Chapter Two
1161 Words
"What fire, where?"
"Who is this?"
I asked in quick succession, forgetting to catch my breath.
I watched Ben look my way curiously while Amanda walked towards the room, slamming the door shut.
"Miss Layla, I need you to come to Broad Street now". "Your store just caught fire..."
"No, no, no". "
"That's a lie, I just left there about three hours ago, everything was fine."
"I'm sorry, Miss Smith, but its true, just get here as quickly as you can , you might be able to salvage some important stuff", the voice at the other end concluded, ending the call.
I felt like collapsing because not too long ago I had found out that the man I loved was only with me for his selfish reasons and now my shop was on fire.
I decided to go to the store because, like the officer said, maybe I could salvage a few things.
"And where are you headed without your bags?" I had not realized Amanda was back in the sitting room until she spoke, interrupting my leaving.
"Amanda, I know you listened in on the phone call I just got, so I am going to leave my bags here and pick them up later."
"Pick them up later?"
"Ben, can you let Layla here know that if she steps out of this house without her property she should know it will become garbage ".
"Baby..."
For a moment, I was transported to just yesterday when Ben said "Baby", but as I looked at him, I realized that his gaze was on Amanda, not me.
I scoffed, picked up my bags and walked out.
I wasn't going to beg them. I had wasted enough time already. I hoped I was going to be able to get to the store on time.
Even if I can not save everything, at least I should save the book.
I decided I would think about my accommodation problems much later.
***
I could see the smoke rising from Broad Street even before the vehicle I was in turned into the street and that scared me.
I hoped I could get there on time, so I could get the book.
I paid the driver as I got down in front of the store that had a lot of people standing by helplessly as the firefighters tried to put out the fire.
More than four buildings were on fire as the firefighters struggled to make sure the fire didn't spread any further.
"Hello, Miss Smith, it took you quite a while to get here".
"I was the officer who called."
"I'm so sorry Officer..." I said, straining to get a name from his badge.
"Officer Reynolds" he completed, offering a sympathetic smile.
All the while I was planning how to get past the firefighters and police to get the book.
I looked round to see if I would know anyone in the crowd that had gathered when I noticed my assistant Dove among them also looking lost.
I suddenly remembered that she had been the one who locked up earlier on, so I rushed to her to make sure she was not around when the fire started.
As I rushed to her, I saw a chance to get into the building from the back through an aisle no one occupied.
In that split second, I changed my mind, Dove could wait.
Sneaking as fast as I could, I got to the back and luckily the fire had not gotten there yet.
Opening the door, I slid inside hoping that my office had not yet been engulfed.
The plan was simple; grab the box with the book and get out.
Luckily, my office had not yet caught fire, but it was smoky.
Hurriedly, I grabbed the box and a couple of some other documents I deemed important and rushed out before I choked on the smoke.
Heaving a sigh of relief, I walked round the building and walked a distance away from the crowd.
I had to make sure the book was intact.
I started to open the box when my phone began to ring.
My heart constricted, I could not take another hit tonight.
"Hello, Miss Smith, this is Officer Reynolds on the line, I have been looking for you..." the voice on the other end said as I picked up the call.
"Have you left, already?"
"I'm sorry Officer Reynolds, I went out back".
"I needed to do some salvaging as you advised" I replied wearily.
"What!!!"
"You went in there without any form of protection?"
"What if you got trapped?"
"Where are you now?" he asked, the frustration clear in his voice.
"I'm a few meters away from the fire" I said apologetically.
"Can you get back here please, I have some information for you ".
"I'm headed back already ".
Picking up the box and files, I walked back to the scene of the fire, wondering what questions the Officer had for me.
"Miss Smith, you should not have taken such a risk", Officer Reynolds scolded as I approached him.
"Thank heavens you are safe".
"So, I don't think you know this, but the fire started in your shop."
"We are guessing it was an electric malfunction".
"However, we are still going to investigate to be sure" he said, offering me a sympathetic look.
"Were you able to salvage anything important?" he questioned, looking at the items in my hand curiously.
His question reminded me to check the box, to ensure the book was there.
"I guess ..." I replied, fiddling with the lock on the box as I struggled to open it.
The book was gone, and the box was filled with strips of paper and cloth.
I couldn't believe my eyes, the book I had sworn to keep safe was gone. The book that contained all of Dad's jewelry designs, both those that had been released on the market and the ones he had not been able to release to the market
Dad would be so disappointed, it was his most valuable item and I had been careless with it. It was also one of the reasons why Mum and Amanda hated me. After all, Dad had given the book to me, his younger daughter, not Amanda, his elder daughter and Mum's favorite.
And for the first time that night I began to really cry, it seemed the universe was out to get me.
First, my boyfriend, then my store, and now the only thing Dad had left me was gone.
I didn't realize it when I dropped the box on the ground and began walking away from the scene.
I didn't realize I had left the blaring of the fire engine sirens or the noise of the crowd gathered around the fire until I felt myself being lifted off the ground into the air and then thrown back to the ground.
Before I could scream, everything went black and quiet.
- Writer
