It was midnight when fire began raining down from the sky. A terrified scream shattered the silence, piercing through the fragile walls of the house. I shot upright, my breath catching in my throat. My mind, still foggy from sleep, struggled to grasp what was happening. Grace tossed beside me, mumbling in her sleep, while Mother stirred weakly.

  "Grace," I whispered, shaking her. My fingers trembled against her thin shoulder. Another scream ripped through the night, this one closer, more desperate. The sound jolted me awake completely, sending a cold wave of fear through my veins.

  "Lexy?" Grace's voice was barely a whisper as she rubbed her eyes. The darkness cloaked us, but I could make out the faint outline of her face, confused and tired.

  "You need to wake up. Now." I pulled her upright, gripping her shoulders. "Listen to me closely. Wake up Mother and meet me by the door."

  "What’s happening?" She yawned, but I could hear the growing worry in her tone.

  "I don’t know." I forced myself to my feet, biting back a sharp gasp as pain exploded up my leg. My wound—still raw from days without proper treatment—throbbed with every movement. I clenched my fists, willing the pain to be swallowed by the adrenaline coursing through me.

  Another scream, this time followed by wailing. Crying. Voices shouting over one another in the distance. Something was terribly wrong.

  I limped to the boarded-up window and pressed an eye to the crack between the wooden slats. Thick, gray smoke curled into the air like ghostly tendrils. The acrid scent of burning wood and flesh filled my nostrils. Fire.

  I staggered back, coughing.

  I darted toward the back corner. I tore up a loose floorboard, reaching for the flasher hidden beneath it. My hands shook violently as I cocked it, the familiar weight feeling unfamiliar in my grip. I snatched my knife from the bedside, shoving it into my pocket before limping back to my family.

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  Grace was already by the door, holding Mother close. Their eyes—wide, fearful—searched mine for reassurance I couldn’t give.

  "I need you to follow me. No matter what, don’t lose sight of me," I ordered, peeking outside again.

  "What are you going to do?" Grace whispered, clutching Mother tighter.

  I hesitated, my gaze dropping to the gun in my hands. Trigger’s words echoed in my mind. 'You’ll need it.' Had he known? Was he the one behind this? A shiver ran down my spine. It didn’t matter now. Survival mattered.

  "People do unpredictable things when they’re scared," I murmured. "I’m getting us out of here."

  Grace’s eyes flickered to the gun, her lips parting in silent alarm. "Lexy—"

  "Later." I hated to cut her off, but we didn’t have time.

  The smell of smoke thickened, making it harder to breathe. "We can’t stay here. The fire will reach us." My thoughts scrambled, searching for a plan. My heart hammered so loudly that it drowned out my reasoning. "Follow me. Now."

  I cracked the door open an inch. The street beyond was drenched in firelight, the flickering glow casting grotesque shadows over the bodies littering the ground. My stomach twisted at the sight of smoldering corpses, limbs curled unnaturally as the flames continued their merciless feast.

  I wrenched the door open wider, stepping out and shielding Grace from the carnage. My injured leg nearly buckled, a sharp pain tearing through me. Push through it. I clenched my jaw. Protect them. They are all that matters.

  Buildings collapsed in the distance, sending embers spiraling into the smoky sky. Screams and gunshots rang out, blending into a twisted symphony of chaos. People sprinted past, some engulfed in flames, others blindly fleeing the destruction.

  Their cries pierced my mind as memories of my father’s death consumed my thoughts. I panicked as I thought of him. That dreadful day five years ago flooded my thoughts and tore down the careful walls I had built up. My father’s terrified face appeared behind my eyelids.

  Every time I blinked, the memory of him dying crashed into me. The shadows were suddenly all around me again and were dragging people into its huge mass. Except this time, flames crawled on people instead and caused their horrified screams to hum in my ears. Somehow, in my gut, I knew that Trigger had not caused this, but he had somehow known about it.

  “Lexy!”

  I blinked and shook away the shadows in my vision.

  I pulled Grace and Mother forward into the chaos.