Namely, the one that’s currently devouring the mansion.
My eyes widen as I continue to watch the scene unfolding in front of me. Guards run in different directions, some with hoses, others with fire extinguishers.
Judging by their exerted expressions, it seems the fire has gotten out of control.
I spot Gareth and Killian with them, but there’s no sight of Jeremy or Nikolai.
A different type of horror seeps into my bloodstream as I bolt toward the door.
My bare feet slip on the water that’s filled the floor and I step on something, but I don’t pay it any attention.
The moment I’m out the door, a heatwave slaps me across the face. The dark corridor is crowded with so much smoke that it’s impossible to see or breathe properly.
I place my hand against my nose and mouth and inhale toxic air through them.
My brother’s room is on the other side of this smoke, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find it in this hell.
It’s as if the flames have swallowed the entire place.
“Annika, come down!”
My spine jerks at the loud voice. When I turn toward the stairs, I make out a half-naked Nikolai holding a hose.
“Where’s Jeremy?” I shout back.
“We haven’t seen him. You just get out for now. I’ll go find him.”
No, no, no…
I sprint in the direction of the smoke, ignoring Nikolai’s curses.
My eyes water from the thickness of the toxic air and I cough as I grab the wall for balance.
This won’t do.
I rip the hem of my shirt, bend over, and soak it with the water from the floor, then hold it to my nose.
The humid cold offers a small reprieve, but the smoke still clogs my throat. My eyes burn and I cough until I think I’ll throw up.
Still, I keep going, using the wall as balance. The moment I touch a door, I try to open it, but it’s locked.
I bang on it with my free hand. “Jeremy!”
My voice is so weak and muffled that I can hardly hear it myself.
So I hit the door again while having a coughing fit. “Jer!”
“Anoushka?” His low question comes from the other side, equally weak. “What the fuck are you doing here? Get out.”
“I came for you!”
“I’m all right. You go.”
I keep coughing as dizziness assaults me. “If you’re all right, then let’s go together.”
“Get the fuck out of here, Annika.” There’s a strain in his voice that’s so similar to pain.
My heartbeat thunders as I choke on my cough. “Open the door.”
There are more coughs from his and my side, but there’s no reply.
“Jer?” My voice is spooked. “Open up—”
“I can’t.” I barely hear his low words. “I’m trapped. You need to go, Anoushka. Now.”
“No, no.” I hit the door with my shoulder, tears streaming down my cheeks, and they’re not only due to the smoke.
So this is why he didn’t come to find me as soon as the fire hit. I found it weird that my overprotective brother didn’t break down my door or haul me out of sleep.
It’s not that he didn’t think of me, it’s that he couldn’t come to my rescue.
“Go!”
“No!” I scream back through my coughs. “I’m not leaving you to die.”
My vision becomes blurry and I sway on my feet, but I don’t stop hitting the door over and over. It takes all of my strength, but it does nothing to move the fucking shit.
So I kick the handle with all my might and throw myself at it repeatedly.
“Anoushka…go…please…”
“Shut up.” I’m sobbing through my coughs as I kick and punch and hit the handle. My feet sting, my hand screams in pain, and my vision has filled with tears, but I refuse to give in.
“If you stay…we’ll both die…” Jeremy sounds far away, almost like he’s in another realm.
“I’m not leaving you.” I kick the handle again, my strength waning. “I’d rather die with you than live knowing I could’ve saved you but didn’t.”
I pack all my energy in one final kick against the handle and it comes off, falling to the ground.
My heart leaps as I push the door open. A hot wave of heat physically jerks me backward and I tighten my grip on the cloth.
The room is completely gray, reeking of smoke. The fire has eaten up the northern wall and is advancing with creepily easy speed.
“Jer?”
No reply.
My fist clenches and I can feel the emotions clogging my throat as I cough.