Page 52 of Rumors in Bayberry
So, if Binx was trying to get as far away from the fire as possible, he would go where?The bedroom.At the same time as the thought came to mind, his feet were in action.
He closed the bedroom door and scanned the room.Reed knew he was running out of time if he was going to escape the fire.The bed was made, so there was nowhere to hide on top of the bed.Reed dropped to his knees and peered under the bed.He couldn’t see, but he could hear the cat.
He had to crawl under the bed, but thankfully, the cat didn’t run from him.“It’s okay, Binx.You’re going to be fine.We just have to get out of here.”
His fingers wrapped around Binx’s paws and pulled him toward him.Binx’s cries picked up their pace, and Reed braced himself to be bitten.It didn’t matter.He wasn’t letting go.Time was not on their side.
When he dragged himself and Binx from under the bed, the cat had progressed to hissing.With one arm around the cat, he yanked the blanket from the bed.With only one bite to his forearm, Reed got the blanket loosely wrapped around the cat.
Two long quick strides and he reached the door.With a squirming, growling cat in one arm, he yanked open the door.The fire was now blocking his way to the steps.They were his only way out of there.
There were the bedroom windows, but it was a two-story drop straight down to the sidewalk.And he didn’t think the cat would make it, even in his arms.
He had on wet clothes and wet shoes.That was the best it was going to get.He started coughing.It was so hard to breathe.The back of his throat hurt, and his lungs felt like they were beginning to burn.
He held the cat against his chest with both arms.He tucked his chin and then he ran.He told himself not to stop until he reached the steps.It didn’t matter how badly the flames hurt, he had to keep going.If he didn’t, he knew he wouldn’t make it out of the fire alive.And he was not ready to die.
And so, he quickly took one agonizing step after the next.It was only a matter of feet, but it felt as though he were walking miles on the surface of the sun.His skin felt as though it were experiencing the worst sunburn.While his lungs felt like they were on fire from the heated air.His coughing increased.
By the time he was in the middle of the room, he regretted his decision.For a split second, he thought of turning around.But his body didn’t get the message because it kept moving toward the steps.
And then he wondered if the steps were still there.What if they were also on fire?What would he do?
Chapter Eighteen
Inatownwherenothing bad ever happens…
Something bad, something very bad was happening.
Sadie’s blood ran cold.The newspaper was on fire.Fire.How did this happen?
As the initial shock wore off, her heart pounded.She had to go.In the dark, she searched for her purse.Once she had it, she ran as fast as she could to her car.Her parents called out for her to wait, but she didn’t stop.She couldn’t stop.Binx was in the apartment—the apartment above the fire.
She jumped into her car and started the engine.She yanked it into gear and tramped the gas.She couldn’t believe the newspaper was on fire.Hopefully, it wouldn’t have made it to her apartment.
Please, let Binx be okay.Please.He just has to be.
She swiped at the tears in her eyes.She’d never forgive herself if something happened to him.He was just the sweetest cat.She should have returned him to Kate’s right away instead of spending the last couple of nights with him.This was her fault.
She would get there in time to rescue him.She refused to accept any other alternative.After all, her parents only lived a few blocks away.She could do this.No.She would do this.
She pressed harder on the accelerator.That was not a good decision, because the roads were covered in rain water.So, when she went to turn a corner, she lost control of the car.Her fingers had a death grip on the steering wheel.Her heart launched into the back of her throat as everything felt as though it were moving in fast-forward motion.
The car continued to hydroplane…
She stomped the brake with both feet.
It didn’t help.She was beginning to think the car was never going to stop.Suddenly, she was jerked to a halt.When she looked out the window, she found her car was within a hair’s breadth of striking a parked car.She expelled a pent-up breath.Her heart dropped back into her chest and pounded against her ribcage.
She didn’t have time for mistakes.There was a fire.A fire.
Absolutely no one had time to deal with her having a car accident.She pressed on the accelerator but not as hard.The car moved at a reasonable speed for the road conditions.
It seemed to take forever, but at last she arrived at her apartment.
Fire.
The newspaper is burning.
