A Test of Faith

"Smoke!" the cry rang out, piercing the morning stillness.

Maya was the first to react, her heightened senses picking up the acrid scent of burning wood before the alarm was raised. She burst out of her cottage, her gaze scanning the horizon. A plume of thick, black smoke was rising from the edge of the forest, a sinister beacon against the morning sky.

"Fire!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the still air.

Within minutes, the town was in chaos. People rushed out of their homes, their faces etched with fear and confusion. The once peaceful morning had turned into a scene of panic and uncertainty.

"We need to organize," Maya shouted, her voice cutting through the din. "Form teams! Search for survivors, extinguish the flames, and evacuate the livestock!"