Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“Kit!” I screamed again, ignoring the burning in my lungs as I made my way inside.
I could see the fire engulfing the hay, flames licking up the wood of the back wall, moving toward the ceiling overhead. It was like some hungry beast, devouring everything in its path… the animals wouldn’t stand a chance shut up inside their stalls. Smoke clouded my vision and made it close to impossible to breathe, and I wasn’t even all the way inside.
“Kit! Kit, are you in here?”
Oh, please no. Please don’t be in here, I prayed.
Each beat of my heart pounded against my chest. Fear nearly paralyzed me as I scanned the inferno. Running to the stalls, I began to unlatch the wooden doors, allowing the animals to make their escape. Cocoa was backed against the far wall of her stall, her eyes rolling in fear.
“Go,” I yelled, pulling on her halter. “Please!” I cried when she refused to budge.
There was no way I could pull her out. She weighed ten times what I did. Running back, I grabbed a rake used to muck out the stall. I stood to the side, lifted it over my head and brought it down across her rump with all my force. I had to scramble back as she lunged forward, bellowing in fear and outrage. I’d apologize later, but for now, I was just glad to see her running past me and down the aisle toward the open barn door.
I continued on to each stall, trying not to breathe in the toxic air. Each gulp of the smoke threatened to consume my consciousness. A series of loud pops had me looking up, terrified I’d see a beam falling down on me. Though I saw flames licking along the ceiling, nothing came crashing down, but I knew the beams wouldn’t last long. Another pop sounded, and my head started to spin, my chest heaved, and my legs began to tremble, my arms to shake as my body grew weak from lack of oxygen.
The air was getting worse, and I knew I didn’t have much time left. Taking a deep breath and holding it, I reached the last stall that held Kieran, the horse I’d ridden with Banks to the hot springs that day. His nostrils were flaring, and he was prancing, his hooves kicking up dirt and hay.
“Easy boy,” I said, knowing one kick could send me flying. “It’s okay. I’m here to help you.”
Sliding the bolt back on the door, I prayed I’d not have to go inside. Kieran was smarter and far quicker than Cocoa, running out the moment I had the stall door open. Desperate to make my own escape, and fairly certain Kit was not inside, I began to backtrack, following the horse’s flight route. I ducked at the sound of another sharp pop, and then screamed when a cinder landed on my arm, the heat instantly burning my skin. Slapping at it and the others flying through the air, I began to run, trying to stay ahead of the flames I could swear were reaching for me, perhaps angry I’d denied them their taste of flesh. I could only hope Kit was not trapped anywhere inside and I had somehow missed her.
Hearing a groan, I twirled around. “Kit?”
She didn’t answer, the sound repeating a moment before a beam crashed to the ground. Behind me, a column of fire rose up as the hay stored in the loft ignited, bursting to rain fiery pieces of dry grass on me. Another beam fell, and I screamed again, turning back, the haze was now so thick I could barely see. Tears streamed down my face from my stinging eyes. My lungs demanded air I couldn’t give. The realization I was surrounded by an inferno besieged me and, for the first time, I realized I could actually die.
I had to get out and now!
I pulled up my skirt, holding it over my mouth and nose with one hand, the other blindly waving in front of me as if I could part the black curtain of smoke. I no longer reacted to the pops, cracks, and roar of the blaze, or perhaps I simply couldn’t hear them above the whimpers and fervent pleas to God to help me that I was issuing nonstop. Finally, I could make out the shape of the door, smoke billowing out as if it, too, wanted to escape.
Another beam broke free to land across a stall, breaking the door from its hinges, the wood igniting under the intense heat. It was jump it or be roasted alive… I didn’t even hesitate. I ran and leaped, clearing the beam only to stumble and fall. Sobbing, I scrambled to my feet, staggering out the door, not stopping until I fell again. Exhausted, I rolled and looked behind me. Orange flames were shooting from the window of the hayloft. The rope of the pulley was starting to burn, the majority of the barn on fire.