Upon hearing Kelan's voice abruptly cut off, she bolted out of the house without uttering a single word. The whirlwind of emotions and thoughts swirling inside her made it impossible to articulate what she was feeling. All she knew was that her sole purpose at that moment was to find Kelan. With determination fueling her, she raced towards Kinston, Kelan's neighborhood, pushing the pedal to the metal. As she approached, the air grew thick with dark smoke, obscuring her view. But as she drew closer, her eyes widened in shock at the sight that unfolded before her.
"Firefighters?" Elena whispered incredulously under her breath. She abruptly brought her car to a halt in the middle of the road, watching as police officers directed traffic to divert to another lane. Frustration and disbelief gnawed at her as she realized she was mere steps away from Kelan's house, yet unable to reach him due to the blockade.
Elena swiftly veered her car to the side of the road and dashed out, her heart pounding in her chest. The scene before her was chaotic, a cluster of onlookers gathered behind barricades, their expressions a mix of concern and alarm. Fire engines and emergency vehicles obstructed most of her view of the unfolding incident.
As she stood there, it suddenly hit her that the blazing house before her belonged to Kelan. A wave of dread washed over her, causing her legs to shake uncontrollably as she watched the fierce flames devouring his home.
"KELANNN!!" Elena's piercing scream filled the air as she sprinted towards the inferno engulfing Kelan's home. Tears streamed down her face as she dashed forward, only to be halted by a police officer who intercepted her, preventing her from getting any closer to the burning house.
"Miss, stop!" the officer shouted, attempting to pull her back, but Elena persisted, pushing through with her loud, anguished sobs.
"MY FRIEND IS IN THERE... KELANNNN!" Elena wailed, her voice filled with desperation as the officer wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her away from the intense heat and flames of the house.
"Listen to me... I need you to calm down. We're doing everything we can to extinguish the fire," the officer said gently, clasping her arms and explaining the situation to her tear-streaked face. Elena's hands covered her face as she cried out in despair at the unfolding events. Her knees buckled, but the officer held on to her, preventing her from collapsing.
"Medic! Medic over here!" the officer shouted, waving frantically at the ambulance parked nearby. The first responders sprang into action, rushing to assist Elena, who was utterly distraught by the tragic events unfolding before her.
"Kelan...." Elena's breath caught in her throat at the mention of Kelan. His face flickered in her mind - his eyes, his wide smile. The paramedics hurried to get her into the ambulance, noticing her distress and delirium. But just as they attempted to move her onto the stretcher, a sudden loud bark pierced the air from across the street.
"Reeve?!....huh...Reeve? Elena murmured, her eyes darting around frantically as she searched for the dog. Finally, she caught sight of him near Lance's house.
"Let me go! Please!" Elena pleaded, pulling away from their grasp and swiftly breaking free as she sprinted towards Reeve.
"REEVE!!" Elena's joyful shout rang out as she knelt down beside the dog, embracing him tightly. Lance watched as she enveloped the dog completely, and without hesitation, he released the leash, allowing Reeve to properly greet Elena. The dog's happy wailing echoed through the bustling scene outside, blending with Elena's tears of joy.
"My dearest Reeve," she whispered lovingly as she tenderly caressed him, her devotion evident in every touch. But her solace was interrupted when she caught Lance's intense gaze fixed upon her.
"Where's Kelan? Do you know if he made it out in time?" Elena's voice trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks. Lance let out a heavy sigh and folded his arms across his chest.
"Everyone made it out just in time before the explosion," Lance confirmed. Elena's tense shoulders relaxed with a wave of relief, her eyes closing briefly as she absorbed the news.
"He asked me to look after his dog until you arrived, and here you are, so he's all yours," Lance stated solemnly before turning back towards his house.
"Lance! Wait! An explosion happened?" Elena's voice trembled with fear as the thought of Kelan surviving such a dangerous situation filled her with dread.
"Yeah, I don't know what that guy did... but those explosions were nothing like a gas leak or anything normal that usually happens to old houses! This was a big explosion, the kind that's deliberate, like those planted by suicide bombers. Whatever he's involved in, it's not good, and if you're a smart woman, you would stay away from him!" Lance warned with a grave expression.
"Take his dog away... I want nothing to do with him! I'll probably end up getting myself killed!" Lance's voice was stern as he spoke, then turned smoothly and walked away, leaving Elena with a puzzled and wary expression.