Susie worked quickly now – she didn’t want to get caught.
She started pouring the lighter fluid around the base of the stairs, knowing the stair case would act like a chimney. It would burn hot and fast. She jumped as something touched her face, then smiled as she realised it was just jackets, hung on hangers near the front door.
She squirted them with fluid for good measure – additional fuel would ensure the fire took hold well.
Within seconds she’d emptied all three canisters around the base of the stairs.
Standing back, she held two cooking matches side by side and struck them against the side of the box. They lit the hall in a dim glow and without hesitation, she threw them in the direction of the coats.
The flames caught – a loud ‘whoosh’ sounding as it spread, catching hold of the other fluid.
Susie stood still, mesmerised as the flames starting burning higher.
It was like the fire was alive – a living, breathing creature.
They danced in the hall, burning through the varnish on the wood floor then starting on the actual wood.
Susie’s breath hitched in her throat as the smoke entered her lungs.
It was time to leave, as much as she wanted to stand and watch as the fire engulfed the house, she knew she couldn’t. If she didn’t leave now there was a chance she wouldn’t be able to.
She turned and walked purposefully down the hall – she’d leave the way she’d come in.
28
Edina stirred, uncurling herself from Kevin’s arm. Something had woken her but she wasn’t sure what it was. She sat up and listened – she heard Heather speak softly then the bathroom door clicked closed.
Just the sound made her realise that the last cup of tea they’d had before bed was now ready to make its appearance. She padded across the floor to the door – her old room was basically now a bed and spare wardrobe – devoid of anything that was hers since she’d moved out. Her mum used it for storage, mostly. It still smelled the same as it had when she’d lived at home though.
She paused at the door, knowing if she went onto the landing Heather would jump out of her skin when she came out of the bathroom. Eventually she heard the door go and Edina opened the bedroom door.
The first thing she noticed was the smell – lighter fluid. It was distinctive in itself – she’d smelled it enough times. Where was it from though? No one in the house even smoked, let alone used lighter fluid.
Realisation dawned just as she heard the whoosh of flames catching downstairs somewhere. That sound was not one she would ever forget. It was ingrained into her.
She stuck her head over the banister at the top and saw the fire – felt the smoke curling upwards and into her lungs.
‘Shit!’
Heather put the landing light on. She sounded terrified as she said, ‘Sis? What is it?’
‘Wake Mum now. Get her into my room. Go!’
Edina pushed Heather hard towards her mum’s room and ran in to wake Kevin.
Seconds later her terrified sister and mum ran into her room.
‘We need to get some water, try and put it out…’ Her mum’s voice was shaking as she spoke. ‘What the hell is the point of those bloody cops downstairs? All our stuff, we need to do something.’
Joanna turned and went to walk out of the bedroom but Edina grabbed her shoulders, looking her mum in the eye.
‘Mum, calm down. We can’t go downstairs, the fire has already taken hold. The only thing we need to do right now is get out. My window leads onto the garage roof – remember, I used to sneak out that way when I was a teenager. Come on.’
Ed gave her mum a gentle shove towards the window.
9th October, 0013 hours – Heather’s residence
Kevin flicked open the catch and pushed the side window hard. It caught at a forty-five-degree angle. He pushed hard against it, smiling as the metal hinge gave way. There was about a five-foot drop onto the garage roof and he pulled Heather towards the window.
‘Turn on the ledge and lower yourself down,’ he said.
Heather shook her head – her fear taking over. ‘I can’t,’ she said desperately, ‘I’m scared of heights.’
Joanna pushed Kevin out of the way. ‘I’ll go first and I’ll catch you. You can do this.’ She pulled Heather into a tight hug before releasing her and lowering herself over the edge. There was a thud as her feet landed on the garage roof.
Heather took a deep breath and carefully sat on the window ledge, twisting herself around. She moved position until her legs were hanging beneath her and her waist was over the top of the ledge. Tears were streaming down her face but she took a deep breath and lowered herself down even more.
‘You’ve only got a foot to drop. Just let go,’ said Joanna from beneath her.
As Heather released her grip and let go, Kevin leaned over the ledge. ‘Joanna, ring 999.’ He handed her his mobile phone then turned back around to see what was keeping Edina so quiet.
She’d been busily pushing her duvet to cover the gap at the bottom of the door, trying to stop the smoke billowing in. Her face was flushed and she was coughing.
Suddenly the duvet at the base of the door burst into flames.
Ed scrambled backwards but not before her pyjama bottoms caught fire.
‘Argh,’ she yelled, slapping at her legs with her hands.
Thinking on his feet, Kevin quickly pulled his t-shirt over his head and used it to cover the flames on Ed’s legs. He patted his hands roughly over the top of the t-shirt, extinguishing the flames. He knew without looking she would have burns, though.
He looked up at the door to see the flames now licking the paint on the inside of the door. His chest felt heavy and he was coughing. Knowing Ed was feeling it too, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to her feet.
‘No,’ she gasped, struggling to speak. ‘We have to crawl, the smoke’s too thick when you’re standing.’
He knew she couldn’t see him nod, but they both dropped to their knees and started feeling their way towards the window.
9th October, 0014 hours – Heather’s residence
Ed felt faint. Her legs were burning as though still on fire, and she couldn’t catch her breath. She crawled along the floor behind Kevin, her fingers wrapped round the bottom of his jog pants leg so she didn’t lose him.
When her fingers released their grip, she barely even noticed. Her head dropped on top of her hand, and she knew she had to move, had to keep going. But her body felt so heavy she just couldn’t do it. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she passed out.
9th October, 0015 hours – Heather’s residence
Susie was stood under the trees not too far from the police car stationed outside. She had watched as the police officers had eventually noticed the bright orange glow coming from the front door area of Heather’s house, and had instantly jumped out of the car and run to the house.
She knew one of them would be on the radio to their base, requesting urgent assistance from the fire brigade.
She knew it would be too late though. The fire was burning fast and hot, just like she’d hoped. Black smoke was billowing out of the gaps around the doors and the glow had rapidly spread to the landing window. They’d all been asleep – there was no way they’d be able to get out even if they noticed the fire.
She smiled in the darkness.
Susie couldn’t wait around for too long – she knew she’d be found if she stayed in the same spot. It was time to leave – move on and deal with Janelle while the cops and fire brigade were busy here. It was the only way. Deal with the mess then she could finally move on with her life. She’d be able to start over somewhere new, where nobody knew who she was.
Leaning her head against the cool tree bark, Susie knew that was what she needed more than anything. Just to be on her own. Tears pricked her eyes. She was tired. She’d had enough of the shitty B&B where she couldn’t get any sleep. As she’d found out over the last couple of days, the breakfast cons
isted of a greasy bacon or sausage buttie and a bowl of cereal. Exciting or filling it was not. She’d spent a few quid each day on food. Her dad had left a few thousand in the safe, but she needed to make it last. Wherever she ended up, she’d need it to survive on. She frowned – how easy was it to obtain fake ID? She couldn’t go anywhere under her own name – she was sure it would be on every alert.
She swiped at the stray tears angrily – it wouldn’t do to get upset now. What was the point anyway? This whole situation wasn’t her fault – she couldn’t have guessed at what would happen if she had tried. It was their fault – Heather and Janelle. Rage burned in her stomach as she thought about them. She hoped Heather was screaming and writhing in agony as the flames took her.
Susie took a breath to steady herself, then turned to leave.
And walked smack into one of the police officers from the car.
She turned to run but he grabbed her arm tightly. Panic took over and she lashed out, clawing at his face with her nails. It suddenly hit her that she could go to jail for what she’d done. Desperate now, she kicked out at the officer, her knee catching his crotch with force. He grunted in obvious pain but still didn’t let her go.
Suddenly she found herself swung round with force and planted on the ground face first. She could feel his knee digging into her back as his weight held her down. She could feel the gravel scratching the skin off her cheek and she screamed, sounding more like a trapped animal than herself. Susie tried to use her weight to throw him off her, but he was trained to deal with people kicking off and he didn’t budge.
She couldn’t be caught – she just couldn’t. She hadn’t finished yet.
He had her arm twisted up her back and her shoulder felt as though it was being wrenched from the socket as his cuffs grabbed her wrist. She felt the metal tighten as she struggled against him.
‘Stop it,’ he said sharply, ‘it’ll go easier if you lie still and quit fighting.’
His words entered her brain but she refused to accept them, bucking and groaning as she tried to fight him off. If she could reach round with her other arm, maybe she could pull him off enough so she could run. She bucked and twisted again, grabbing what she could only think was his shirt sleeve, she pulled hard. The cop’s weight didn’t shift an inch.
That’s when she remembered the knife.
Being left handed, it was in the left pocket of her combat trousers. She bucked and struggled, loosening the press stud on the flap and the knife out. Depressing the button to flick open the blade, she twisted as much as she could and jabbed at the cop who held her cuffed arm tightly. The sharp point dug into the flesh on his arm and he roared in pain above her but still didn’t loosen his grip.
His free hand grabbed her left arm and he slammed it down onto the pavement. Susie gasped as hot pain spread through her wrist, and automatically, her fingers released and she let the knife go. It skittered across the pavement into the shadows.
How is he not letting go?
Susie knew his arm must hurt, not to mention his balls must be agony. But still he held on.
Changing tactic, she stilled beneath him and slowed her breathing. Maybe if he thought she’d passed out he’d let her go. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply and did her best to keep her muscles relaxed.
It didn’t work though.
She could hear him speaking into his radio, giving their location to his control room.
Tears filled her eyes.
She was screwed.
She could hear that Heather screeching that there were still people trapped in the house. The stupid cow got out! Somehow, despite all her planning, she had managed to fuck up the one chance she had to get even with her so-called friend.
9th October, 0020 hours – Heather’s residence
Kevin crawled along the floor, hoping he was heading in the right direction. He couldn’t see anything in front of him except heat haze and thick smoke. His chest burned as he tried to draw breath and he was surprised at how slowly he was moving. He should have been at the window by now. They both should.
He felt like he was moving a few feet at a time, though in reality it was only a few inches. Finally, his outstretched fingers connected with the skirting boards and he pulled himself up to his knees.
Throwing his head out of the window he tried to breathe in some fresh air, but the smoke billowing from the room stopped the air entering his lungs. He could feel the heat behind him and knew the fire was at their heels. He knew Edina had to be right behind him, so he clambered awkwardly up onto the window ledge and dropped down to the garage roof.
Joanna and Heather were nowhere to be seen – they must have jumped off the roof and into the back garden. He could hear the squeal of the fire engines and noted a faint blue flashing at the side of the house where the gate to the drive was. The path ran along the side of the garage.
He looked up, expecting to see Ed tumbling out of the window behind him, but nothing moved at the window other than the smoke.
‘Ed?’ he shouted up, as much as his hoarse voice would allow anyway.
There was no response.
His blood froze in his veins as he realised she mustn’t have been behind him.
He’d left her.
Reaching up, his fingers curled over the window ledge and he tried desperately to pull himself back up. He needed to get her out.
But he couldn’t get enough grip.
‘No!’ he cried out, trying again, remembering that he’d felt exactly the same at Janelle’s house. How could he leave her behind again?
The arms behind him came from nowhere.
He hadn’t registered his cousin behind him at all. She all but threw him towards the edge of the garage where Joey was waiting on the ladder.
Joey grabbed him, forcing him down the ladder to the ground before scrambling up it himself and pulling it onto the roof.
As soon as it hit the window sill, Rachel shimmied up and climbed into the room. Joey followed swiftly and she hadn’t moved two steps before he was beside her.
‘Edina, call out,’ shouted Rachel through her mask. Joey followed with the same sentence.
The torches on the front of their jackets illuminated little in the room and the heat from the fire was almost unbearable even with their fireproof gear.
9th October, 0022 hours – Heather’s residence
Edina felt strange, like she was floating on a sea of clouds on a lava river. Her brain was telling her she had to move – but her body wouldn’t let her. It was like a lead weight trying to pull her down. She fought against the pull, knew she couldn’t let herself pass out again or she would die.
She moved her fingers, almost surprised as they wiggled a little on command. Or had they? She wasn’t even sure anymore. Couldn’t tell reality from heat- induced hallucinations. But she curled her fist anyway, tried to pull herself along the carpet.
Where was Kevin? She couldn’t feel his trousers anymore.
He must be further in front of her. She pulled herself another inch towards the window.
She could have sworn she could hear something echo around the room. Her name on a whisper somewhere ahead. Kevin?
Water was streaming from her eyes and they felt like they were full of grit. She blinked hard to try and clear them but it made no difference. Everything in front of her was black and she could feel the flames licking at the soles of her feet.
It was all too much. Ed sighed softly, her head dropping to the top of her arm. ‘I’m sorry, Kevin.’ She whispered as her consciousness faded again.
9th October, 0024 hours – Heather’s residence
Rachel was moving through the room in small steps. The heat was so intense she knew a flashover was near. They had to find Edina, and they had to do it fast. She felt Joey tug her sleeve, but she couldn’t see him – the smoke was as black as night. It was oppressive and she felt the room closing in around her. Her skin prickled as she felt the temperature rise a notch higher.
They had jus
t seconds to get Edina and get out.
Out of pure luck more than anything, she felt something beneath her foot as she stepped forward. Joey bumped into her as she bent down to investigate. She knew she was approximately four feet from the window.
‘Hurry,’ he whispered beside her – though she knew he would have shouted not whispered, that was how it sounded.
She used her hands to follow Edina’s arm to the shoulder, then in a move practiced over years, adjusted her body to take the weight and hoisted Edina up onto her shoulder. Joey had her hand and pulled her rapidly towards the window.
Small snake-like fires had started dancing in the black smoke – it was almost time. The room was about to go into a flashover.
Rachel paused at the window ledge as Joey rapidly climbed over and reached through for Edina.
Rachel didn’t hesitate – she practically threw Edina into his arms then jumped up onto the window ledge. She had every intention of leaping down onto the garage roof but the fire had other ideas.
She felt herself lifted into the air as the flashover occurred – the power of the explosion sending her out of the window and onto the garage roof face first. Her breath left her body with a loud grunt and she lay for a second, stunned. Then the pain arrived. Her arm was bent awkwardly beneath her – she hadn’t seen Joey physically balk at the crack but she had heard and felt it.
The blood drained from her face as she went to turn onto her side – the oxygen tank on her back preventing her turning fully.
Suddenly Joey’s face was above hers. He’d ripped his mask off and had black smears of soot all over his face. ‘It’s OK, you’ll be fine.’
His words were of little comfort though – she knew her arm was broken.
She heard scrambling to her side, and knew more of her crew had arrived.
‘Best get you down off here and over to the medics,’ said Joey with a smile.
‘Ed?’ said Rachel, worried for her friend.
‘She’s going to be OK I think – they’ve got her on the stretcher now but she’s breathing and has a pulse.’
Watch You Burn Page 27