Chapter 3

3

When the fire trucks arrived, Dad rushed up.

He headed straight for Annabelle's apartment.

I looked at Mom, fire reflecting in her eyes.

"Lily, who do you think your dad will save first?"

I didn't answer.

She already knew the answer.

Neighbors stood at a distance, watching, gossiping.

About half an hour later, firefighters started carrying people out.

Mom and I stood and watched.

Then, we heard a firefighter shout.

"Chief's still inside!"

Mom squeezed my hand.

A few minutes later, three firefighters brought them out, the whole family.

Someone said, "That must be his wife and niece. Chief cares about them.

Too bad, the fire got them pretty good.

Chief got pinned by a beam. Lucky he got them out."

I stared at them, hate burning inside.

So, he could save people. Last time, he just gave up on Mom!

Then, a neighbor gasped.

She pointed at Annabelle and Cindy. "Hey, that's not Lily and her mom!"

The firefighters panicked.

"Someone's still inside? Chief's wife and daughter are still inside?"

The neighbor nodded, upset, and two firefighters started to run back in.

But Dad, wincing, grabbed their legs.

He said, "Don't, don't go. Too dangerous.

I don't want any more casualties."

Mom's hand shook in mine.

Dad had a broken leg and a burn on his leg.

Annabelle and Cindy, who were fine last time, were now burned badly.

After surgery, they were sent to the ICU for a few days.

When they moved to a regular room, they were put in the same one.

Mom and I could hear Annabelle and Cindy crying.

"Chief, what are we going to do? We're ruined. What are we going to do now?

I don't know why the fire started. When we opened the door, it was too late."

The strict man was now whispering to Annabelle.

When she couldn't accept it, Dad started to blame Mom and me.

"What matters is you're alive.

Think about Lily and her mom, they didn't even escape the fire!

It'll get better. The three of us can be together soon. Don't cry, don't cry."

Mom started crying.

I pulled her away.

She crouched down, shaking.

"He wanted us to die! He wants to live with her! After all these years, he's been lying to me!"

I sighed.

She had bad luck.

But I was going to make them pay!

After comforting Mom, I led her back to the room.

"What are you doing?"

Thinking about the looks on their faces when they saw us, I smiled.

"Let's give them a surprise."