Chapter 29
by 
IsabellaReyes
What's next?
Week 2 Day 6: A fire
Noah smelled it before he saw it—a sharp, acrid scent that sliced through the stale air of the living room. His pulse quickened. Smoke. He shot up from his seat, heart pounding as he rushed toward the kitchen.
Flames licked up the side of the stove, a roaring orange inferno fueled by spilled oil. Olivia was coughing violently, her hands trembling as she tried to put the cover over the fire. It had little effect. The flames snarled, spreading toward the pantry where most of their food was stored.
“Damn it, Olivia!” Noah barked, his voice cutting through the crackle of fire.
“I’m sorry!” she gasped, tears streaking her soot-smudged face. She stumbled back, clutching her arm, and that’s when he saw it—red, blistering burns crawling up her forearm like a cruel brand.
Noah froze for a heartbeat, torn. He knew the food was their lifeline; without it, they’d starve. But Olivia… Olivia was his wife. Her pain was visible, raw, and agonizing.