We ran down the hall and out the happy, happy yellow door. Chicken ran out with us. I was coughing bad. Gloria was coughing, too. I tried to get air. I looked at our house. The sky was gray and then part of it was black from smoke and fire climbing out the windows. Tears slipped out of my eyes. They slid down over my cheeks, and Gloria wiped them away. She still had her oven mitt on.

MAISY

Our house was burning. Fire was eating up the floors and walls. But none of it was real. I couldn’t think. I had to push it down. I had to put it inside the box and stomp on it. Gloria told me to jump up and down on the box. I tied it up tight with a skipping rope. Don’t let it out. Don’t let it out. I couldn’t let it out. Just look at the ashes flying up into the sky. How pretty they are!

“Things’ll be okay, Bids,” Gloria said. She shook me. “We’re doing what needed to be done. You got to trust me.”

The oven mitt dropped off Gloria’s hand. She kicked it far over the grass. Then she held my arm. My teeth chomped together. I couldn’t stop shaking. Chicken was shaking, too. He tugged and whimpered, but Gloria wouldn’t let him go. I heard glass smashing. Orange climbed out the kitchen window, and it almost got up to the roof. The colors were all over Gloria’s face. Inside Gloria’s eyes.

This was the worst dream. I was so scared I couldn’t even cry. I couldn’t even pinch my leg because what if it hurt? That would make it real. Then the box would fly open. I’d have to. I’d have to see inside.

Then Mrs. Spooner and Darrell were there. I didn’t even see them coming. Darrell ran right around the house and yelled out at Gloria. “Mrs. Janes! Your hose is gone!”

“Stay back!” Gloria yelled. “Water’s all turned off.”

Darrell put his hands up in the air. “The whole thing’s going to burn to the ground!”

“Oh dear god.” Mrs. Spooner was in her bathrobe. “I called. I did. The moment I saw the smoke. I called.”

“Called?” Gloria’s teeth were closed up.

“The fire department.” She put her hands on her face. “Is there anything I can do? Take Maisy to my place?”

Gloria squeezed my hand and it hurt bad. “Maisy’ll stay right here with me,” she said. “Because I’m her mother.”

Mrs. Spooner took her hands off her face. “Oh, dear. I didn’t mean…”

Gloria showed Mrs. Spooner her back. Then Aunt Erma and Shar ran down the driveway. “Gloria! What on earth?”