Chapter 14 - The Final Glass
The water surged up the ladder, spilling over the edge of the attic floor with a heavy, rushing roar that drowned out all other sound. Ethan didn't hesitate. He grabbed the heavy iron-handled stool from the corner of the attic and hurled it straight at the round gable window.
The glass shattered into a thousand glittering shards, spraying outward into the damp night air. A rush of cold wind swept into the attic, carrying the sharp scent of pine, rain, and rushing river water. Through the broken frame, the abandoned house across the creek stood illuminated by a sudden, blinding flash of lightning. It didn't look like a ruin anymore; it looked bright, warm, and entirely whole, with lights glowing golden from every window.
Clara looked through the jagged frame, her heart pounding against her ribs. Across the gap, through the open window of that other house, she saw a dry, safe room—a room with yellow wallpaper, a made bed, and a small wooden crib tucked safely in the corner.
We have to jump, Ethan shouted over the roar of the rising water filling the attic behind them. We have to cross the gap.
Clara looked down. Lily was standing on the top rung of the ladder now, the water swirling around her waist, holding the stuffed white bunny high above her head to keep it dry. Her big blue eyes were calm, shining with an otherworldly peace as she looked up at her parents.
Take her, Ethan, Clara cried, kneeling down to scoop Lily up from the ladder just as the water crested the floorboards. She pulled her daughter tight against her chest, feeling the small, steady beat of the child's heart.
Ethan grabbed Clara’s hand, his fingers locking around hers with desperate strength. Ready? On three. One... two... three!
They leaped together through the shattered gable window, flying out into the empty space above the churning, black water below. For a fraction of a second, there was no weight, no storm, no history, only the rushing wind and the bright, warm light waiting for them on the other side.
They crashed through the open window of the opposite house, tumbling onto a dry, wooden floor that felt solid and warm beneath their hands. Clara rolled over, clutching Lily tightly to her chest, gasping for air as she looked around.
The room was pristine. The yellow wallpaper was bright and clean. There was no water, no rot, no storm.
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Ethan scrambled up, slamming the window shut against the wind and locking it tight. He turned around, his chest heaving, and looked toward the bedroom door. It stood slightly ajar, leading out into a quiet, sunlit hallway.
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