Lib Novel Page 46
“Abby,” I said, my voice hoarse from the smoke, as she sprinted toward me. Her eyes were wide with concern—mirroring the fear that clawed at my insides—but when her hand slipped into mine, it was like an anchor in the turbulent sea of my thoughts.
“Tell me what happened,” Abby implored, her grip tightening.
“Looks like another arson case,” I replied, the words tasting bitter. “Almost definitely.”
Her gaze swept over the fiery spectacle, the flickering flames reflecting in her eyes. “Was anyone…?”
“Mr. Lao, the shopkeeper,” I choked out the name, my throat constricting around the guilt that surged anew. “He didn’t make it.”
“God, Nathan, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice a soft caress against the roar of destruction.
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump forming in my throat, grateful for her presence despite the maelstrom of emotions that threatened to consume me. Abby’s sorrow was genuine—a small comfort in the face of such senseless loss.
Abby’s fingers tightened around mine as her gaze darted down the street. I followed her line of sight, my stomach sinking. The Red Lantern, its iconic sign flickering erratically, was being devoured by flames, the fire a cruel beast claiming another victim.
“Someone’s in there!” Abby cried out, her voice sharp with fear. It cut through the roar of the fire and the cacophony of sirens. I strained my ears and heard it too, the muffled cries for help that pierced the night.
“Sounds like Lou,” she said, recognition lacing her tone. Her body tensed, ready to sprint towards the inferno. She moved and I just barely managed to catch her.
“Abby, wait!” I snapped, my hand closing firmly around her arm to hold her back. My heart hammered against my ribs, every instinct screaming that I couldn’t let her go. “It isn’t safe.”
She stared at me, her eyes blazing with a determination that matched the fire’s fury. “Lou needs us, Nathan. We have to do something!”
I knew she was right, but damn if I didn’t feel the urge to drag her away from this madness instead. Abby and I locked eyes, an unspoken agreement forming between us.
We had to act—and fast.
So I shoved her backwards and ran.
I bolted toward the cafe, the heat intensifying with each stride. My heart pounded in rhythm with my footsteps, and I could almost taste the smoke on my tongue. This wasn’t just another building; it was part of Abby’s world, and I’d walk through hell before letting that crumble to ashes.
“Stay back!” I shouted over my shoulder, not daring to look at Abby. If I did, I might see the fear that would make me hesitate, and hesitation was a luxury I couldn’t afford—not now when every second counted.
Yanking the door open, I plunged into the seething darkness of the Red Lantern, the familiar space now an alien landscape of destruction. Smoke swirled around me, a thick gray fog that stung my eyes and clawed at my throat. Instinctively, I pulled my sleeve up to cover my mouth, filtering the worst of the poison from the air.
“Lou!” I called out, my voice rough, barely audible above the crackling flames. I stumbled forward, navigating by memory and the eerie glow of the fire that cast long, dancing shadows across the walls. Each breath was a battle, the hot air fighting its way into my lungs.
The kitchen door loomed ahead, a beacon amidst the chaos. Lou’s cries grew louder, more desperate, guiding me forward. I shouldered the door open and stepped inside, squinting through the haze.
“Where are you, Lou?” I pressed on, coughing as the smoke tried to smother me. The kitchen was a nightmare, all-consuming and relentless, but somehow less hot than the dining room. It gave me hope—hope that I could reach him in time, hope that this wouldn’t be another loss to weigh on my soul.
“Over here!” he rasped, his voice a beacon in the hellish landscape.
“Stay down, try to breathe.” My own voice sounded foreign, muffled by the sleeve over my mouth. The fire wasn’t as bad here, a small mercy amidst the calamity. Crawling on hands and knees, I followed the sound, past charred tables and melting plastic chairs until I found him.
Lou, the old boss who’d always slip extra dumplings into takeout orders, looked up from where he huddled against the industrial fridge, eyes wide at the sight of me—Nathan, the florist, an unlikely savior in this blazing nightmare.
“No time for shock, we need to move,” I said, reaching out to him. My fingers grasped his arm, pulling him up with urgency. He nodded, the fight reigniting in his eyes, mirroring the flames around us.
I scanned the room for an escape; the front was a death trap, but there, just beyond the pantry, a window—a chance. With Lou shuffling behind me, I grabbed a chair and hurled it against the glass, breaking it open to the night outside.
“Out there, quick!” I shouted over the roar of the fire. Lou hesitated, the window small, doubt etching his features.
“Can’t fit,” he gasped, breaths coming in short, panicked bursts.
“Like hell you can’t,” I snarled. I yanked off my jacket and used it to cushion the shards of glass. It would hurt, but it was better than burning to death. “Now go!”
With a grunt, Lou squeezed through the jagged opening, the sounds of sirens and crackling flames punctuating our desperate escape. Once he was clear, I hoisted myself up and followed, ignoring the sharp sting as the broken glass kissed my skin.