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Should she stay there? Or go back to Sylvia’s?
The latter option was probably more dangerous—who knew what was waiting outside now. But staying there also didn’t seem promising after the crash she’d heard.
She let out a cough. The air seemed both heavier and thicker than before.
As she moved slowly back down the hall, the rushing sound grew, now accompanied by sharp cracking.
Another cough forced its way out.
The air was definitely thicker there towards the front of the house. And the burning scent had taken over, completely overpowering anything else.
Was the house on fire?
Maddie stopped where she was. Icy fear traveled down her spine.
A series of loud pops and snaps went off before another crash followed. And this time, she knew it was close by—somewhere ahead of her in the house.
Shit.
She whipped her cane back and forth, feeling for anything that could have fallen in her path. Nothing appeared to be in the way, but as she hit the end of the hallway and her cane arced through the open space, the roar of flames was overwhelming.
Her heart began pounding in her chest.
She stepped forward, moving her cane in fast, wide arcs. After a few more steps, it hit against something—something that wasn’t there before.
Her breathing quickened, and she choked on the incoming air, immediately sputtering it all back out.
But then, the coughing didn’t stop.
She bent over, gagging on the poisoned air.
A few moments passed, and when it finally began to subside, she straightened up, instantly feeling new heat against her cheeks and arms.
It had to be close.
Another string of coughs came over her, but she forced herself to continue.
She struck the cane around the object, finding where it ended and making her way around it.
She remembered every step she’d taken. The front door had to be close.
She hurried her pace, shuffling forward as the sounds of the fire roared around her.
Then suddenly, there was a loud snap on her left. And without even a moment to react, something slammed into her shoulder with so much force, it sent her hurling to the floor.
Every ounce of the little oxygen that remained in her lungs rushed out as she crashed to the ground, the object falling on top of her.
She cried out as an instant burning pain seared through the flesh of her shoulder and down her arm.
She jerked her body, and the burning object fell, tumbling off of her. She shoved her body back, yelping as she clutched the injured arm.
Thick, hot air entered her lungs for only a moment before she choked it back out.
A panic swept over her as she dropped her hand and searched the ground for her cane, quickly finding it close beside her on the ground.
If she couldn’t get to the front, what was the other option? Was there a back way out?
She climbed onto her hands and knees, crawling back toward the hallway, her shoulder and arm screaming in pain with every movement.
