Chapter 33: Hearts Ablaze
Now that the idea was planted in their heads, they noticed not only the smell, but they could see thick clouds of smoke through rays of light coming in through the windows. There was a fire in Brickwood.
Slow to start moving, everything seemed to stop suddenly as panic set into the group assembled before the staircase. In a moment that seemed to last forever, they all looked at each other, resembling frightened deer, caught in headlights. And the second elapsed, and they all jumped into action.
The leader of the pack was Nick, and he raced up the stairs, hoping to find the source of the smoke. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, dark clouds of billowing smoke seemed to come from nowhere, making oxygen available only through quick, gasping breaths. Choking on the thick smoke, they had to step away from it, while they tried to regroup, to figure out what to do next.
"It's coming from my room," Cairo yelled.
"Where the hell did Meagan go?" Brian demanded.
"She took off running up the stairs, remember?" Lacey said.
"This place is gas-heated. Once that fire hits the gas line, it's gone," Cairo informed them, trying not to panic.
"How long do you think we have?" Brian asked.
"The kitchen is just below my bedroom. Not long," Cairo said gravely. A quick glance over at Lacey brought back a long-forgotten childhood memory. One terrible Christmas, Lacey's family tree had caught on fire, and Lacey had been left trapped in a burning room. Ever since, she had been terrified of even the word 'fire'. Cairo could see panic rising, and she could tell how hard her friend was trying to keep her head on straight.
"Brian, take Lacey out of her and call someone about this. Nick, we have to find Meagan," Cairo said.
"What about your grandmother?" Lacey called over her shoulder, as Brian lead her down the staircase, away from the billowing smoke that was growing stronger.
"Where did she go?" Cairo called.
"To her study!"
"That's down this way," Cairo said, running down the hall. She had discovered the room within her first few days, and had decided never to set foot in there, ever, simply because of the published reviews of her granddaughter's novels that were proudly displayed on Maggie's walls.
As they pushed open the door, a terrifying scream, heavy with insanity, rang throughout the house.
"Meagan," Nick said, gazing down the corridor, towards Cairo's room. She had to be in there, where it had started.
"Maggie, there's a fire. Brickwood is burning down," Cairo announced as she ran into the room. Grabbing her grandmother's arm, she heaved the old woman out of her chair.
"I'm not leaving my home, I'm not leaving it to burn," she screeched. She began kicking and screaming, pitching a hysterical fit. Trying to pull her, the old woman's determination proved to be too much for her and Cairo called for Nick to help her. She was no match for the young man, and Nick was able to drag her out of the room.
By this time, flames were visible at the end of the corridor, and the smoke was even thicker that it had been.
"I have to find Meagan," Nick yelled, as he and Cairo felt their way down the hall, slowly due to the unwilling woman.
"I can't get Maggie out of here by myself, she's too strong for me. It's getting bigger, Nick. We have to get out of here," Cairo yelled.
"I can't leave her in here, Kay, I can't," Nick yelled blindly, as he could no longer see her.
"If you go after her, Maggie will die. I can't get her out," Cairo yelled. Her attention was drawn to a shadow cast from the flames. It was Meagan's body. That crazy bitch was standing in the doorway of Cairo's room.
Nick, whose attention was absorbed by the feeble woman screaming at and biting him, did not notice here. Despite everything, Cairo would not let Meagan stay in Brickwood. It too eerily symbolic for her tastes. Nick found the foot of the staircase, and headed down in that direction.
"I'll go get her," Cairo yelled after him, running towards her room. Even through the thick smoke, she could see Nick freeze. In an instant, he had a death grip on her arm.
"No you won't, it's too dangerous," he said, adamant.
Desperate. Pulling her close to him, the smoke seemed to clear and time was at a stand still. She could clearly see his deep blue eyes, and she could see the intensity of the emotions he was feeling. She could also see everything he had ever felt for her deep within those eyes, and she knew exactly what he couldn't say.
"I'm going," she said in defiance.
Quickly, intensely, desperately, she kissed his lips. In his surprise at this action, his grip on Cairo's grandmother was weakened, and the old woman tried to break free. Turning to focus his attention on restraining her, he let go of Cairo's arm. Maggie, desperate to be free of her would-be hero, missed her footing in the darkened, smoky hall, and tumbled down the staircase.
"Remember, it's unconditional," Cairo yelled as Nick ran down after the fallen woman. Her words reverberated in his mind, in his memory and he was stricken by the implication.
And if I don't make it, know that
I loved you all along
Just like sunny days that,
We ignore because,
We're all dumb and jaded,
And I hope to God I figure out what's wrong.
When he reached her, and turned to look for Cairo, she was gone. Vanished into a cloud of smoke.