World on Fire

Both confused and hopeful, Haatim left the meeting with his father. The meeting hadn’t been what he’d expected, but it had gone quite well. He looked forward to spending time in the hotel and seeing more of his father.

Abigail paced back and forth across her makeshift prison cell, clenching and unclenching her fists. She would have preferred it if they’d locked her in an actual prison, surrounded by concrete walls and metal bars, rather than the clean and monotonous place that she now occupied.

As soon as Abigail stepped outside the house, she knew something was wrong. She no longer stood alone, although she couldn’t see anyone else around her in the immediate proximity. How could she know? Nevertheless, she felt certain.

Abigail searched the area surrounding the old mining town, and it didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for: a hidden entrance at the top of a waterfall leading underground. It was covered by a number of huge stones, and it took them a good thirty minutes to clear the area.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I just…when I was walking toward the demon, something told me it wouldn’t hurt me.” “A guess?” “A feeling,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t explain it.”

Haatim pulled off to the side of the road about half a mile outside the city. He kept the car idling, divided by the raging emotions inside his heart and mind.

“Words?” Haatim echoed after Frieda closed the connection. “Should I be concerned?” “Only if you enjoy living,” Abigail answered. “I only get that tone from her when she’s really pissed off. What did you do? How did you get them to give me more time?”

“We have to leave,” Abigail said. “They are about to burn the city to the ground.” Haatim stared at her, wondering if maybe he’d heard wrong. He had hit his head during the car crash, so maybe he had a concussion. He shook his head.