I stared quietly at the empty space beside the bed. The last trace of warmth in my heart went cold.
The fire spread as thick smoke swallowed the corridor, turning it pitch-black.
Weak as I was, I had to escape alone.
I had night blindness. Even in ordinary dim light, my vision blurred. In the blacked-out stairwell, I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, much less the steps beneath my feet.
I could only feel my way downward, one step at a time. The stairs were steep, and the smoke made every breath a struggle.
In my panic, I repeatedly missed steps and fell, smashing my knees and elbows against the stairs. Sharp pain spread through my body as my skin split and bled, leaving me battered and disheveled.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up and kept going.
After stumbling and fall
