FICTION — PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Scorched Path — Chapter 3

Friday Night of Flames

I

The night was cold and raining heavily—a perfect time for the neighborhood to rest. While Andy slept, his grandma put on headphones and listened to J-pop.

While cheering up Andi and sharing more stories, Selina forgot to turn off the electric heater in the living room. Little did she know that such a small piece of equipment contained a dragon egg about to hatch and cause chaos.

The old, running electric heater started malfunctioning in the silent living room at midnight. The almost decade-old heater, often making faulty sounds, finally gave up on its destructive force—a faulty wire sparking a deadly dance of flames.

II

While working, Dispatcher Hill was reading a novel about a boy who feared heights when he received a call about a fire on Harrive St. She notified the fire department and dispatched officers there as soon as possible.

When the police officers and firefighters arrived, half of the house was already in flames. They immediately started handling the situation.

Dispatcher Hill listened to all the updates on the radio, praying that no one would get hurt. Her mind raced, simulating different possible outcomes of the tragedy being narrated on radio as it was happening.

Multiple police cruisers, EMTs, and fire trucks responded to the scene. Amid the crackling blaze, Captain Hernandez of the firefighters’ unit barked orders, orchestrating the strategic assault as Sergeant Robinson and his police officers assisted.

An officer reported on the radio that the husband and wife had been rescued from the house, but the child and an elderly woman were still inside. Firefighters were searching for them.

III

Andi woke up struggling to breathe. His lungs were filled with smoke. The dark smoke dark caused blindness when Andi opened his eyes. As he got up, the flames rushed into his room, horrifying him.

Afraid of his life, Andi started screaming for help. The fear paralyzed him, and he lost consciousness. Firefighter Jason Cliffs finally broke the doors to Andi’s room, rescuing him. Andi was bought out and started receiving medical treatment. Several minutes later, Andi regained consciousness, assisted by one of the EMTs who responded on the sidewalk.

IV

The tragic night had reached its peak. Sergeant Robinson had to inform dispatch about the unfortunate news that the elderly woman in the house couldn’t make it. Everyone mourned the tragic loss, but for Andi, it was more than just losing a female senior citizen. It was the loss of his grandmother, best friend, storyteller, and mentor—a loss he couldn’t accept.

V

A heartbroken Andi watched in tears as the deadly dance of flames claimed his house and his grandmother, stripping him of his happiness and spearheading his life into early adulthood — the beginning of the path that was scorched.

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