Chapter 24
The smoke thickened as I ascended the stairs, the sound of flames roaring in my ears. For a moment, I wasn’t sure I could handle the heat and haze. But then I bent over and ran, tears streaming down my cheeks.
The first thing I noticed upon achieving the upper level was the pitch darkness. Next was the way my lungs were able to expand more fully without sending me into a coughing jag. Even this small distance from the conflagration made a huge difference in my comfort levels.
And maybe that distance also means my mother and pack are still alive?
I wanted to think so. But the absence of voices and footsteps made it hard to hope as my fingers trailed along the wall, hunting for a change in texture that would mark the first closed door.
The transition from wallpaper to wood pu
