Beyond Evil

Chapter Sixty-Four

There were just seconds left, Charlie knew that. It was time to gamble. If he got it wrong, he would die, along with Donia. Except that there was a good chance they would all die anyway.

The door to the front of the cottage was locked so there was only one way out, and that was up. Everyone was retreating into the living room, huddling closer together away from the window.

Charlie ran for the cluster of petrol bombs still lined up below the living room window. Arni went to grab him, but he was too busy holding on to Donia.

Charlie retreated back to the doorway, so that the flames were roaring just behind him. He had a bottle in his hand. It was hot and his skin felt like it was about to blister away from his cheekbones.

‘Let her go,’ Charlie shouted. ‘Let her come to me, or else I light this and throw it at you all.’

Arni shook his head. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’

‘It’s over. Just let her go. Concentrate on yourself.’

‘We’re finished. She dies with us.’

Donia coughed and struggled, as she looked at Charlie, her eyes streaming. He nodded at her, tried to give her a cue with his eyes, that she had to be ready, but she wasn’t focusing on him.

It was a simple plan, but if it didn’t work, they would all die. It was a distraction, nothing more. It would make it more dangerous, spread the fire, but it might just give him that vital second to grab her.

‘Donia!’

She looked up, and then gave him a small nod back. Do it.

Charlie closed his eyes for a second, but he knew there was no option.

He raised the bottle to the flames. The cloth caught fire, the flame running quickly along the material, towards the fuel. He didn’t look at the people in the other room, didn’t want to think of what he was about to do to them.

He threw the missile towards the bottles under the window, like a bowling ball at the tenpins. There was a smash, a clatter, and glass and fuel scattered over the floor and the walls. It was like slow motion, as the spread of blue fire grew over the floor, like a blanket thrown over the room. There was a scream, some shouts, quick movement, and then the entire room went up in a whoosh of flame.

John was thrown back against the wall, the group pushing against him, cowering from the flames. Someone went for the back door, but it was locked. It was always locked, because it would give someone a way in through a dark courtyard. The frantic rattle of the door and the shouts mixed in with the crackles of the fire. There was a scream. He couldn’t tell if it was fear or pain. The heat was too hot on him.

Donia was struggling and thrashing around in Arni’s grip, arms flailing, trying to pull away from the flames that arched over the doorway. He could get to the window, but he himself had fastened metal grilles to it and covered it in barbed wire. There was still a route through, up the stairs, but he couldn’t push the group. They were pinning him back.

He reached for Gemma, so that he could feel the comfort of her hand, but she shrugged him off. She was trying to get past the flames, but the heat was too intense.

‘Gemma!’ he shouted. ‘Go on, run. Save yourself.’

Hearing John’s shout, Arni went to grab her, but she pulled away, trying to get nearer to the doorway. The heat beat her back each time.

He started to push, to force his way through, but then there was movement ahead.

There were shouts, a scream, and then there was a flash, more flames. The group pressed against him. Someone was sobbing. Jennifer, he thought.

He put his head back and watched as the flames licked the ceiling. He was going to die, he knew that now. He reached for Gemma again, but he couldn’t find her.