UNWANTED

CHAPTER 29 - L22.21 - LIZAVETA

I was frozen in place, sitting sideways, jaw agape... and so was Zabdi, but I doubted it was for the same reason. It was then that I realized what he meant when he commented on the smell. I was too distracted to notice it... the gasoline.

And the candle melting into it.

One moment it was silent, and in the next I heard again, the sound of fire. The sound of fire was like angry wind, whipping and scarring and burning the air. I felt the heat of a million atoms barreling and rearranging themselves, reacting to each other, all out of control.

The hair on my arms were singed as I scrambled up on my shaky knees. "Zabdi!" I screamed, standing up against the fire consuming my shoes. "Put it out!"

He was frozen amidst the inferno.

I knew too well the beat of Zabdi's heart. It was identical to mine when I realized I made more than one mistake on an exam, when I found that I talked to someone I wasn't supposed to, when I sneaked into my father's closet to wear a purple scarf. It was panic.

I ran the small distance between him and me, the night blazing orange and red. Somewhere off in the distance, I heard a siren roar, but maybe it was just my imagination. The stilts didn't have the luxury of fire trucks or people who cared.

"Zabdi." I forced his head to face me, and I grabbed his clammy hand. The heat surrounding us was scorching my clothes and I thanked whatever supreme being decided I shouldn't feel pain. But I could feel the flames, nonetheless. "Zabdi, look at me."

He swallowed, tears filling the rims of his eyes. From smoke or fear, I didn't know, but all I knew was he needed to get us out. The fire had already blocked our entrance. The gas-soaked wood was already falling apart. It was all I could do not to scream despite the intense fear I could feel shaking my bones. The floorboards beneath my feet were sure to buckle.

The air finding its way into my lungs was almost acidic. My eyes were watering against the smoke, trying to clear a path for me, but soon enough we were engulfed in the inferno in full.

I looked back to see his body and I wished I hadn't. Raza was in flames, and I could smell his flesh. It was jarring seeing someone who used to make chills run down my spine... Burning.

I knew we wouldn't be next... I was sure I would survive. If Onus could survive anything, it was death. But if they found out we stayed alive in this hell, we wouldn't be alive much longer.

Much more, I knew it wouldn't hurt me, but it would hurt Zabdi.

I grabbed his hand and squeezed. He needed to be pushed out of the shocked stupor he'd landed in. "Zabdi, please." I said through clenched teeth and started tugging him towards the blazing exit, but he was stiff and fully planted on the disintegrating floorboards.

The lump rose up my throat as I realized how many houses the house was going to burn itself with. How many of my people would be homeless now? Zabdi had to put it out.

"Zabdi." I could see him flinch as the fire blazed behind him, scorching his jacket. "Zabdi!" I begged, but it was like screaming through water. He couldn't hear me.

My arms found their way around his body as I tried to shield him from the flames. I didn't care if I got burned, I couldn't feel a thing. All I could do was keep his pain low before his screams would certainly pierce the night.

"Diwata..." He whispered as I felt the flames singe my scarf, his concern finally breaking through his shock.

"Don't worry. I can't feel it. Just tell me where it hurts, and I'll cover. The flames will die down soon." I said without any certainty. He wasn't moving still and all I could do was shield him as I shielded Ly's body six years ago. I wasn't going to leave him; if the smoke didn't kill him, the government would.