Page 98 of Mountain Void

Lorenz crouched, one arm tight against his ribs as he moved along the side wall. Something slid down his face, blurring the vision in one eye. It took him a moment to realize it was blood. He wiped at it angrily.

He reached the corner and stopped.

Voices.

Or rather, a voice.

Pelletier was talking to himself.

Lorenz leaned just enough to see Pelletier, standing near the porch, facing the front door, revolver hanging loosely in one hand. Firelight flickered across his broad face.

Lorenz didn’t stay. He made his way quickly back the way he’d come, pushing the door open again.

Charlie stood near the door, her body in front of Théo.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, offering his hand. “He’s waiting for us to come out the front. We’ll go into the forest instead.”

27

Charlie

The cold air felt heavenly on her face.

Charlie allowed herself a full breath, the first in what felt like hours. Smoke still coated the back of her throat and nose, but out here, finally, she could think again.

Behind them, flames climbed the walls—hungry orange demons spiraling upward into the darkening sky.

We were in there.

We could have died inside.

Théo stumbled beside her, and she held onto him, pulling him tighter against her body.

“It’s okay,” she whispered to the boy, though her own pulse still hammered violently in her ears. “We’re going to be okay.”

Lorenz moved ahead of them in the snow, creating tracks for them to follow, his movements low and fast despite the injuries that should have made such movement impossible.

The crackling got louder, followed by a loud bang. The roof of the hut was beginning to collapse.

Charlie’s knees wobbled.

“We need to keep moving,” Lorenz murmured, coming back towards them, his arm providing the support she needed.

“Lorenz—“

A gunshot exploded behind them.

Charlie turned towards Théo.

Behind them, snow sprayed as the bullet hit.

“You thought you could get away?” Pelletier spat out. “Take my son from me? My son.”

Lorenz raised his hands in the air. “Calm down, Monsieur Pelletier. Nobody is taking your son away.”

Charlie’s stomach clenched so hard it hurt.

The fire painted Pelletier in shades of violent orange and black. He looked … crazed, his eyes wild and unfocused, his face slick with sweat despite the freezing cold.