Chapter 7: Save her.

Cielle's POV.

"Fire... How? Where?"

I mumbled, my insides twisting with dread as Debbie's cough drew louder.

Turning to her, I realized that she was on the ground, her hand on her baby bump.

Oh no!

"Debbie!"

I ran to her and noticed her eyes were closed, with her fingers clenching onto her dress.

"Are you ok?

Debbie?" I tried to lift her up but she was too heavy, or maybe I wasn't just strong enough.

"Debbie, I need you to open your eyes, c'mon, open your eyes." I tapped on her cheek gently but her eyes were still fused closed with her body shivering.

"The house is on fire, please... Listen to me, let me help you."

My eyes stung with tears, and my throat with the harshness of the smoke that had already filled the room.

"Fire..." she said after me as she blinked her eyes gently.

"Yes, fire. Let's get you to safety."

I said, trying to lift her off the floor. This time, she lessened the burden as she moved her body to my efforts.

Soon she was on the bed but then I noticed her gasping for air.

"I can't breathe, Cielle, I... I can't."

The lump in my throat rippled.

Her baby.

She couldn't breathe.

What was I going to do?

Rushing to the wardrobe, I took out a cotton pillowcase, tore it into shreds, and ran to the bathroom.

Dipping an amount of the cotton cloths into water, I squeezed out the excess water to make them only damp, ran back to the room, and tied one gently around her mouth and nose, and another on mine.

"This will help you breathe, ok, and I need you to come with me.

I have to take you to safety." I said, steadying her arm on my shoulder.

We staggered out of the room and a heavy cloud of smoke hit us.

I couldn't see clearly with the smoke-infused fog.

Heck, I didn't even know my way around the house.

But I knew one thing: I must get her to safety.

I led the way through the walkway and down the hall.

It was empty.

Why was it empty?

"Anybody here?

Somebody help us!" I yelled as her weight was beginning to crush into my scapula.

"Can you breathe? Debbie, can you breathe?" I asked and she answered with a nod.

Drowned with a bit of relief, I decided to drop her on a chair and go find help.

I didn't know my way around the house anyway. Walking without any sense of direction with her might harm her or her baby.

"I want you to wait here, okay, wait here. I will be back." I said, dropping her gently on the chair.

"Don't go, Cielle, don't leave me," she whispered, holding tightly onto my wrist.

"I need to go find Zayn... I can't, I can't let anything happen to you or your baby. Wait here for me, okay."

I freed myself from her grip.

"It's less smoky in here so you will be fine. I will return quickly with Zayn, I promise."

I said, turning away and running out of the hall.

"Zayn... Anybody? I need your help!" I yelled and I ran through walkways, rooms, and halls without seeing anyone.

How big was this mansion?

My throat was beginning to itch, with my eyes tearing uncontrollably.

The smoke had become stronger and I felt like I was closer to the source.

Why couldn't I find Zayn?

Where was everyone else?

My chest, it was hurting, my head throbbing.

Turning back to return to the hall where I left Debbie, I bumped into someone.

A man in uniform, probably a security guard.

"Ma'am, you need to leave, the kitchen and store are on fire," he said, grabbing onto my arm.

"No!" I yanked it off.

"I need you to help me, okay... Debbie, she... She's waiting for me. She's pregnant and I need to take her out of the house, please help me."

I quavered, my voice pleading, but he was hesitant.

"Please... I don't know my way around the house and Debbie, she... She can hardly breathe." I said and tried to pull him with me.

He obliged and we began running.

We entered the first hall I could find and Debbie wasn't there.

Same with the second and third.

Where the hell did I leave her?

"Debbie, I brought help... Where are you?"

I yelled, the moisture of the cotton cloths around my nose and mouth already dried up.

"She isn't here, ma'am.

Do you even know where she is?" he asked as we couldn't find her.

"A hall... I left her on a chair, in a hall..." I said more to myself than to him.

"She's clearly not here, we have to leave," he said but I was adamant.

"I can't leave without her, please, help me find her."

My pleas fell on deaf ears as he was already walking away.

"Please... Don't leave, she's pregnant and needs our help."

I tried running after him but lost him with all the smoke entering my eyes.

What had I done?

I shouldn't have left her.

I shouldn't have left her.

I mumbled to myself as I ran without direction, widening my sore eyes in search of her.

"Debbie... Debbie, where are you." I yelled, but my voice wasn't loud.

It wasn't enough.

The smoke that entered into my nostrils and my mouth had taken a good amount of my voice.

Now, it was barely above a whisper.

My face was soaked with my own sweat and tears, my lungs aching for air but all I could think about was Debbie.

Her child... Nothing, nothing should happen to him.

I would never have been able to forgive myself if anything happened to her child.

I lost my baby, I... I would do anything to save hers.

I continued moving, but now my pace had slowed down, with my legs trembling.

I couldn't take any more.

My body couldn't.

But I couldn't just leave, I didn't know how to.

I didn't know where the exit was, even if I did, I would never leave without her.

Soon my knees gave into the pain and I fell to the ground, my back striking it with so much force that I could've sworn to have heard it crack.

I was on the hot ground, in the midst of pungent smoke, in a place I recognized.

Helpless and alone.

"Help me... Zayn, help me." I mumbled as my eyes were struggling to remain open, my heartbeat slowing down as my breath had become fully sparse.

Even with my pain, with the aching in my chest, all I could think about was finding Debbie.

I wanted her safe, I wanted her baby to be safe.