Chapter 182

The freezing wind howled through the night, while a sudden blaze lit up half the sky above the prison. Snowflakes fluttered down like moths flying into fire, vanishing the second they got close to the flames. Two sets of footprints trailed deep into the woods—one steady and brisk, the other wobbly and uneven. A short while later, the falling snow covered them completely. It took over five hours to put the fire out. The toll: countless lives lost or injured. The prison warden collapsed right where he stood, staring in a daze at the smoldering frame that used to be the building. "Massive fire breaks out at Capital Prison, heavy casualties reported." "Capital Prison fire may be arson, emergency units from all districts rushed to the scene." "Tragedy: Six firefighters lost their lives battling Capital Prison blaze." ... The unexpected inferno at Capital Prison instantly dominated every headline. Megan, now used to waking up in the middle of the night thanks to pregnancy bladder syndrome, s