Finally the twine rested between her lips. Rapidly opening and closing her incisors, she gnashed her teeth. For every time she caught it, there was another when she missed it altogether, her teeth clacking on nothing. She ignored the terrible taste, ignored the smoke getting heavier. Slowly the fibers began to part, covering her tongue in dry, itchy bits.

Finally, the last strand popped and the door flew open. Bridget tumbled forward.

She pushed herself upright. At the end of the hall, fire was beginning to engulf the living room. As she stared, mesmerized, a corner of the upholstered couch went up in yellow flames. Then the fire leapt onto the shade of the lamp next to the couch. The braided rug was smoking. Even if she could somehow get Bob on his feet, by the time they got to the hall, the path to the door would be completely blocked.

That left the window in his room. Now that blanket of snow around the house seemed like a good thing. If she could just get Bob out, at least the fire couldn’t follow them.

Which was still a pretty big if.

When she threw open the door to his room, Bob looked at her with wide eyes.

“What’s happening?”

She closed the door behind her. “I think Derrick left and then Joanne lit the house on fire and took off.”

As she spoke, she tried to raise the window, but it was painted shut. Glad for the protection of her coat, she wrapped her hand in the blanket she’d slept in. She punched the window, but her first blow was too tentative. She had to repeat the move several times, each time with more force and a bigger wince, before it finally broke with a crack. Cold air rushed in as she knocked out the rest of the glass.

“You’re bleeding,” Bob said.

BOB

Save Yourself

Blood was streaming from a two-inch-long cut on the pinky side of Bridget’s right hand. It was clear to Bob that it was not going to stop on its own.

She pressed it against her coat, but that wouldn’t work for long. And then Bob’s fingers went to the scarf around his throat, as they had so many times before. But this time he wasn’t hiding in the comfort of memories.

He unwound it and held it out to her. “Wrap this tight around it. It will stop the bleeding.”

Shaking her head, she took a step back. “That’s your special scarf. The one that Lilly gave you.”

“And if she were here, she would tell you to use it.” The crackle of the flames was getting louder. “Hurry.”