1#01

1

My neighbor burst into my house, his voice a mix of fear and urgency, causing my heart to race.

"Maya, there's a fire at your factory!"

Without hesitation, I grabbed the nearest jacket and rushed out. The dark plume of smoke in the distance was unmistakable.

Upon reaching the factory entrance, I found chaos. My cousin Lucia and mother-in-law Evelyn were frantically trying to open the locked electronic door. Evelyn was pounding on it, her voice hoarse from yelling.

"We need to break this door down!" Evelyn cried, tears streaming down her face as she continued to hit the door.

Beside her, Lucia paced anxiously, her face red and sweaty. She waved her arms, shouting at the growing crowd of spectators.

"There's someone inside! We have to get this door open now!"

As soon as Lucia spotted me, her eyes filled with desperation and rage. She stumbled towards me, grabbing my arm for support before pointing at the blaze.

"Harvey's trapped inside!" she yelled, her voice cracking. "You need to save your husband! You've got the card and you're the only one who knows the password!"

Sweat trickled down my neck as I looked at the burning factory. My chest felt tight, but I shook my head calmly, my voice steady amid the chaos.

"We should call the fire department for assistance," I said, taking out my phone. My fingers moved slowly across the screen, a stark contrast to the frantic atmosphere around me.

Evelyn whirled to face me, her expression contorting with rage. Her voice quivered as she pointed an accusing finger at me.

"He went in there looking for your accounting records, and now it's on fire! How can you just stand here watching? Are you even human?"

I met her gaze without flinching. Her wild eyes searched mine for any sign of emotion, but I merely shrugged, my nonchalance only fueling her anger.

"The fire's too dangerous," I stated. "What if I get injured?"

——

Evelyn inhaled sharply. Her face twisted into a mask of grief, shock, and pure loathing.

"You..." she stammered, struggling to speak. "What kind of excuse is that? You're worried about getting hurt? My son is risking his life for your stupid records and you... don't even care? Like it means nothing to you?"

Lucia's face turned bright red, a stark contrast to her white-knuckled fists. Tears flowed down her flushed cheeks as she spoke, her voice shaking with barely controlled anger.

"Maya, Harvey is trapped in there!" she cried out, her voice shrill with panic. "He's your husband! How can you stand here acting like this isn't important? What's wrong with you?"

"I've already contacted the fire department," I replied calmly, showing my phone. "They'll arrive soon. Don't worry—they'll extinguish the fire."

Lucia stepped closer, her eyes blazing with disbelief and frustration. "Are you listening to yourself?" she began. "Your husband's life is in danger and all you can say is to wait?"

"What else can I do?" I asked, my tone emotionless. "Do you expect me to run in there and die with him? That wouldn't help anyone."

"Open the door! Now!" Lucia demanded, her voice filled with exasperation. "The fire trucks will take too long! Don't you understand? It's a life at stake! Your husband's life! How can you just stand there?"

"You wicked woman! Are you trying to kill my son?" Evelyn screeched, her hand flying towards my face. I quickly sidestepped her attempt to slap me.

"I'm not trying to kill him," I explained dispassionately. "But I'm not trained to fight fires. I can't extinguish that blaze. Going in would be suicide."

Our argument drew the attention of the bystanders who had gathered to watch the fire. Some began recording or live-streaming the scene on their phones.

Noticing this, Evelyn turned to the crowd and yelled, "Look at her! My son is trapped inside and she won't open the door to rescue him! Isn't she heartless? Evil? Oh... my poor son!"

Lucia seized my arm then, her nails digging into my skin. She shook me violently, her face inches from mine as she hissed her words.

"Did you two have a fight? Is that why you're behaving like this?" Her voice lowered, filled with anger. "Do you want him to die? Is that what you're after, Maya?"

I pulled my arm away, feeling the sting where her nails had left marks. My expression remained unchanged.

"You're overreacting," I said quietly.

"She wants Harvey dead!" Evelyn wailed, lunging at me again, but I avoided her. Turning to the crowd of onlookers, who were already filming, she cried, "What kind of wife would let her husband burn? She's killing him herself! She's a vicious monster!"

The murmurs grew louder. The crowd's whispers surrounded me like ghostly accusations I couldn't brush off. Some shook their heads in disgust; others muttered darkly, their voices mixing with the growing sound of crackling flames.

Lucia confronted me once more, her voice trembling but loud enough for everyone to hear. "Why won't you save him? You have the card! What's wrong with you, Maya?"