Chapter 323

Aria lay on the cold floor, her eyes wide with terror as she muttered incoherent phrases. My heart sank at the sight of her, her usually vibrant spirit reduced to a delirious state. "Aria," I whispered, my voice catching in my throat. "What happened? Why are you here?"

Her response came in disjointed fragments, like scattered puzzle pieces that refused to fit together. "Didn't see... couldn't find... it's all dark." Aria's eyes darted around the room as if searching for something that eluded her. The fear in her gaze tore at my soul.

Timothy and I exchanged a glance, a shared understanding that we needed to get her out of there, away from whatever nightmare had unfolded in this seemingly ordinary home.

"We have to get her out of here," I said to Timothy, my voice urgent. "Something's not right, and I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched."

Timothy nodded, his brow furrowed with concern. Together, we struggled to lift Aria from the floor, her body limp and unresponsive. The air in the room felt charged, a suffocating weight pressing down on us as if the walls themselves were closing in.

As we moved toward the door, a sudden, acrid smell invaded my senses. Burning. Panic seized me, and I halted, glancing around the room. "Timothy, do you smell that?"

He wrinkled his nose, his eyes widening in alarm. "Yeah, something's not right. We need to get out of here."

A muffled sound echoed through the house, a door slamming shut, sending shivers down my spine. "Timothy, we have to see what's happening. We can't just leave."

He hesitated for a moment, torn between the urgency of our escape and the need to understand the unfolding chaos. "Okay, but be quick. I'll get Aria out."

I nodded, my gaze lingering on Aria's frightened expression. "I’ll be right back, Aria. Just hold on."

As I stepped into the hallway, a surreal scene unfolded before me. The air was thick with tension, and a distant, rhythmic crackling reached my ears. Following the sound, I turned the corner and gasped.

Fire crawled along the edges of the room, devouring everything in its path. Flames danced with malevolent grace, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut – the house had been drenched in gasoline.

"Timothy!" I shouted, my voice tinged with urgency. "The house is on fire! We need to go, now!"

Timothy emerged from the room, Aria cradled in his arms, her eyes wide with fear. "What the hell is happening?"

"The house is burning. We need to get out," I replied, panic clawing at my chest.

Timothy's eyes widened in realization, and without hesitation, he started towards the exit. As we hurried through the smoke-filled hallway, the flames licking at the edges of the rooms, the oppressive heat pressed against us.

"We're not making it out this way," Timothy muttered, surveying the growing inferno.

My mind raced, searching for a solution, and then I spotted it – a dark figure darting around the corner. "Timothy, over here! I think I found a way out!"

He followed me as we navigated through the chaos, the sound of crackling flames intensifying with each step. In the dim light, I saw the figure dash towards a window and disappear into the night.

"Did you see that?" I exclaimed, my heart pounding.

Timothy nodded, his focus on the task at hand. "We need to get out. Fast."

We reached the window, the glass shattered from the figure's hasty escape. The cool night air rushed in, a stark contrast to the oppressive heat of the burning house. "We can make it out through here," I said, my voice determined.

Timothy carefully handed Aria to me, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "You go first. You follow with Aria."

As I squeezed through the window, my gaze darted between the flickering flames and the dark figure who had vanished into the night. The urgency of our escape took precedence, but a burning anger ignited within me. Someone had orchestrated this chaos, intending to kill us all.

"Come on, Aria," Timothy urged from the inside, his voice strained as he cradled Aria in his arms.

I took a deep breath, my focus on the task at hand. I maneuvered through the window, the cool night air offering a reprieve from the suffocating heat. I landed on the ground and reached out to help Timothy with Aria.

The fiery glow illuminated his face, his eyes fearful. "We need to call the police," he said, his voice urgent. “if they aren’t already on there way.”

I hadn’t even heard a siren go off in the house. That just confirms my suspicions about that empty house.

Lucas arrived just as we reached the front lawn, his eyes widening at the sight of the destruction. He hurried towards us. "What the hell happened? Are you guys okay?"

Timothy dropped to his knees, Aria still cradled in his arms. His breaths were heavy, and his skin was burnt in some places. "We barely made it out. The house was rigged. Gasoline everywhere."

Lucas helped us move away from the burning wreckage just as the first wailing sirens heralded the arrival of the fire department. The neighborhood had been plunged into chaos, with people emerging from their homes to witness the commotion.

Aria's eyes flickered open, her gaze darting around in confusion. "What's happening? Where are we?"

"You're safe now, Aria," I reassured her, my voice strained. "We need to get you checked out. There's been an accident."

As Lucas supported Aria, Timothy and I stumbled away from the inferno. The acrid smoke still clung to the air, leaving a bitter taste in our mouths. My vision blurred, and I struggled to breathe, coughing uncontrollably. The realization of the narrow escape hit me, and my legs threatened to give way beneath me.

The flashing lights of approaching police cars caught my attention. Through the haze, I saw officers approaching us, their faces hardened by the urgency of the situation. I stumbled towards them, desperation clawing at my chest.

"Help! Please, you have to help us! Someone tried to kill us in that fire," I pleaded, my words choked with fear and frustration.

The officers exchanged a glance, their expressions stoic. "Calm down, miss. We'll assess the situation," one of them said.

But before any assistance could be rendered, the focus shifted. The sudden appearance of police sirens intensified my fear, and I turned to see a group of officers approaching us. My eyes widened as recognition set in. These weren't the firefighters; they were law enforcement.

"Please, you have to help them," I implored, my voice rising.

The officers, however, had a different agenda. Timothy's eyes met mine, confusion clouding his expression. "What's happening?" he rasped, still holding onto Aria.

The officers moved with unsettling precision, I felt the ground shift beneath me. "Timothy Hayes, you're under arrest," one of them declared, handcuffs at the ready.

Anger boiled within me, a visceral reaction to the betrayal unfolding before my eyes. "Arrest? What for? He just saved our lives!"

The officers remained stoic. "He's in violation of his bail conditions. We've been looking for him."

Timothy's eyes widened. "How? I haven't done anything!"

Out of the police cruisers stepped a familiar figure, and my heart sank. My mother, with a look of smug satisfaction, approached us. "Well, well, Timothy. It seems you can't stay out of trouble."

Hysteria bubbled within me as I stared at Mia. "What is this? Why are you here?"

Mia smirked, reveling in the chaos she had unleashed. "Seems your hero has a few secrets. Suspected arson and stealing a gun that rightfully belongs to ME.”