The acrid smoke stung my lungs as I stumbled to my feet, choking on the reality of my situation. My vision blurred, and my heart pounded erratically in my chest, but I forced myself to think. Panicking wouldn't save me.
I ripped off the sleeve of my nightshirt and soaked it under the running tap in the bathroom, then pressed the wet cloth to my nose and mouth. Every breath burned, but it was better than the suffocating smoke.
"Get the crest, get the picture," I muttered to myself, pushing through the haze. My legs carried me to my parents' bedroom, the door barely holding against the growing flames. My heart twisted painfully at the sight of the room that once felt like a sanctuary.
I tore through the drawers, coughing as smoke thickened around me. My fingers finally closed around the f
