Chapter 31

The horrendous flames were back again, but this time, much worse. The smoke that covered everything and everywhere was so dense it could as well have been black fog. Somewhere amidst the nightmarish destruction unfolding all around him, Nicholas Smith could make out the agonizing cries of Anna in pain, and another sweet sickening smell swirled with the acrid smoke encircling all around him.

The smell of cooked human flesh!

"Anna!" He screamed in terror, fighting for control over his paralyzed limbs amidst the dreadfulness devouring him whole. "Anna!" He yelled again, crawling towards the horrendous sound of her screams, which seemed to be death throes now.

But then a deafening blast sounded, and an orangey-yellow fireball burst upwards and outwards from nowhere, cutting through the solid wall of smoke and stink and swallowing him into oblivion.

**

Nick jerked up from the chair on which he sat, letting out a strangled cry. The smoke, the heat, and much worse. . . The insufferable pai