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“Saff—“ A cough choked its way out of her throat.
Saff reached her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Maddie turned in her arm, one hand still clutching her cane, while the other seized the front of her shirt.
She gave herself just one second to hold her, to prove to that subconscious driving force within herself that Maddie was still there. That she was okay. That she wasalive.
Then she tore her eyes away, looking back over her shoulder to make sure the path to the door was still somewhat clear.
Black smoke bellowed down the hallway, burning her eyes as flames wrapped around the wall.
“Don’t let go,” Saff shouted above the roar of the fire.
Maddie’s one hand moved from her chest to wrap around the back of her neck and shoulders, as the other curled around her torso.
She coughed, her already irritated lungs begging for clean air.
One hand reluctantly released its grip on Maddie’s body as she pulled her shirt up, using it to cover her mouth and nose.
Then she quickly pulled them down the hallway, scanning the walls and beams overhead for any signs they were about to collapse.
By the time they made it to the end of the hallway and out into the main room, fire had already devoured every inch of the storing shelves and was quickly advancing further into the house.
Within a minute, it would probably cover every inch of the path they’d just walked.
Saff’s eyes darted around the room, desperately seeking the safest way out.
The front door now had a wall of flames before it, matching the majority of the front of the house.
Maddie let out a wheezing string of coughs, her body vibrating as Saff tightened her arm around her.
Her eyes jumped to the right. A large window, the one she’d spotted from the outside, had fire lining the top and side of it.But the path to it remained clear.
She took a step toward it right as a loud snap echoed above them.
She jumped back, pulling Maddie with her at just the right moment before part of the ceiling collapsed, dropping with a loud crash directly where they’d been standing.
Maddie jumped, pressing tighter into her body.
Saff curled around her, protecting her body from the sparks swirling in the air around them.
“What was—“ Maddie started, before another string of coughs racked through her body.
Saff glanced up for a split-second, checking for any other part that might fall through. Then she pulled them forward, ignoring the sting of the flames as they bit her ankles.
They made it to the front window, and Saff unwrapped her arm from Maddie.
Maddie spun, frantically grabbing for her.
“Don’t move,” Saff said, pulling back.
Then she kicked up at the window in front of them.
Her thick black combat boot easily broke through, sending glass shattering outward. She kicked two more times, creating an opening just large enough for them to fit through.
Smoke poured through the opening, and she saw Josh darting over to them from the other side of the house.
He found them instantly and right as he was about to jump up onto the porch, something outside above them cracked, plunging down onto the wooden porch with a deafening crash.