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I cursed, hitting at his chest. “It’s too late for you to have a heart attack, old man. I can only handle so many crises right now.”

Lee rushed in, clearing right through Noah and Benji as if they weren’t there. “This place is on fire.”

“Yeah,” I snapped. “Who do you think is behind that?”

“What?” My grandpa was sagging, visibly weak, but he was skirting between Lee and myself.

I shook my head. “Nothing, Grandpa. It’s an old house. Wires are bad. Your place should’ve been checked years ago.”

He began grumbling, but Lee and I helped him out of the house.

Noah and Benji were gone. I didn’t know where they went and I didn’t care at the moment. I was pissed at both of them. They were having the equivalent of a ghost pissing contest. Some of the neighbors had wandered outside. A few who were more able-bodied were standing on the sidewalk. Most only got as far as their own front porch.

“I’m assuming someone called 911,” Lee said after we got my grandpa to the car and he went to help my grandma next.

Sirens sounded through the air.

A firetruck lit the sky as they came over the hill.

It hit me then. “My laptop!”

“Where’d you last put it?”

“I don’t know. In the living room, but I don’t remember putting it down⁠—”

He tore off, going inside the burning house.

“Lee!” I started after him.

“Uh. No.” Noah appeared in front of me. Benji too, his little arms crossed over his chest. He was glaring more at Noah than me.

The first firetruck arrived. An ambulance was right after them. And the police.

As a paramedic ran to me, I said under my breath, “You both need to leave. I can’t be distracted, not in front of these people.”

I felt both of them leave, the air lightening even as the fire was expanding.

A fireman rushed to me first. “Are there more people inside?”

“A friend went in to get something for me.”

He immediately yelled to the other firemen someone was still inside.

“My grandparents are over there.” Dazed from the sudden turn of events, I gestured to where my grandparents were sitting, now surrounded by some of their neighbors. Some blankets were around them. They were sitting in chairs. I had no idea where those chairs came from.

“No animals? A cat? Dog?”

I choked up. “No. The fire started in the kitchen and it spread from there.”

“Are there accelerants inside? Oxygen tanks? Guns? Ammunition?”

“I don’t think so. Not that I know of.”

“Where is the gas and power shut-off?”

I gestured to my grandparents. “They’d know.”

He took off, and a paramedic was next. “Hello. My name is Keana. I’m a paramedic.” She was still talking, but Lee emerged from the house, my laptop in hand. Relief hit me hard. When he got to me, he handed over the computer, brushing at it. “It’s a bit smudged, but I think it might be okay.”