#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.

to Jake. “Handle things here.

response, Karl gently scoops me up, his arms cradling me close. The scent of

with the aromas of the kitchen, is oddly comforting. My head rests against

evening air is a sharp

but shiver.

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

We’ll be there soon.”

burnt arm. The pain is unbearable, but having Karl

strange balm. novelbin

the car, I feel his fingers intertwining with mine. It’s a simple gesture, but

vulnerability, it means everything.

murmurs, shooting me a

a

you weren’t there.”

tracing comforting circles

did what anyone

know that’s not true. In my pain-induced state, I almost feel

nothing but one thing after another. Like he returned at just the

the most. But it’s silly; I’m just delirious from the pain of the burn on my

of his pulse against my fingers. The city lights

the

bad is it?” I ask, my voice

soft streetlights illuminating the concern

will take care

of the engine, combined

The world outside becomes a hazy, unfocused

is a constant, grounding me. Even in the throes

of the moment. Our

and ingredients, have fostered a connection

feel him glance over at me from time to time,

a depth of emotion that’s hard

car comes to a halt. The

of the situation

helps me out of the car, the pain intensifies, but I grit my teeth, trying to put on a brave

whispers, guiding me through the

the emergency room are a stark contrast to the

move about with practiced precision, their

and concern.

din.

to a bed, the clinical environment around me a

filling out the necessary paperwork and

I am, he’s my anchor in

his hand, drawing strength

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