2. Simon Lewes and Nasirs – he checks in on them.
Simon thought he’d check in with Betty upstairs, was she okay? Did she see the news?
He warned her and Patrick not to sleep too heavily, no pills or ear plugs. Just in case.
3. Simon was right to be wary for his
elderly neighbours.
The sirens began wailing at 2am.
Marley didn’t know the
details, but all of his squad had
been called in immediately. He
checked his equipment one last
time and then left to do his duty.
He saw the orange glow above the
town as he went through his front
door and knew it would be a long
and dangerous night.
4. Megan saw the orange
glow in the distance over
the centre of town out
of her bedroom window,
and rushed next door.
She asked Edward if she
and her family could
shelter in his basement.
She knew it was a
massive ask, that he
hadn’t shown her his
hideout to extend the
knowledge of it to her
whole family… but she
couldn’t ask for shelter
and leave her family
outside.
5. Edward surprised her. He asked why she thought he had included so many beds
down there? He wanted her safe, and would never ask her to abandon her
family. She should go and get them right away.
6. For once, her family didn’t argue.
Perhaps it was the sound of screams
and sirens brought on the wind...
They grabbed their dearest possessions
and family portraits. Warren harvested
the plant Megan had bought them. It
was a blight-resistant life fruit, and he
wouldn’t risk its destruction.
7. Warren wished he
had fireproofed their
basement back when
he had the
money, turned it into
a proper bunker like
Edward had.
They could have
holed up on their
own property. As it
was, if the fires
reached them they
would lose
everything.
8. Teresa was in pieces over not being able to help all their friends in the Street, her
childhood friend Bernice’s family, her sons girlfriend Annette and Ariette… but Edward
couldn’t accommodate everyone.
Warren told her to count her own blessings and hope for their friends. With any
luck, the massive fire burning Appaloosa wouldn’t get as far as them.
9. Megan, Edward and Allain had sent the Bailey family down into the bunker first, telling
them they would join them when the fire got dangerously close. When Teresa heard
the Poesons shouting and Megan running down the hidden spiral staircase she sent
her family scuttling for their beds. The fire had reached Deasil Street.
10. The fire had blazed out of control
and left the centre of town where
the arsonists had started it.
Not only had it spread along the
roads and through gardens
towards Deasil Street in a straight
line from town, it had circled
round the back of them through
the vast open spaces of the local
grasslands.
The extremely sunny and dry
weather of late meant the grasses
of Appaloosa plains set alight all
too easily.
Ariette managed to get her
daughter of out of bed before the
smoke killed them both in their
sleep, and managed to shout to
Annette to flee with Peps. She’d
join her soon.
11. Annette did as she was bid, and was
relieved to find Peps stable had not
yet gone up in flames. She mounted
her horse, praying her mother would
join them quickly. But Peps took
fright at the heat, and galloped
away, with Annette helpless on his
back, screaming for her mother.
12. Malika had headed
away from the main
blaze and was
patrolling the outer
areas of town raising
the alarm. To her
horror her young
neighbour Julian
came running up to
her, terrified.
He’d wanted to join
the Kasitovas on
their evening
out, but had got lost.
13. She took him down
to the beach – the
closest safe zone
she could think of.
She had to help
others, so told him
that if the fire got
too close and set
fire to the wooden
pier, he was to go
swim in the sea.
