Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
Russ stood in the chaos outside the blazing house, his chest tight with the smoke still clinging to his lungs. The once-pristine estate was now an inferno, flames licking at the night sky. The guests stumbled into the cool air, coughing and gasping, their disheveled forms a stark contrast to the polished elegance of the party mere hours ago.
"Where is Claire?" Madame Fournier’s panicked voice rang out over the noise, cutting through the clamor of voices and crackling fire.
Russ turned, scanning the crowd for any sign of her. Just as he was about to call out, a figure stumbled from the throng, her golden hair catching the light of the moon. Claire. She moved unsteadily, her face pale, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as though trying to hold herself together. Madame Fournier rushed forward, catching her before she could fall.
“Claire,” the older woman whispered, her composure breaking for the first time. She pulled her into a protective embrace, holding her tightly. “Thank God. Are you hurt?”
Claire shook her head, her voice trembling as she asked, “Is Grandmother out? Did you see her?”
“I’m here, darling,” her grandmother said gently. Claire’s head turned, and when she spotted her grandmother, her face crumpled. She threw her arms around her, clinging to her as if letting go wasn’t an option.
Russ gave them a brief moment before stepping forward. “We can’t stay here,” he said, his voice loud enough to carry over the noise. “We’re too exposed. If Michael is still out there, he could—” He cut himself off, glancing at the flames still roaring behind them. “We need to move. Now.”
People turned to him, their expressions full of desperation. They’d escaped the fire, but the night was far from over. The realization hit Russ like a punch to the gut: they weren’t safe yet.
“We’ll head to the garages,” he continued, gesturing toward the visible structure down the gravel path. “If you can get to your cars, leave. Don’t wait for anyone. Just go.”
That was all it took to ignite the crowd. The gathered guests surged toward the garages, the orderly retreat he’d hoped for descending into chaos. People bumped into each other, stumbling in their panic. Voices rose, calling out for loved ones, adding to the cacophony.
Russ turned to Hillary, who stood a few feet away, trying to guide people with calm instructions. “Stay close to me,” he said, but his voice was lost in the din. She nodded, her face set with determination, and reached out to help a woman who had tripped on the uneven ground.
As Russ moved forward, he found himself surrounded by the older guests who struggled to keep pace. A man clung to his arm, his breath labored, while a woman on his other side stumbled repeatedly on the gravel. Russ slowed his steps, gripping their arms firmly to keep them steady.
“Just a little farther,” he told them, his voice firm and impatient.
Ahead of him, the path was a sea of moving bodies. Russ searched for Hillary, but the crowd was too dense, the flickering light of the fire making it impossible to pick out faces. His chest tightened as he realized they’d been separated.
“Hillary!” he shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the noise. He wanted to push forward, to find her, but the people clinging to him needed him too much. He couldn’t leave them behind.
“Let’s keep moving,” he urged, his grip firm as he guided the older couple down the path. The garages were still a ways off, but they were the closest thing to shelter. His gut told him Michael wouldn’t give up easily. Fire was just the beginning.
A woman nearby screamed, her voice sharp and filled with terror. Russ’s head snapped toward the sound, but he couldn’t see where it had come from. The chaos was too thick, the shadows too long. He gritted his teeth, his focus returning to the task at hand.
“Almost there,” he muttered, more to himself than the people he was helping.
The night stretched on, the weight of the danger pressing heavily on his shoulders. And somewhere in the crowd, Hillary was out there, navigating the same chaos, just as determined to keep everyone safe. Russ hoped she was doing it without getting herself killed.