Chapter 222: The Grim Reaper Arrives
Eric’s hair caught a small flame, and with a swift slap, he extinguished it. However, after falling from the treehouse, he realized that his leg felt numb, and he couldn’t get up. The raging fire quickly engulfed the entire structure.
Ella gasped for breath, cold sweat beading on her forehead as her hands and feet trembled. She hurried to help Eric move away from the collapsing treehouse, but just a few steps later, Eric shouted and threw himself over her, shielding her from the heat as another wave of fire surged forward, igniting his pajamas.
In that moment, someone rushed over, using a shovel to pry away the burning wood. With a firm stomp, the stranger managed to put out the flames on Eric’s clothes.
Eric, however, was in agony. The fire had burned his skin, and though the burns were on his back and not his face, the pain was unbearable. Cold sweat streamed down his face as he gritted his teeth, enduring the searing pain.
Ella had fallen hard to the ground, her entire body aching from the impact. Eric had been above her when they landed, and the shock had left her limbs numb and temporarily useless.
"Quick... take my wife out of here!" Eric shouted, his voice commanding despite the pain. The slender man who had helped them hesitated briefly, then rushed to assist Ella, pulling her out of the danger zone.
Ella screamed through her tears, "Eric... you go first... I can still walk!"
But the man wouldn’t listen, lifting her and running away from the collapsing treehouse.
Eric heard Ella’s heart-wrenching cries, and though his arms were badly burned from carrying her through the flames, each movement was excruciating. Still, for Ella, he pushed through the pain.
Summoning all his strength, Eric propped himself up, enduring the unbearable agony in his arms as he crawled away from the dangerous area.
The man carried Ella to safety and was about to go back for Eric when the treehouse suddenly collapsed with a deafening crash.