#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.

things here.

Karl gently scoops me up, his arms cradling me close.

of the kitchen, is oddly comforting. My head rests against his chest

car. The cool evening air is a

but shiver.

me gently on the passenger seat, buckling me

We’ll be there soon.”

nod weakly, my gaze drifting to my burnt arm. The pain is unbearable, but

strange balm. novelbin

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

vulnerability, it means everything.

a

manage, my voice barely above a whisper. “I

you weren’t there.”

circles on my skin. “You don’t have to

just did

that’s not true. In

one thing

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

reassuring rhythm of his pulse against

inside the car,

is it?” I ask,

over, the soft streetlights illuminating the concern etched on his features. “It’s not for me

The doctors will take care of you,

lapse into a comfortable silence. The hum of the engine, combined

The world outside becomes

a constant, grounding me. Even in the

intimacy of the moment. Our shared experiences in the kitchen,

have fostered a connection

time to time, ensuring I’m still conscious. Each

depth of emotion

before the car comes to a halt.

gravity of the situation hits

car, the pain intensifies, but I grit my teeth, trying

doing great,” he whispers, guiding me through the

stark white interiors of the emergency room are a stark contrast to the warm, cozy

doctors move about with practiced precision, their

and concern.

cuts through the din. “She needs help.

I know it, I’m being led to a bed, the clinical environment around

protector, stays close, filling out

tell he’s just as shaken up as I am, he’s

I clutch his

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