Page 1 of Race to the Beach

Chapter One

Beep.Beep.Beep…

The shrill cry of a fire alarm echoed through the small cozy home on picturesque Bluestar Island.

“No!No.No,” a distant voice called out.

Maxine “Maxi” Daniels’s heart leaped into her throat at the sound of her aunt’s frantic voice.Maxi dropped the hairbrush onto the sink counter.She had been getting ready to accompany her aunt to a springtime wedding on the island.

The pink summer dress swished around her legs as Maxi ran to the landing at the top of the stairs.The pungent stench of smoke smacked her in the face.What in the world?The smoke didn’t smell like food that had burned.No.This smoke was much more intense and smelled like melting plastic.

Maxi raced down the stairs so fast she nearly tripped over her own bare feet and then jumped down the last few steps.Her heart hammered in her chest.She had to find her aunt and get them both outside.

“Aunt Bonnie?”Maxi yelled.

“Over here.”

Maxi’s eyes started to burn from the smoke.She squinted before spotting her aunt across the kitchen.“We have to get out of here.”

Cough.Cough.Maxi swallowed hard.

“No.”Aunt Bonnie shook her head.Her aunt wasn’t making sense.

“We have to go outside.Then I’ll call nine-one-one.”

This time she wasn’t going to put up with her aunt’s refusal to leave.She knew how much this house meant to her aunt, but it wasn’t worth risking her life.Nothing was worth that.And Maxi had already lost too many people she loved.She couldn’t bear to lose someone else.

Maxi stepped up to her aunt and reached for her hand.“Come on.”

Aunt Bonnie wouldn’t budge as she coughed.“It’s the microwave.”

Maxi struggled to catch the meaning of her aunt’s words.“What?”

“The microwave.”Aunt Bonnie waved her hand in the direction of the unit.“It’s on fire.”

Maxi turned in the direction of the microwave, which rested on the countertop.Without thinking, she reached out to touch it.Searing pain pulsed from her fingertips.She yanked her hand back.Well, her aunt had been correct about the culprit.

Thinking fast, she grabbed a couple of oven mitts from the drawer.She picked up the still-smoking microwave.The stench caused her to cough repeatedly.She had to move fast.

Holding her breath, she started to turn but was jerked to a stop.It took her a moment to realize the microwave was still plugged into the wall.She gave the microwave a yank, but the plug was intent on putting up a fight.She pulled again.Still the plug wouldn’t release from the outlet.

She had no choice but to settle the microwave back onto the counter.She leaned over to pull out the plug.It wouldn’t budge at first.Gripping it tightly, she yanked.It came free.The outlet definitely needed to be replaced.It was yet another item on the long list of repairs that needed to be done around the house.

Grabbing the still smoking microwave, she turned and came to an abrupt stop.Her aunt was blocking her way to the door.

“What are you doing in here?”Maxi adjusted her hold on the microwave.

“I’m not leaving you.”There was a firmness to her tone before she coughed.“I need to open the window above the sink.”

“I’ll take care of the window.But first I need to get this outside.”

“Oh.Yes.”Aunt Bonnie rushed over to the back door and swung it open.

Maxi rushed outside and kept going with the microwave until she was a good distance from the house.She half-lowered and half-dropped the microwave to the ground.She yanked open the microwave door and black smoke came pouring out.

She left it there in the grass.She ran to her aunt, whose complexion was pasty white.“Are you all right?

Aunt Bonnie nodded.“I’m fine.”She turned a worried look toward the house.“But all of that smoke.”

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