jumped into the conversation.
“Do not harass the kid because he pulled me from the fire,” Aunt Agatha said.
Her voice was firm.
Marty looked at Aunt Agatha with astonishment.
“What?” Marty asked.
His voice was laced with suspicion.
“I think you are not thinking clearly because I am not sure that he is actually innocent or not.” Aunt Agatha shook her head.
She then reached out to Max; Aunt Agatha wrapped her arms around her and hugged him tightly.
They broke off, and Aunt Agatha patted Max’s head with a plastered smile on her face.
“I would like to thank you for saving me and my niece’s life,” Aunt Agatha said while walking into the house.
The flame was extinguished.
Suddenly the man came over to Aunt Agatha and stopped her by standing in front of her.
I noticed he is Marinda’s husband.
I do not know his name, but I met him at another place where the fire was set up.
“You cannot go inside.” Anger sharpened his voice.
“I advise you to stay in the motel tonight.” Aunt Agatha clutched my hand while nodding her head in disagreement.
“I am staying here tonight because this is my house,” Aunt Agatha said while going toward the entrance of the house.
I have never seen Aunt Agatha act like that before, but today she is on fire.
I mean, defying authority is a whole new level.
I am kind of like her now.
And she is also reminding me of how I act in this situation.
I bowed my head and went inside the house along with Aunt Agatha.
Aunt Agatha motioned me to pull the couch in front of the entrance because the door was completely burnt.
“I am going to my room to get some sleep,” she said with a firm tone.
As I was going upstairs, my gaze fell on the coffee table, where I saw the scarf, which gave me shivers down my spine.