Suddenly, the elevator doors slid open with a loud mechanical groan. Elias stood there, his presence a stark contrast to the chaos inside. "Hurry, come out now!" His voice was urgent, his gaze scanning the two women within.
"Elias!" Vera cried out, her voice thick with grievance and fear.
Elias held a wet towel in his hand, his hesitation palpable. He seemed torn, unsure of who to offer it to. The tension in the air was suffocating.
After a beat, he spoke again, his voice low and strained. "Mira... Vera is very weak. If she inhales too much smoke, something bad might happen." His gaze shifted to Mira. "I taught you—take a deep breath, hold it, and I’ll get you out of here."
Without waiting for a response, Elias handed the wet towel to Vera. "Cover your mouth and nose," he instructed her, his hands already reaching for Mira and Vera, pulling them toward the evacuation passage.
The fire’s smoke grew thicker, its presence almost suffocating. Mira coughed violently, her chest feeling as though it would explode with each wheeze. Her vision blurred, the dizziness threatening to overwhelm her.
"Mira, hold on a little longer," Elias urged, his voice filled with concern as he dragged them both through the thickening smoke. Vera, clutching the wet towel, seemed relatively unharmed, but Mira felt like every breath was her last.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged into the open air. The fresh breath of the night was a relief, but Mira still felt weak, her body trembling from the ordeal. She was swiftly placed into the ambulance parked nearby, where oxygen was administered to help stabilize her.
The world around her was a haze as she drifted in and out of consciousness, the events of the night a blur.
By the time she made it home, she was still groggy, her head heavy with exhaustion. The soft hum of the house seemed distant, and she moved through it like a ghost.
Elias returned at two in the morning after finishing his work. His eyes were filled with guilt as he approached her. "I’m sorry, Mira..." His voice was low, regret dripping from every word. "The situation was urgent, and you know Vera’s condition. I made you suffer."
"It's okay, I'm not dead, am I?" Mira laughed softly. Her voice carried warmth, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of something she didn’t say.