Fire and Redemption

He struck a match, and the gasoline ignited with a whoosh, flames licking at the walls and windows of the restaurant. Kyra, lost in her menu planning, was completely unaware of the danger engulfing her. The accomplice watched with a detached gaze, waiting for the fire to consume the building and its occupant.

As Kyra descended into the chaos, the smoke enveloped her, choking her lungs and blurring her vision. She stumbled, her hands outstretched in front of her, desperately seeking a way out. The fire crackled and roared, its flames licking at the kitchen door, mere feet away. Panic sets in as she realized that the inferno was closing in, trapping her.

"Oh God, please... not like this," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of the fire. Her mind raced with memories, the past flooding back, her identity, the dark room, Sophia and Ms. Johnson, the customers asking about Lyra, the cliff, the fall... six years ago. It all came rushing back.