This was the raging kind.
Out of control.
The screaming multiplied until it was a cacophony of fear.
“Shit! We’ve got to get out of here!” Yoss yelled into my ear, pulling me to my feet.
“Let me just get—” I started to grab a few of my things. I didn’t have much, but what I did have I didn’t want to leave behind.
“You can’t, Imi! We’ve got to go. Now!” Yoss wrenched on my hand, pulling me from our corner, pushing us through throngs of people running for the doors.
“Yoss! Imi! Oh my god!” Di panted, running to catch up with us. Shane and Karla were right behind her, their faces dirty and covered in soot, their eyes wide and frightened.
“There’s a fire. It’s everywhere!” Karla shrieked hysterically. And she was right. I could see the flames licking up the walls. The heat burned my skin.
“Where’s Bug?” Yoss asked, but I never heard an answer.
I was knocked to the ground and lost my grip on Yoss’s hand. I was kicked in the stomach, the air whooshing out of me, the pain making me curl into a fetal position. Someone stepped on my hand and I thought I could feel my bones crunching together.
“Yoss!” I screamed. It didn’t matter. No one could hear me. The smoke was so thick I couldn’t breathe.
I tried coughing to clear my airway but it didn’t help. I pushed myself up onto my feet, stumbling forward, my hands reaching out in front of me as I tried to make my way out of the warehouse.
“Yoss!” I yelled and yelled and yelled. His name desperate on my lips.
“Come on, Imogen. We need to get out of here!” Hands on my shoulders steering me out of the inferno raging behind me. The heat of the fire seared my skin and I gladly went with my savior.
My lungs burned and dark spots floated in front of my eyes. I could barely see. I was certain that I was going to die.
I had no doubt this was how my life would end. Burned alive.
“Yoss,” I blubbered, tears sticky on my cheeks.
“I’m sure he’s outside freaking out about where you are,” a voice said softly in my ear. Comforting. I felt a little better. I glanced over my shoulder and froze.
“Manny.” The horrible man with the deceptively kind face gave me a sweet smile.
“Keep moving. The roof looks as though it’s about to come down.” He gave me a shove in the middle of my back and pushed our way through the hysterical crowd that were scrambling like rats to find safety.
Finally we were outside and I gulped in fresh air. It hurt, but I was thankful I could finally breathe.
“Don’t stop. We need to get clear of the building in case it collapses,” Manny instructed but I hesitated, jerking my arm from his grasp.
“I need to find Yoss. I won’t go anywhere without him. Especially with you,” I hissed, glaring at the man I had been so grateful to only minutes before.
Manny blew out an exasperated breath. “I know Yoss and that boy will survive no matter what. He’s here somewhere. Stop being such an idiot and come on.” He wrapped his fingers around my wrist and pulled me again.
There was a violent roar and I looked back towards The Pit, watching the building become entirely engulfed in flames. I could hear sirens in the distance.
There were at least a hundred people milling about adrift, hopeless. Defeated.
We had all lost something.
The only place we could call home.
“Yoss!” I sobbed. What if he was still inside?
Not able to hold myself up, I collapsed to my knees, not paying any mind to the bite of gravel through the holes in my jeans. It was freezing. A fine dusting of snow had started to settle over the ground. I only wore a hooded sweatshirt and a lightweight jacket but I didn’t feel the cold.
