The Smoke Alarm Next Door Wasn’t Warning Me About a Fire

then started again. I had started dreading seven o’clock more than I dreaded my morning alarm.

I walked over to 4B, my hand hovering over the wood for a second before I gave a firm, three-beat knock. I expected to hear a frantic scurry or maybe the sound of a window being shoved open to let out the steam. Instead, the door was thrown open with such continue reading …