The fire has nearly engulfed the cabin, and even though I can’t see them anymore, I know that they’re still out there.
So I crawl toward my doom rather than run for safety.
The fire hasn’t reached the basement yet, but I only have minutes until it does, if I’m lucky. Strategically, it’s the worstplace to be in a fire, but it’s also my only way out of the cabin undetected.
The front wall of the cabin is engulfed, so I’m forced to crawl down the stairs, ignoring the way the hard edges dig into my hands and knees, bruising them as I go. Finally, I reach the bottom where I stand and look around, but my relief at seeing the den unharmed is short-lived.
Wood groans and debris from the ceiling rains down on my head. Something explodes above me, and I hear more glass shatter before a plume of fire sets the top half of the stairs aflame, barring my only way back. I feel the heat rising even faster down here as the smoke quickly builds inside the enclosed space, burning my eyes and limiting visibility.
I quickly locate one of the battery-powered lamps and start for the cellar door when I stop after a few steps, my gaze catching on Khalil’s open door and the bed of twisted branches. Flames have already made their way inside the room through the shattered window overlooking the cliff, and while my head screamsno, the plea in my heart is relentless.
“Fuck.” I divert from the cellar and dash into Khalil’s room.
One of the four posters holding up the canopy is already on fire, and my heart breaks a little for the inevitable destruction of the beautiful bed, but it’s not what drove me in here. It’s not what I risk precious seconds to save. Falling to my knees, I shove my hand under the mattress and blindly feel for the reason. The fire is getting closer, and when I nervously glance over my shoulder, I can see it curling around the doorframe. Less than a foot from my face, I scream when a piece of the canopy falls onto the bed and the burned bark singes the comforter.
“Come on, come on…”
Finally, my fingers touch the smooth film of the photo, and I free the picture of Khalil’s parents from under the mattress. Rising to my feet, I fold and tuck it into my shorts and then headfor the door. As soon as I run out, the ceiling of the den collapses, and I feel the heat of the flames that burst through the hole it created. I watch with my heart in my throat as the fire spreads across the ceiling. More of it spills from upstairs, completely engulfing the basement stairs.
I run for the cellar door, my only avenue of escape now, and pause long enough to confirm that the handle is cool before I rip open the door and disappear into the dark.
The cellar door slams behind me, cutting off the stream of light and plunging me into total dark. Yanking Khalil’s still-wet shirt from my face, I kneel and shove it against the seam under the door to keep the smoke out for as long as possible. I don’t bother feeling for the light switch once I’m standing again since the power will be out. Instead, I activate the lamp in my hand before creeping cautiously down the stairs while keeping one hand on the rough surface of the wall. I’m halfway down when I freeze, hearing what sounds like the entire cabin collapsing on top of me.
Well and truly trapped now, I take a calming breath and force myself to keep going toward the trapdoor and my salvation, ignoring the way my heart thuds relentlessly against my chest. I never did learn where the door led. With a sense of cold dread, I realize too late that it could be nothing or it could be exactly what I need.
Too late for second thoughts.
The more I think about my mountain men though, the more confident I grow that I’m right, and my pace quickens. Khalil, Thorin, and Zeke are too smart and keyed into their survival to build their home on the edge of a cliff with no way out except the front door.
Trapped is exactly what they’d want their enemy to think.
The fringed edge of the thick burgundy rug comes into view, and I set the lantern aside as I kneel and toss the rug aside to reveal the door.
“Argghhhh!” I scream out in frustration when I see the secured padlock barring the hatch from opening. “Goddamn it, guys!” Standing, I let my temper get the best of me as I bring my booted foot down on the metal door over and over. “You goddamn paranoid overbearing fucks!”
Through the walls, I can hear more of the cabin collapsing around me and the roar of the fire getting closer as my sweat-slicked skin becomes unbearably warm. The air down here is already becoming thick with smoke, and I feel myself getting dizzy as the coughing returns.
Defeated, I lean against the wall and close my eyes, but my head doesn’t get the message. It pushes me to keep fighting.
Think, think…
In the event the guys are separated or taken by surprise and have to get out quickly, they would have stashed the key somewhere close.
Somewhere…but where?
I’ve been down in the cellar plenty since it’s where they store their produce and the meat inside a walk-in locker in a separate room. I’ve never come across a key.
Khalil, Thorin, and Zeke built this cabin themselves, brick by brick. Metaphorically speaking, of course, since only the cellar walls are made of brick. Only they know all of its secrets, but they aren’t here. In one final goodbye, I lovingly scrape my fingers across the rough surface of the wall holding me up while it still can.
Except…
My eyes fly open. Brick doesn’t burn.
Lurching forward, I spin around to study the wall, running my hands over every inch of the surface I can reach before moving on to the opposite side like a mad person.
But I’m not mad.
Theyhid an escape inside the floor, for fuck’s sake. There’s absolutely no reason to think they wouldn’t hide the wayininside these walls if they wanted to keep the key close but undetected.
