Chapter 11 - ELI’S SECOND SACRIFICE

Eli lunged before the lighter hit the floor.

He slammed a metal tray beneath it.

The lighter bounced into an empty drainage channel.

Grant rushed forward and pulled Eli away.

Cole grabbed a length of pipe and swung it toward Grant.

I struck Cole’s arm with a fire extinguisher.

The pipe crashed against the wall.

Grant tackled him near the fuel drums.

They struggled across the smoke-filled floor.

Cole reached for Grant’s weapon.

Eli picked up the lighter.

For one terrifying second, I thought he might ignite the fuel to stop Cole.

Instead, he dropped it into a bucket of dirty water.

Grant forced Cole onto his stomach and secured his wrists.

Firefighters entered moments later.

They carried Eli outside while officers dragged Cole through the southern door.

The maintenance building collapsed less than two minutes after we escaped.

In the desert darkness, Eli searched desperately for his sister.

When a paramedic placed Grace in his arms, he began sobbing.

Not from pain.

Not from fear.

From relief.

“She’s okay,” he repeated.

“She’s really okay.”

Mara arrived by ambulance despite the doctors’ objections.

She ran toward her children with bandages around her wrists and tears covering her face.

Eli tried to stand.

His legs gave way.

Mara dropped beside him and wrapped both children in her arms.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I’m so sorry.”

Eli buried his face against her shoulder.

“You came back.”

“I will always come back.”

Across the property, Cole was placed inside a police vehicle.

He watched the reunion without emotion.

Then he noticed me.

His expression changed.

“You think this is finished?” he called.

Grant pushed him into the back seat.

Cole leaned toward the open window.

“Ask Mara what happened to Daniel.”

The door slammed shut.

Mara had heard him.

Her body became rigid.

Grant looked at her.

“Who is Daniel?”

“Grace’s biological father,” she said.

“I thought he died in a construction accident.”

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Mara stared at Cole’s police vehicle.

“That’s what everyone was told.”