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30
TIMOFEY
The look on Akim's face says he has something he wants to share with the class. I’m mildly preoccupied with Piper’s friend and grandmother eating out of the palm of my hand, but to be honest, that’s child’s play. So easy it’s borderline offensive.
I can spare a minute for him to unload whatever fucking nonsense is bothering him.
But before I can tell him that he should never tell me to “stay here” again unless he wants his tongue cut out, there’s a roar behind me.
I whirl around to see flames shoot up in a solid column of bright orange light from the oven. Piper is lost in the glow. Things crackle and burn.
Akim lunges over the island as Piper stumbles back from the stove. She's watching everyone else, checking on her addict friend and her grandma. She's so busy worrying about everyone but her that she doesn't see that she took a bit of the fire with her.
The flicker takes hold of the sweater. It grows exponentially until it’s crawling up to her shoulder in a matter of seconds.
Everyone else is losing their damn minds. Transfixed and screaming and frozen by fear.
But I’ve spent a lifetime learning to ignore the voice in my head that says to freeze in place. I do one thing:act.
I hurtle past Akim and Ashley, who are both arguing over what to do next.
“Fire extinguisher!” Akim shouts, pointing under the sink.
Ashley grabs the sprayer in the sink. “Here’s water!”
“You can’t use water on an oil fire!” Akim swats it out of her hand and shoves her back. “Move!”
“Put the damn fire out!” I bark over my shoulder.
Piper is still staring at her arm like she’s watching a scary movie. Like the action is somehow disconnected from her reality.
In the chaos of Akim spraying the fire extinguisher and Ashley and Gram screaming, the moment crystallizes. Piper is in front of me and nothing else matters.
I grab her and yank her towards me. For some reason I can’t imagine, she resists.
“Piper!” I bellow her name, and she looks at me.
It all happens in a quarter of a second. An eighth of a second. Less.
Her eyes meet mine, understanding passes between us, and she follows me.
I drag her no more than a couple feet away from the stove and tear her sweater off of her body. I’m pumping with adrenaline, so the weakened material shreds and rips beneath my fingers like it’s made of wet paper.
I stomp out the flaming pieces of fabric on the floor and start smacking out the embers still clinging to her. I feel my palms burning, but it’s distant and unimportant. Pain is a signal. Nothing more. I choose to ignore it.
I can’t focus on the angry red skin on her arm. All I can think about is getting the fire put out. Removing the danger.Making sure she’s safe.
I twist her auburn hair over her good shoulder. Somehow, none of the flames touched it. Maybe it’s because her hair is like a living flame already. An eternal blaze of gold and red when the light hits it just right.
“Are we good?” Akim asks, turning around with the extinguisher still in hand. Smoke is billowing from the stove and white fog fills the kitchen from the extinguisher.
Then,finally, the smoke alarm starts going off.
“Fucking hell,” Akim grumbles. “I’m on it.”
He hustles around to find a chair and get to the alarm. I move Piper towards the sink.
She’s in nothing more than a thin, see-through tank top, but she doesn’t seem to notice. I try not to notice, either. I mostly fail at that.
