"Mira, hold on a little longer," Elias urged, his voice filled with concern as he dragged them both through the thickening smoke. Vera, clutching the wet towel, seemed relatively unharmed, but Mira felt like every breath was her last.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged into the open air. The fresh breath of the night was a relief, but Mira still felt weak, her body trembling from the ordeal. She was swiftly placed into the ambulance parked nearby, where oxygen was administered to help stabilize her.
The world around her was a haze as she drifted in and out of consciousness, the events of the night a blur.
By the time she made it home, she was still groggy, her head heavy with exhaustion. The soft hum of the house seemed distant, and she moved through it like a ghost.
Elias returned at two in the morning after finishing his work. His eyes were filled with guilt as he approached her. "I’m sorry, Mira..." His voice was low, regret dripping from every word. "The situation was urgent, and you know Vera’s condition. I made you suffer."