“Get away from me,” she screamed again, and pushed me full force. I slipped on the greasy tiles and fell backward. Instinctively I reached out for something to grab on to to pull my myself up or to save myself. At the same time I felt a burst of pain as I landed on my back on the open oven door and my hand found the hot grill rack. I let go of it in less than a second, but it was still too long. A guttural scream ripped out of me. When I looked, I saw a bright pink, raw line of burned flesh across the palm.

I managed to get myself upright, my hand feeling like fire, and called out to Mum, who had fled at the commotion. I was afraid that she’d try to leave the house if she was upset. I couldn’t remember if I’d locked the front door.

Hannah arrived ten minutes later. She must have already been on her way to meet me when I texted her. She found me in my parents’ room, stroking Mum’s hair with my unburned hand, curled up on the bed like I was the mum and she was the child. My skin felt like it was still burning, a terrible sensation penetrating deep into my hand.

“Let me see,” Hannah said brusquely. She didn’t flinch when I held out my hand, which was shiny and raw. It looked wet almost and a layer of skin had peeled away.

“That’s going to need some attention. Antibiotics maybe. Have you run it under cold water? Taken anything for the pain?”

I shook my head. I looked down at Mum, who was clinging on to me. Hannah understood. I couldn’t leave her when she was like this. Even if it was to take care of myself. It wasn’t her fault.

Hannah left me with Mum and returned a couple of minutes later with a bowl of cold water, a glass of juice, and a packet of ibuprofen. She sat on the other side of Mum and we stayed quiet. I let my hand rest in the water until Mum let me go.

“Running water is better,” Hannah said, her voice barely a whisper. The way parents speak when they’re trying to make sure not to wake a child. “We might need to take you to the emergency room, though.”

Hannah distracted Mum, her voice, cheerful and comforting, drifting down the hall into the bathroom as I stood with my hand under the tap, the cool water soothing the fire burrowing into my skin.