72 ANOTHER IN. THE FIRE

PERCY'S POV I stood at the threshold of the blazing house, the crackle of fire filling my ears. The air was thick with smoke, but my mind was clear with one piercing thought: Karen was upstairs. I pulled my shirt over my nose and stepped into the inferno. The heat was like nothing I’d ever felt, a wall of hot air pressing against my skin. I blinked against the sting of smoke, my eyes watering as I scanned the room. The fire had started to eat away at the once familiar setting, but I pushed forward, my heart thundering. I treaded carefully, avoiding the tongues of flame that licked the walls and floor. The staircase was ahead, a daunting tower in the chaos, but I didn't hesitate. Each step groaned under my weight, a precarious climb as I ascended through the thickening smoke. At the top, the hallway stretched out, a tunnel of fire. I kept low, remembering what I’d heard about smoke rising. The heat was suffocating, but I pressed on, each step fueled by the thought of Karen t