Chapter 7 — The Midnight Message

Although I can't say clearly where the problem lies right now, the immediate solution can only be to observe first. Someone was running in the hallway, the sound passed through the gaps between the floors, deep and low. But I didn't move. I glanced at the door that I had reinforced. Each item was installed by myself. On the tenth floor, the fire door is locked, I have a knife and spray can in my hand. If the group of people outside ran to the back alley, what would they really encounter on the road? The consequences are unimaginable. My retreat is this room. The group continues to spread news. At this time, Tieu Ly sent a private message to remind me in the group: "People on the tenth floor? Are you there? The fire escape from the seventh floor can go up." I typed three words and sent them: "I'm not going." Then go to the refrigerator to get a bottle of drink. A moment later, I turned on the phone again. Now the whole building, except maybe me and the old lady who lives alone in room 501, is almost gone. At this time, Tieu Ly started taking roll call in the group. Ms. Tran and Tieu Nha did not appear in the group from beginning to end. No one noticed, everyone was happy and celebrating. Anyway, it has nothing to do with me. My mind was a bit foggy, tossing and turning in the middle of the night, I was actually a bit sleepy. Waiting until I opened my eyes again, the fire alarm 119 rang loudly.

“Rumble rumble.”

After three loud noises, two people dressed as firefighters carried equipment in.

“Is there anyone?”

I walked out of the bedroom bewildered.

"There was a fire, but you still locked the fireproof door so tightly. It cost us a lot of effort."

I asked in surprise: "Why is that?"

“At four o'clock in the morning, the back alley caught fire, burning from the garbage station opposite to this building.”

A firefighter patted my shoulder.

"Lucky for you, lucky you closed the fireproof door. If not, you would have definitely burned to death."

My heart jumped, and I quickly asked: "What about the others?" The firefighter sighed: “No one survived.”

"If they had stayed at home, there wouldn't have been so many casualties."

"The fire is coming from the back alley, the fire escape in your house can only go out to the back alley."

I followed the fireman out, and in the hallway there was a strong smell of smoke.

“Why is it burning? What does it have to do with other people?”

I asked tentatively.

"The cause of the fire is still under investigation. You are safe now."

Two days later. The management posted a new notice.

“This month, a fire broke out in the alley behind the building, and the fire escape of unit two had a problem, causing serious injuries.

The cause of the fire was that furniture piled up in the back alley spontaneously caught fire. The residential area committee needs to quickly strengthen the regulation of fire escapes and other facilities, and do a good job of reassurance afterward." I made myself a cup of tea.

“Well, it's true back and forth.”