When I got home, Danny was waiting in the living room.
Neither of us had slept well the night before. So, I gave him a bath and made dinner.
After he ate, I carried him to bed and rocked him to sleep.
Just as I was finally drifting off, the acrid sting of smoke hit
my nostrils.
At first, I assumed a neighbor had burned their dinner. However, the smell thickened. It was only then that I realized something was wrong.
I bolted upright and rushed to the window. Outside, black smoke billowed into the sky. The building was on fire.
Memories I had buried came roaring back instantly.
Without thinking, I grabbed Danny from the bed. He stirred and mumbled, “Mommy, what’s wrong?”
Then, he smelled it too. He wrapped his arms tightly around my neck and cried out, “Mommy!”
My voice trembled with fear, but I reassured him, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
I forced myself to calm down just enough to grab a wet towel and press it over Danny’s mouth. A beat later, I stumbled toward the door.
By now, the hallway was thick with smoke, My vision blurred, but I managed to feel my way into the fire stairwell.
My heart pounded violently in my chest as I ran. I couldn’t see and tripped several times.
Meanwhile, Danny trembled uncontrollably in my arms. Guilt gnawed at me. He was just a child, yet he had to suffer because of me.
When I fell again, I couldn’t get up right away. Although he was terrified, Danny didn’t cry. He just clutched me tighter and whispered, “You can do it, Mommy.”
His words gave me strength. Ignoring the pain, I held him close, held my breath, and kept moving.
Outside, people had gathered on the sidewalk. Fire trucks had arrived, and fire crews were working to put out the flames.
The scene brought back awful memories.
Right then, my legs buckled. Still holding Danny, I collapsed by the curb, dizzy and gasping for air. He clung to me tightly. Fear was written all over his face as he asked, “Mommy, are we going to die?”
“No, sweetheart. I won’t let anything happen to you,” I replied, hugging him.
Chapter 6
As long as I lived, I would protect Danny. Because his biological mother had died saving me.
ப
