He ran farther into the yard, away from the driveway. “But I’m an Indian today.”
“No you are not.”
“Yes I am.” He started his war cry again. “Oh, oh, oh, oh.”
Miller was already getting into my car to move it. I did not have much time to succeed at this challenge. Ten seconds at the most.
“Oh, oh, oh, oh,” Jacob chanted as he danced around.
I laughed and knelt down in front of Jacob. “I’ll make a deal with you. Let me put this shirt on you, but as soon as you get in the car you can take it off, okay?” I was not past bribery here. I probably only had five seconds…
“But I don’t want to, Mommy.”
Four seconds.
“Sweet boy…”
Three seconds.
“No,” he said.
Two seconds.
“You can have extra dessert tonight.”
One second.
Jacob’s eyes grew round. “Deal. Extra cuppycakes.” He put his arms above his head.
“That’s my boy.” But before I even lifted his shirt, the earth shook as a huge boom echoed around us. The blast threw me and Jacob to the ground.
All I could hear was a loud ringing in my ears. And I couldn’t see anything.What the hell was that?!I wiped the dirt out of my eyes and looked to make sure Jacob was okay. He was crying, but I couldn’t hear him through the ringing in my ears.
“Jacob!” I wasn’t sure if I was yelling or not, but he didn’t register my words.
I blinked again and cradled his face in my hands. Even though he was crying he looked unharmed. We’d fallen in the soft grass. My eyes scanned the rest of him. I didn’t see a single scratch on him, but he wasn’t making eye contact with me.
“Jacob!” I said again trying to make sure he was okay.
And then I smelled it.Smoke.And I saw the reflection in Jacob’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at me because he was looking at what was behind me.Fire.
I turned to look over my shoulder.
No.
“No!” I yelled, but still heard nothing but the ringing in my ears.
My car was engulfed in flames. The same car that Miller had just sat down in. Smoke and debris everywhere.
“Miller,” I choked. “Miller!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, while still holding on to Jacob.
Oh God, oh God, oh God.
There was another loud blast that somehow made it through the ringing in my ears as the roof of the car peeled back.
“Miller!” I didn’t know how I got to the car. I didn’t remember letting go of Jacob. Or running over here. But I was reaching out for the door handle, I could feel the heat on my skin before I even made contact with the handle. And still I reached out. “Miller!” But before I could wrap my hand around the handle, the door fell off its hinges. The smoldering air escaped the car and threw me back, my elbows skidding across the pavement.
The smell of blood swirled around with the smoke and dust.
