#Chapter 42: Through the Flames
Abby

Just as I’m leaning forward to make sense of the strange spark in the back of the oven, something

ignites.

I jump back with a yelp just as the heat nearly consumes me.

My heart races as the orange flames dance menacingly from the oven, cutting off the symphony of our

dinner rush with its threatening roar. The scent of burnt food mingles with a more acrid, electrical smell.

An electrical fire.

Panic courses through me.

“Fire! Fire in the oven!” I shout, reaching for the nearby fire extinguisher.

My fingers barely grasp the cool metal before I feel the searing heat engulf my arm. A sharp pain

lances through me, and I draw back with a sharp hiss, dropping the fire extinguisher.

My arm pulses with intense pain, the skin red and already blistering.

“Abby!” Karl’s voice cuts through the chaos, and before I know it, he’s beside me, effortlessly wielding

the extinguisher to smother the flames. Within moments, the roaring fire is reduced to a smoky whisper,

but the damage is done.

I cradle my burnt arm, biting back the tears that threaten to spill. The pain is overwhelming. My vision

blurs, and my legs feel weak. The world tilts.

“Abby, look at me,” Karl urges, his voice lined with concern. His deep brown eyes are inches away, full

of worry.

“I… I’m okay,” I manage, although the quiver in my voice betrays me. The pain isn’t subsiding, and a

nauseating mix of fear and shock swirls within me.

“You’re not okay,” he insists. “We need to get you to the hospital. Now.”

The bustling sounds of the restaurant seem distant. Whispers and murmurs of concern ripple around

us, but all I can focus on is Karl’s steady voice.

“No, the restaurant…” I begin, my thoughts fragmented. The reality of the situation hasn’t fully sunk in.

Jake. “Handle things

me up, his arms cradling me close. The scent

mixed with the aromas of the kitchen, is

evening air is a sharp contrast to

but shiver.

he places me gently on the passenger seat, buckling me in. “Just hang in

We’ll be there soon.”

drifting to my burnt arm. The pain is unbearable,

strange balm. novelbin

feel his fingers intertwining with mine. It’s a simple gesture, but in this

vulnerability, it means everything.

be okay,” he murmurs, shooting me a quick glance

I manage, my voice barely above a

you weren’t there.”

his thumb tracing comforting circles on my skin.

I just did what

this moment, I know that’s not true. In

been nothing but one thing after another. Like he

him the most. But it’s silly; I’m just delirious from the

rhythm of his pulse against

us, but inside the car, time

it?” I ask,

illuminating the concern etched on his

will take care of

of the engine, combined with the pain, lulls me into

world outside

hand is a constant, grounding me. Even in the throes of

moment. Our shared experiences

have fostered a

from time to time, ensuring I’m still conscious. Each time our eyes

a depth of emotion

before the car comes to a halt. The glaring lights

the gravity of the

pain intensifies, but I

whispers, guiding me through the automatic

room are a stark contrast to the warm,

doctors move about with practiced precision, their

and concern.

however, cuts through the din.

a bed, the clinical environment around me a whirlwind of

close, filling out the

tell he’s just as shaken up as I am, he’s my anchor in this

treatment, I clutch his hand, drawing strength

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255