Chapter 7

Lee awoke from her sleep to use the bathroom. Her baby was still sleeping. After flushing the toilet, she washed her hands. She was on her way back to the room when she heard the sound. It was a popping and crackling sound.

“Momma?” she called sniffing the air.

Smoke, she sniffed again. She smelled smoke. Smoke.

“Momma!” she called again as she walked down the hall. She turned the corner into the front room just as the television exploded. Glass flew everywhere. Lee slammed back into the wall scratching at her bloody face.

“Momma!” she screamed. “Momma!” Her heart was pounding as she climbed to her feet.

“Lee, what-OH MY LORD! LEE!”

“Momma, the house is on fire, get Poppa!” Lee yelled.

“LEE!”

“Save my baby, Momma, save my baby.”

“LEE!” G-dub ran to the room and grabbed the sleeping baby.

She ran to the kitchen with the sleeping boy. The back door was on fire.

“Please Lord, save this child.” She ran back to her room. The fire was spreading fast; the smoke was thick and burned her throat. She didn’t wonder why the smoke detectors didn’t go off. She unscrewed them because they were nuisances when cooking.

G-dub attacked the window. Realizing there were bars on it, she cursed. She grabbed a quilt from her bed and wrapped the baby in it. She couldn’t breathe; her eyes were burning, but she had to save the baby.

“LEE!” she called making her way down the hall. She tripped at the entrance to the living room. She turned to see her daughter’s body slouched against a wall. “LEE!” she said grabbing her daughter’s arm. Lee moaned; she was still alive.

Lord please, she prayed holding the bundled-up quilt with the baby in it.

G-dub began crawling through the living room. She made up her mind that she’d run through the fire and out the front door. She knew she wouldn’t make it, but the baby might.

“Lord protect him,” G-dub said as she stood up with the quilted baby. She took her first step into her full sprint and fell.