"That was a mistake. See you in hell."
"That sounds accurate," I said as he stomped toward the back door. "I'm sure it won't be long until you join me down there."
That was the last of my humor.
He closed the door behind him.
I waited until the smell of smoke tickled my nostrils. Then I started to scream.
CHAPTER 18
SABLE
"Let me out of here, asshole," I shouted.
Smoke started to waft in from outside. Frantically, I pulled against the post, trying to break either it or the handcuffs. Fully aware pulling down a support beam could bring the whole place down on top of me.
If I was lucky, I might reach the door before I was squashed.
The odds were better than being burned alive.
Maybe.
I lifted my foot and slammed it back into the post, heel first.
It shifted half an inch. That was enough to give me hope, and the energy to keep trying.
I slammed it again and again until my foot started to hurt. Then kept on kicking and shoving.
The smoke continued to rise.
"Don't panic," I told myself.
I kicked over and over, grunting harder each time. Sweat slid down my face.
The drywall cracked. Dust poured down from the ceiling.
I shook my head to keep it from drifting into my eyes. Leaning forward, I put all my weight on the handcuffs. Breathed deep and pulled. My wrists chafed, but the post moved.
The ceiling crumbled.
Crack.
The post burst away from the joists it was barely attached to.
I swerved to the side, narrowly missing being hit by the falling post.
Going to all that effort to pull it down, only to be knocked out by it, would suck. The post landed on the floor in a shower of dust.
I coughed, my eyes watering. Blinking away the moisture, I dragged the handcuffs down to the top of the post and off, navigating a chunk of drywall that came with it.
My hands still behind my back, I bolted for the door and shoved my shoulder against it. Of course it didn't move.
Cursing under my breath, I turned around and wrapped my hand around the knob, pushing it down and shoving the door open before I staggered out, gasping for air.
A moment later, the ceiling crashed down, sending up even more dust.
The flames at the base of the front of the house roared, all but engulfing what was left and sending it up in a wall of flame.
