of drawers against another. Straight ahead was a rocking chair and windows, thankfully untouched as yet by fire. She slammed the door behind her.
Racked by coughing spasms, she stumbled forward, dragging Josh and Kristen. Both of them were wailing between hoarse bouts of coughing. She tried to free herself to raise the bedroom window, but Kristen and Josh clung to her.
“I need to open the window!” she screamed, shaking herself free. “This is the only way out!” In their panic, they didn’t understand, but Katie didn’t have time to explain. Frantically, she tore at the old-fashioned window lock and tried to heave the heavy pane up. It wouldn’t budge. Peering closer, Katie realized that the frame had been painted shut, probably years ago. She didn’t know what to do, but the sight of the two children staring at her in terror cleared her head. She looked around, frantic, finally seizing the rocking chair.
It was heavy, but somehow she lifted it above her shoulder and heaved it at the window with all her might. It cracked but didn’t break. She tried again, sobbing through a last burst of adrenaline and fear, and this time the rocking chair went flying out, crashing onto the overhang below. Moving fast, Katie raced to the bed and tore off the comforter. She bundled it around Josh and Kristen and began pushing them toward the window.
There was a loud splintering sound behind her as part of the wall burst into flame, tendrils licking the ceiling. Katie turned in panic, pausing long enough to notice the portrait that hung on the wall. She stared at it, already knowing it was of Alex’s wife, because there was no one else it could be. She blinked, thinking it was an illusion, a distortion created by the smoke and fear. She took an involuntary step toward the eerily familiar face when she heard a roar above her as the ceiling started to give way.
Whirling around, she pushed through the window, holding the kids in the circle of her arms and praying that the comforter would protect them from glass shards. They seemed to hang in the air for an eternity, Katie twisting as they fell so that the kids would land on top of her. She hit the overhang on her back with a whump. It wasn’t far, maybe four or five feet, but the impact left her breathless before pain rolled over her in waves.
Josh and Kristen were hiccuping in fear, wailing and coughing. But they were alive. She blinked, trying not to pass out, sure she’d broken her back. But she hadn’t; she moved one leg, then the other. She shook her head to clear her vision. Josh and Kristen were struggling on top of her, trying to get free of the comforter. Above her, tongues of flame began to flare from the broken bedroom window. Flames were everywhere now, all over the house, and she knew they had only seconds to live unless she somehow summoned the strength to move.
On his way back from Joyce’s house, Alex noticed the sky glowing orange just above the blackened tree line on the outskirts of town. He hadn’t seen that as they drove into town and navigated the streets to Joyce’s home. Now, however, he frowned as he turned in that direction. Something in his gut told him that danger lay ahead, and he debated only an instant before pressing down on the accelerator.
Josh and Kristen were already sitting up as Katie rolled over. The ground was perhaps a ten-foot drop from the overhang, but she had to risk it. They were running out of time. Josh continued to sob but didn’t protest as Katie quickly explained what was going to happen next. She seized his arms, trying to keep her voice steady.
“I’m going to lower you as far as I can, but then you’re going to have to jump.”
He nodded, seemingly in shock, and she quickly scooted toward the edge, dragging Josh with her. He moved to the edge and she grabbed his hand. The overhang was shaking now, fire climbing up both support columns. Josh climbed over, legs first, holding on, Katie sliding on her belly toward the edge. Lowering him… God, the agony in her arms… four feet, no more, she told herself. He wouldn’t fall far and he would land on his feet.
She let go as the roof shuddered. Kristen crawled toward her, trembling.
“Okay, baby, your turn,” Katie urged. “Give me your hand.”