Unbound: Forbidden Desires

19 | Blistering Heat

𝓐 knight didn't come to rescue me, but Red was back again.

For a while Red had been just a purple shadow, but not today. Maybe this meant I was finally getting over Eros?

I had been dreaming about hanging out with my friends in college when I caught Red out of the corner of my eye and realized I was dreaming.

I had really mastered lucid dreaming lately.

Maybe I could get Red to let me touch it again? Would that be weird? Getting myself off by myself? I mean, how different was that from touching myself when I was awake?

"Hey, Red." I came over to it.

To my surprise, Red rushed over. I could almost see its legs if I focused. Maybe I could manifest Red into Rayf from my book.

"E..va, w..ake up." A voice came from Red, a tad distorted, but nonetheless it spoke!

A black cloud suddenly came down and covered the patio. Making Red harder to see.

"Red, did—" Oh gods, why was my throat burning? "Did you just speak?" I coughed, feeling my throat physically sting.

"Wak..e u...p n...NO...W!!" Red shouted through the cloud.

The dark mist grew thicker, surrounding me, and I began to feel uncomfortable. A blistering heat that had me sweating. The mist went into my lungs and mouth and I couldn't stop coughing.

"WA..KE UP, EVA!" Red shouted and finally my eyes opened. I sat up in a fit of coughs.

My eyes were fucking burning and I rubbed them until my sight slightly cleared. Instantly, I felt my heart in my throat as adrenaline surged through my veins. The acrid scent of smoke filled the air, choking my senses and causing the sting in my eyes.

In the dim moonlight filtering through my window, I assessed my room for the source. A thick dark plume of smoke billowed from the gap below my bedroom door, filling the space, and casting eerie shadows within my room.

I shot up from bed and headed for my door, but paused when I felt the heat radiating from the other side, warning me off, but also sealing my intended escape route. I knew it was too late. I knew without a doubt that there was a raging fire just outside my door and there was no point in burning my hands trying to open it. It was probably better if I kept it shut.

My mind raced, scanning the room for options. Through the thick haze, I spotted my window and made my way towards my only hope of escape. As fast as I could, I pulled the curtains aside and pushed at the window to open it, but the damn thing wouldn't budge. What the fuck! Why wouldn't it open?

I tugged at it desperately, my heart pounded in my chest, the taste of fear lingered on my lips, as the window refused to yield, trapping me inside my burning home. The smoke was getting thicker. If I didn't get out, I was going to fucking die here! I was going to fucking burn and I didn't want to die. I didn't want to feel the pain of the inferno behind my door. So I pulled, and pulled, but it was like the damn window had been glued shut.

I didn't even know why it was closed. I always slept with my window slightly open.

As the smoke thickened, I covered my mouth and looked around my room. It was ominously dark, making it harder to see, but I needed something, anything, to break this damn window. My only chance of escape, but panic was wrapping its wicked tentacles around me.

The black smoke constricted the air in my lungs as I made my way back to my bed. The pile of laundry I'd yet to put away in the end benefitted me. On my nightstand, I found my half empty water bottle. I needed to buy myself time.

Quickly, I wet the shirts and made my way to the door. Fighting the sting of my eyes and the burning in my lungs. I placed the wet shirts under the gap of the door. The smoke somewhat lessened, buying me hopefully enough time.

Fuck, I felt heavy, and tired with each step.

I needed to open that damn window.

I found the knife I was looking for on my nightstand and made my way back to the window. Another shirt wrapped around my hand, I grabbed the knife, and punched at the glass, swinging with all my might, unleashing a forceful blow against the windowpane.

To my relief, a crack splintered across the glass, but not enough. The damn thing held firm.

Determined, I continued to strike it, over and over and over with all my strength, but the window suddenly doubled before my eyes. The heat was immense, licking up and down my body. Perhaps the fire had entered the room. Perhaps I was already burning, because everything burned, I couldn't breathe, and with a final strike I fell into darkness, but unconsciousness did not meet me.

I could hear the crackle of fire behind me, I could hear my door collapse under it, I could feel the heat growing hotter and hotter. I was going to burn. I was going to feel the fire— making its way to me to— bury me in flames.