Chapter 39
William brought his good leg up for another kick, The Hunter and The Caretaker both wrapped around him. Then, The Advisor held up a hand. He pointed up, away from the door.
She is in danger.
Go. The Hunter started up the stairs.
William limped after him. Even with The Caretaker's help, his leg ached and bled more with every step.
Flames covered half of the entryway ceiling and smoke was thick at the top of the stairs. Screams echoed from the floors above. The fog mingled with the smoke around him, increased the contrast of the walls and floor so he could see down the hall toward Jessica's apartment. He started down that way but stopped.
Bryan knelt on the floor near the hallway. Beside him Dr. Westen was curled into a ball. Neither moved as the flames washed closer and molten ceiling tile dripped around them.
The Advisor pointed again, down the hallway. The door to Jessica's apartment surged with orange light and was covered in fire. Go.
Help her. The Caretaker said.
William looked down the hallway. "No. We help him first." He stifled a yelp as he knelt by Bryan. The voices had shown him some of Bryan's thoughts before. He'd seen a woman and a baby…a woman with red hair like Westen's. Bryan was locked in the memory.
The Hunter growled by his ear. Go.
William swiped his hand through The Hunter's body, tried to push him away, then put his hand over Bryan's eyes. "Show him. Show him how it happened. Show him more." He didn't know if it would work, but it was all he could do. He glared at The Advisor. "Show him."
The Advisor set a hand over Bryan's eyes and William's as The Caretaker wrapped herself around Bryan. The pain swept through William's body without the support, but he pushed it aside and let the memory take over.
*
Bryan started out of bed, but Claire put a hand on his chest. “I’ll get him,” she said. She threw off the covers and slid over him instead of going the long way around the bed. He chuckled and grabbed at her as she hurried out of their bedroom.
After stealing back some of the sheets, he lay back and twined his fingers together behind his neck. Sleep had been sparse with the baby teething.
The scream barely hit his ears before he was on his feet and in the hallway. The sound of Claire’s voice cut off before he reached the door to the baby’s room. He grabbed the doorknob and jerked his hand back, saw the smoke rising from the brass. Smoke seemed to be coming from everywhere. He put his hand into his t-shirt and tried again, but the knob didn’t turn even a degree. It didn’t have a lock, but seemed to be melted shut.
He pounded his shoulder against the door. The heat from the other side cracked the wood and flames pulsed into the room from the gap at the floor. He tried to cough out the dark smoke, but each breath only brought in more.
"Claire! Danny!" His shout was barely audible over the fire.
The smoke wrapped tighter around him as fire spread throughout the room. He drove his shoulder into the door again and collapsed.
Then, the outer door crashed inward and William ran in, crouching. He bent over Bryan.
The Caretaker stood at the burning bedroom door. William looked up at her, and then the door. Through the fog were the empty outlines of a woman and a baby.
His wife and child. They are gone. Help him, The Caretaker said to William.
William picked Bryan up, but paused over the watch on the floor.
The Advisor pointed to it. Take that. He will need it.
William grabbed it and ran out of the room with Bryan.
*