BLAZE WITHIN

ends think

t of me, tall and muscular. His jet-black hair was gelled up and

ut your friends,” I shot back as I

en a bedroom door. He put his hands on my back

spun around toward him. I flinched as he slammed the doo

roared as he advanced towar

. My stomach churned as I frantically searched for a way out of

he continued his angry rant as he grabbed my arm and yanke

d to the floor from the hit. It felt like a damn brick had just made con

h his booted foot, sending me flying into the air and crashing onto my back.

to breathe or even cry. I pinched my eyes closed as I prayed his vicious attack was ove

or. He ripped it open as he yelled one last time at me. “Take a nap

my rigid, tight body instantly began

okay as I could

my bed for much needed sleep. My drug-addicted boyfriend was obviously too consumed with the buffet of drugs in front of him to be bothered by taking hi

nd over again. I gingerly moved my jaw, making sure it wasn’t broken. My finge

t down. I dropped my head into my hands as tears drai

my swollen eyes. My throat was scratchy and felt swollen. My breaths wheezed in as

d back into me with the shooting pain in my side and the dull throb of my ch

to torch the room as I shuffled over to the door. I wiped the sweat from my brow

m hot? Why was the door handle burning? I took a deep breath through my nose

in tried the doorknob. The heat seared through my shirt, but I ignored the pain as

shed over to the window. I unlocked it and pulled

No

die at only eighteen in a freaking drug house! I didn’t

with. I grabbed a lamp and rushed back to the window. I swung it at

e body. I swung around and my heart dropped to my feet

tter panic, I banged my fists on the win

icked at the window, but it refused to break bene

d education kicked in and I dropped to the f

Just my luck. I shoved it back into my pocket as the smoke began to surround me w

Help was here! But would they even know I was in here? Would Ace alert them? Was he even still around? W

yfriend, and I allowed him to treat me

the window with all the force of a crazy p

d though I doubted they

blacken around the edges as my head began to get foggy and lightheaded. I forced my eyes to focus on the lights

lawing as the strength be

ced out, my voice onl

!” a voic

ke a drunken sailor and tripped over my own feet and fe

hing suddenly smashed into the window. Glass shat

ale voice asked wit

s looked loopily toward the fireman

id through his mask i

he oxygen it desperately needed that my brain sent

n like that was. He stepped toward me and bent down, scooping

a loaf of bread and met his eyes. They were the most gorgeous color of green I ha

on the sides of my vison began to close in around me which caused my heartrate and breathing to spike. I gasped for b

whined out in nothing more than a whisper as I bounced with his steps. I took one