The blast wave knocked him violently to the ground.
He lay on the scorching pavement, reaching forward desperately. "Help!" he shouted hoarsely. "Someone help! Cynthia is still in there!"
A terror unlike anything he had ever known crushed him.
The moment he set Jessica down earlier, he had ignored her tearful pleas for him to stay. He had even forgotten the deep gash in his own thigh that was still bleeding. He had run back like a madman.
How could he still be too late?
Rescue crews began arriving. Russell struggled to his feet and rushed forward to help, trying to push through the crowd.
The fire hadn't even been fully controlled yet when he tried to charge straight into the flames.
"Sir, you can't go in there! It's too dangerous!"
"My wife is inside!" he roared. Several people ha
