Scorpio

Chapter XIV

It was dark when we were driving back to Westingbrook, returning to normalcy even though I would never be the same as when I had left. I was beyond the galaxy of happiness, beyond all the diamond stars winking down from their celestial homes, beyond simply joy—bliss—beatitude—ebullience—elation—euphoria—ecstasy—a rhapsody from King Jupiter, capturing me in a rapture on Earth. I was beyond all of this because I had finally figured out a problem that wasn't really a problem at all, but a monumental painting hanging on the wall that I could've seen at any time if I had only turned and looked.

I had only caught the briefest glimpse, but the fleeting vision was enough to last me for a lifetime. My whole body ached and longed for rest after a day of trekking through the mountains, but my spirit felt so full, like it could go on forever.

A yawn and a smile fought for control of my face, and I ended up laughing at my own bone-wearied giddiness. Leaning back against the headrest of a dark gray EV, I tilted my head to the window and observed the neighborhood streets we passed. My house was on the next street, just one block away.

I rolled down the windows, and a gush of chilly, crisp night air whooshed in——

——along with the acrid tang of smoke.

I sat up. Something was burning.

I peered in front, and clammy horror gripped my chest when I saw a plume of coal dust, darker than the midnight and blotting out the moon and stars, spouting up to the sky in the direction of my house.

"Ari..." Xanexa sounded unsteady. "Is that..."

We drew closer, my heart plummeting further with every foot of distance gained. I might have pretended before that one of the neighbors had carelessly left the stove on or a candle burning after they had gone to sleep, but now, from one hundred yards away at the street corner, the truth was unmistakable.

My house was engulfed in fire. Blinding white heat danced inside flickering scarlet tongues. Shapeless forms licked the eaves. The faceless beast roared and crackled as it consumed the siding, roof, doors, and everything in it. Heavy smoke, sulfurous and choking, enveloped the space around the house and assaulted my nose.

Xe cut the engine. I gaped in stupefied dread.

How? How?

Why was my house burning?

The sting from the smoke pricked my eyes as I continued looking at the red, orange, and white conflagration bellowing and burping with gluttonous hunger, sparks and shards of fire flying erratically.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and moved to push open the door.

"Where are you going?" xe asked me.

"Grandma's inside," I croaked, keeping back tears. "She's probably asleep."

I stepped outside and held onto the hood for support. I couldn't move. Chill wrapped around the cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck, and furnace-like heat fanned my face from the front, where the inexorable fire burned with malicious glee.

How could this happen? Was she okay? Where would we live? What would happen to me?

The roar of the fire drowned out any other voices I had inside. I watched everything burn while I tried not to cry.

"Stay here," xe ordered me in a low and serious tone. "Call 911, but I don't think they'll get here in time."

A cooling heat squeezed my forearm. I looked into xyr usually clear blue eyes, now spiked with icy spires of worry. Xe dropped xyr hand from my arm and began to jog away.