The first floor looked normal, but an eerie stillness made goosebumps rise on my arms. The only sound was the staccato beeping of smoke alarms coming from all directions.
A wide sweeping staircase rose in front of me. It felt ominous, but the kids were up there, and they were in danger. I hurried up to the second floor, taking two steps at a time.
At the top of the stairs, the smoke was thick enough to see it floating lazily in the air. I coughed several times and pulled the neckline of my shirt up over my mouth and nose. It helped me breathe a little better.
I forced myself to stay calm and reasoned that the kids must be in a room to my left and toward the front of the house.
Hurrying down the hallway, I stopped at each door that faced the street and threw the doors open.
“Hello,
