Mimi turned to see Pete limping over to them. ‘Mimi,’ said Pete, his voice hoarse but desperate. ‘Do you know if Tony got out of the car? We can’t find him. Tell me he made it out.’

Mimi froze. This was her husband’s brother, what was she going to say?

Callie spoke for her. ‘He told Mum to go and help us and that he’d get himself out,’ she said. ‘But we didn’t see if he did . . . there was too much else going on.’

Pete’s face twisted in horror, then he turned and shouted out to the people who’d just arrived at the scene. ‘We need help, we don’t know if my brother’s still in that car.’

*

Darren

There were people racing towards the car, but the fire had taken hold in an instant. Darren was doing everything he could to stay focused on helping Andrea, but at the same time, he was distracted. His chest was burning. His arms were aching. He’d never realised how much CPR took out of you. It felt so violent, pushing down on her chest with all his weight.

‘Are you sure Tony got out?’ he asked his mum.

‘He must have,’ she said. ‘He would have climbed out right after Mimi.’

‘But then, where is he? I can’t see him anywhere.’

The reflection of red and blue lights flashed across Jill’s face then and she squeezed his arm. ‘Help is here, Darren. Everything’s going to be okay.’

That’s when a voice screamed out. ‘I can see someone! There’s someone still in this car!’

*

Jill

The paramedics were striding through the chaos, cutting a pathway of calm as they went. And the chaos was extreme. Strangers had surrounded Tony’s car, but no one could get close enough to get to him; they kept being pushed back by the heat of the flames. Darren had started to cry as he continued to pump at Andrea’s chest. Whether he was crying for Andrea or for Tony or for both, Jill couldn’t say.

Pete was being held back by Mimi as he tried to run towards Tony’s car, and Tara was sobbing into Callie’s arms. The smells and sounds were overpowering. Voices screaming and crying. More sirens.

Jill’s lungs were filled with smoke but it was different from that day when the bushfire had surrounded her and Frank. This time it mingled with the acrid smell of diesel and oil.

This is my family, she thought. And this is my punishment. Did I bring all of this on them?