Ariana clutched her bag to her chest as she ran downstairs. Alice was going to be pissed, she might actually lose her job after this stunt.
But it was better than losing the only place she had. Even if she did lose this job, there was a seventy percent probability she would find a job in the next two months.
"Taxi!" She hailed the nearest one she saw as she exited the building.
Ariana didn't bother to waste anytime, she rushed into the yellow vehicle.
Her heart and body at that moment in the car were not in the same place. Physical she was in the car that was driving her home, her soul was at the front of her door trying to extinguish a fire.
"Driver faster," She said absently as she nodded the driver by the shoulder.
"Ma'am there is a speed limit that I have to follow," He said as he continued in a constant speed.
It felt like she would take control of the car, and speed off. It would take forever before she could reach home.
Ariana closed her eyes held on to her bag saying silent prayers to herself. That's the only thing she could do at this critical moment.
"Ma'am we are here," The driver's voice echoed in her hear.
Ariana eyes slowly opened as the sounds in her background suddenly came back. The first thing her eyes met was her house.
She grabbed the nearest bill she could find and dropped it in front of the driver before she rushed out of the car.
The fire extinguisher and some neighborhood were outside. There was a red line in front of her house as water was poured from the card above.
She tore through the people to reach to the front. Before she could pass over the line, two men stopped.
"Ma'am we are sorry but you can't pass over the line," one of them said in a perfectly calm voice.
"I can't pass?!!!! It's my house you are talk ng about here! What do you mean I can't pass?" She yelled as he held her down.
"Inform the chief that the owner is here," He told the other man.
"Ma'am please stay clear of the house unless you might get injured," He Cautioned.
"My house is on fire and you tell me to stay clear??? Please let me go in! Please!" She begged.
The fire fighter obviously saw that she was speaking from panic, he wanted to carry her away but then she wasn't in her right state of mind yet she still insisted to go inside her house.
"Ma'am, if I let you go inside what will you do?! The house is on fire! If you go inside you will obviously get burnt and worse you might get killed! What do you have that could contribute to killing this fire? What are gonna do? Will screaming my house is on fire help this situation!" He yelled angrily and she stayed calm.
"But my house..." She whispered.
"Your house? Fine go inside and stop this fire!" He said letting go of her.
Ariana stood as she stared at the fire unmoving, Even if she did go inside and stopped it from spreading she would obviously die from the toxic smoke.
"Come this way," The fire fighter said as he directed her to the left side.
She weakly followed behind as she stared at her own house as it burnt from behind.
"Sir, this is the owner of the house, the person currently occupying that space in the house." He said.
"Miss Ariana I must presume," The Man asked.
"Yes" Ariana replied absently.
"We are terribly sorry for this incident," He apologized.
"I don't even understand how it caught fire, I never leave any home appliances on, even the lights are never switched on it always switched off so how would the house catch fire," Ariana said before she rubbed her fore head.
The two men looked at Ariana and nodded their heads.
"Miss Ariana, The source of the fire was not your house," He said.
Ariana looked up at him with a frown. The feeling of regret and remorse suddenly dissolved in her emotions.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"The fire started from the other building, apparently the chef could not handle the fire so they threw it to the other side and your window happened to be open. The room caught fire, and it started to spread," He said.
Ariana's confusion was now replaced with fury, she pressed her hands in a tight fist. She felt her nails press into her hands as she bluntly stared at the man as he spoke.
"What did you say?" She asked with squinted eyes.
"You can't be serious about what you are saying, Because of a meal that burnt I was probably going to lose my house?" She asked as she stood up from the chair she sat on.
"Please miss Ariana calm down," The chef said trying to suppress her anger.
"Calm down? If you leave this place, probably after my house remains ashes, you have a house, a wife, children and a beautifully prepared meal waiting for you at home, and me? What will I have ? I have nothing but ashes and a designer freaking hand bag on my name!! " She yelled before she banged the table in annoyance.
"Please miss Ariana calm down, your house is not going to turn to ashes, the fire as being contained from the inside we assure you that your bed is the only thing that was affected by the fire, your house will be back to its normal state by morning." He said.
"Okay, the fire is being contained, where am I going to stay tonight?" Ariana yelled.
"The owner of the other house has compensated you for the damage, he said he would have personally apologise but his wife went into labour," The chef said.
A white cheque was placed in front of her as compensation. She was angry, but she had no choice but to take it.
She dragged the cheque from the table and placed it in her bag.
Before it's to late she had to find an hotel to stay In for the night. There was no point in arguing, even if she did she wouldn't change the fact that her house was burnt.
With a slouched back, she left the chef's office.
The fire had reduced already but there were black smoke stains that showed that there was a fire.
She didn't have to take a taxi, the nearest hotel was just two blocks away from her.