Page 110 of Never and Always
Piper
Coughing hard, I tried not to panic.
The fire was growing, flames licking over the wood, and the smoke was getting worse. I could barely see anything.
I reached for my dropped bag, my fingers barely brushing it. Then I felt soft fabric and pulled Everett’s red flannel shirt toward me. I held it up to my face and instantly, the smoke wasn’t so bad.
He’ll come.
I knew Everett would come for me.
Suddenly, I froze. Oh hell, I was falling in love with him.
Wow, I had really bad timing on finally realizing that. Maybe deep down I already knew, I’d just been in denial.
First thing, survive the fire, then worry about falling in love.
Everett would come for me, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to help myself. Tying the shirt around my head the best I could, I slapped around. Maybe Corvo had dropped a tool.
My fingers brushed a lump. I thought it was a rock but as I drew it closer, I realized it was a broken clump of concrete. I lifted it and felt the jagged edges on one side. Okay, a saw orknife would have been better, but I wasn’t in the position to be fussy.
I bent over and started sawing the concrete clump against the rope. Maybe I could break through and get free.
I kept working, and reminding myself that I wasn’t alone. Someone would see the fire. Someone would realize I was missing.
Everett would come. The others would come. Somehow, without trying, I’d ended up with friends who cared about me. My throat tightened, energy filling me.
With renewed vigor, I sawed harder against the rope.
But the smoke got denser. I couldn’t see the other side of the space anymore. My throat and lungs burned. I coughed, my eyes stinging. I heard crackling as the fire devoured.
On my next push, the concrete went flying out of my hand and I heard it skitter away across the floor, disappearing into the smoke.
“No, dammit.” I tugged on the rope, but it held tight.
Then I heard something. A distant shout.
My head jerked up and I looked back over my shoulder. “Here! I’m here!”
Had my smoke-infused brain imagined it?
“Piper!”
My heart leaped. It was Everett.
“Everett! I’m here!” Quickly, I slipped off one of my heels. I banged it on the wood frame, then on the floor.
Damn, I might ruin it, but I’d take alive with a ruined shoe over the alternative.
I kept banging and yelling.
Then I saw movement in the smoke. I saw a big form, and then Everett was there.
Everything inside me lit up.
“Shit, Piper.” He knelt beside me. “Are you okay?”
I coughed again. “I am now.”
