Marcus yelled, putting his arms around Phillippa’s shoulders and ducking. Another bale burst into flame, then another. One up in the rafters. Marcus glanced over his shoulder, and saw what he feared; the neat stack of bales leaking smoke. The whole pile would be on fire in a matter of moments.It all happened so fast. The pop of distant fireworks died as whinnying Thoroughbreds began to snort and scream, rearing as the flames began to spread. Phillippa clung to Marcus’s waist like a lifeline, pulling him toward the stable doors.“We have to get out of here!” she cried from under his arm.Marcus was quick to agree.As fire seemed to spread with abandon underfoot, and burning straw began to fall from the rafters, Marcus and Phillippa covered their mouths and made their way to the stable door and ran out into the cold, sweet air.As Marcus took a deep breath, clearing his head of the chemical-tainted smoke that had just begun to assault his lungs, Phillippa wasted no time in running back to the stables.“Wait, what are you doing?”
