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Twenty
I dreamed I was suffocating.I could inhale, but no air came. Confusion turned to worry, then to full-blown panic.
With a jolt, my eyes snapped open. My room was foggy.
No. That wasn’t right.
Hazy.
I was suddenly more awake, more aware. That was smoke. The smell of burning wood, rubber, and chemicals was overwhelming.
I wasn’t dreaming.
My room was full of smoke, which meant the house was on fire. It was then that I realized my shield was already up. It was blocking most of the smoke from reaching me, but I didn’t know how long it could protect me. We’d never tested with fire, and I didn’t want to find out how strong it was right now.
I twisted under my sheets and slid over the side of the bed. My feet hit the carpet, and I hissed. It was so hot. The garage must be on fire too.
Don’t panic, Avalon.
I had to keep my focus and think through this. I stared at my feet, willing my barrier to expand a few extra inches until it grazed the ground. I waited another second before reaching out with my toe. It was still hot but not unbearable.
I stood and bent low, beneath the thickest part of the smoke. I had to get out.
I could make out my bedroom door. If I got down the back stairs, it was only a few yards to the door that led to the patio.
I reached out, watching the shimmer of my barrier stretch with me. A half-second before I touched it, I remembered something about feeling the door for heat before touching the metal knob. I put the tips of my fingers on the wood and snapped my hand back. It was searing. The fire was on the other side. I couldn’t go that way. I spun around and searched my room. What was I supposed to do?
The windows were the only other exit. I couldn’t see them through the dark smoke, but I had the space memorized. I carefully navigated around the couch I used to read and made it to the windows.
I checked that the first was unlocked, then reached for the bottom. It didn’t budge. I moved to the next one, but it was the same thing. The last one shifted left to right but wouldn’t rise.
What the hell?
I banged on it. I needed out.
Sirens wailed in the distance, but I couldn’t tell how far they were. Would they get here in time?
I looked around at my barrier that was still shimmering. More smoke was making its way through, but I couldn’t worry about that. Not yet.
Could I break through the glass? I pounded on it with my fist, but it barely even shook.
I scanned the room. Only books and clothes. Nothing that could break through.
Could I expand my barrier to shatter the glass? I concentrated all my energy on shoving it against the window, but the shield just grew without force.
Movement below caught my attention.
Tessa and Daniel!
Gavin!
More of my neighbors were coming out of their homes and rushing to my driveway.
Shit. Could they see my shield? If I pulled it back, I might not be able to breathe, but I couldn’t expose myself either.
I pounded on the glass, trying to get them to understand.
Gavin was screaming, tears streaming down his face, and Tessa was clinging to Daniel. I stared at him, willing him to tell me what to do. He always knew. He had the answers.
