Chapter 75
The heat is making Olivia toss and turn.
In her nightmare the room is full of smoke. Her nose is prickling, and she is finding it hard to breathe. She knows she has to get out of the house, but she can’t move. It’s as if her arms and legs are paralyzed.
The covers are pressing her down against the mattress, while terrifying faces flit back and forth in her mind’s eye.
She sees Filippa lying frozen in the snow. Her friend’s big, pleading eyes bore into her, asking why she had to die in the winter night.
Why no one came to her rescue.
“Help me,” Filippa whispers before she disappears.
Next is William, looming over Olivia. “You should have stayed like I asked you,” he says in her ear. “You’re going to regret choosing Emil over me.”
Amir is standing beside the bed, contempt written all over his face. He laughs scornfully. You’ll never understand how it all hangs together, his ice-cold gaze tells her. You’re too stupid to work it out.
Olivia is sweating and crying. Go away, she wants to yell, but she can’t make a sound.
The faces fade away as the flames grow higher. They are licking the end of the bed, the curtains are ablaze.
Then Pontus’s manic face comes into view.
Olivia sees him reaching for Emil, and she can’t stop him. Huge tongues of fire surround Emil’s throat. His face is on fire, and the smell of burnt flesh fills the room.
She feels as if Pontus is trying to strangle her too. Her throat is constricted; she can’t get any air. Her mouth is so dry that her lips are cracking.
The fire is coming closer and closer. The heat is unbearable. She can’t breathe; there is a constant beeping sound in her ears.
Olivia knows she’s dreaming, but she can’t make it stop.
And then she opens her eyes.
Is she awake or not? Is the nightmare over?
Everything is confused and incomprehensible, the darkness impenetrable. Then she realizes that her nostrils actually are prickling. The smell of burning is real. A shrill signal is coming from the hallway, and there is a horrible cracking noise from the seating area.
Olivia switches on the bedside lamp and discovers that the bedroom is full of smoke. There is a grayish-white cloud above her head; she can barely see the ceiling.
The fire alarm is beeping hysterically.
She has to get out of here. Otherwise she is going to die too.