Grayson seemed like he was going to grab Dane by the collar, but of course he didn't. At that exact moment, a side of the stairs collapsed with a loud noise. He stood precariously on the halfway stairs and looked down, and a dark, empty space came into view. Dane took advantage of Grayson's hesitation to run down the hallway. Grayson had no choice but to curse briefly and chase after him again.
When he had almost finished searching the second floor, he suddenly heard a voice from the walkie-talkie. It was Wilkins' voice.
- Dane, Dane! Are you okay? Haven't you found him yet?
"I'm looking. It's the second floor."
- Wait a minute! Charlie should be in the attic!
A man's voice suddenly interrupted. Grayson thought as he saw Dane's back, who had stopped in his tracks. He's screwed, he must be thinking that right now.
He decided that it was time to go back and prepared to retreat, but Dane suddenly asked.
“Where’s the attic?”
What are you talking about, that.
Grayson frowned and looked at him. He couldn’t read his expression because his back was turned, but he could definitely feel that Dane wasn’t going to back down.
“Inside the ceiling... ... You just have to press the button... ... . Did Charlie go up there often?”
- Yes, yes, we trained him to go up right away when something scary happened. Like a robber coming in and killing Charlie. Or he might get startled and go outside and lose it... ... .
The man asked urgently, his voice filled with sobs.
- You can find the Charlie, right? Charles is still alive... ... . He kept talking, but Dane cut the radio off sternly. He didn’t know if he didn’t want to hear his whining, or if he was pressed for time, or both, but he knew exactly what he was going to do next.
I can’t do that.
“Hey, stop it now... ... .”
“Miller.”
Just as he was about to say that he wouldn’t go any further, Dane suddenly called his name. He, who had been running forward without looking back, turned to Grayson for the first time and said.
“You get out. You don’t have to stay here. You’re just a nuisance.”
Of course he had intended to do so. Just coming this far was enough, and Grayson had done enough. However, when he was the first to say that, Grayson felt bad. Of course, it was probably because of that unchanging unpleasant tone.
“And you?”
He tried to say, “Are you going to jump into that fire to save a dog that was clearly dead?” but there was no time for that. Dane disappeared into the black smoke without even answering.
Left alone, Grayson blinked in bewilderment before coming to his senses at the loud ‘snap’ sound. Once again, somewhere in the house had collapsed.
It was already impossible to chase Dane. Of course, he had no intention of doing so. Staying in this dangerous situation would be suicide. There was no way Dane didn’t know what Grayson, who was just a total novice, knew.
He’ll just do it moderately.
Grayson thought that and immediately retreated. Humans have a basic fear of death. The same goes for the fear of pain. Dane wouldn’t be able to avoid it, so he’d abandon the dog and come out right away. After all, his own life would be the most precious thing.
The moment he turned around, he briefly remembered what Wilkins had said about never coming out alone, but he immediately erased it from his mind. He figured that Dane would come out after him anyway, so that was probably it.
Grayson didn’t hesitate any longer as the flames rose from all sides and ran outside without any regrets.
Wilkins stood in the same spot, anxiously looking at the burning house. The flames were engulfing the house like a huge wave, and the red light billowing through the window looked like hellfire. It wasn’t the first time he had experienced this situation, but since it was always something that put his life on the line, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. Even Wilkins, who was in charge of the scene, was at a loss as to what was going on even though it seemed like a long time had passed since Dane entered there. He even turned off the radio and wondered what Dane was thinking.
Grayson seemed like he was going to grab Dane by the collar, but of course he didn't. At that exact moment, a side of the stairs collapsed with a loud noise. He stood precariously on the halfway stairs and looked down, and a dark, empty space came into view. Dane took advantage of Grayson's hesitation to run down the hallway. Grayson had no choice but to curse briefly and chase after him again.
When he had almost finished searching the second floor, he suddenly heard a voice from the walkie-talkie. It was Wilkins' voice.
- Dane, Dane! Are you okay? Haven't you found him yet?
"I'm looking. It's the second floor."
- Wait a minute! Charlie should be in the attic!
A man's voice suddenly interrupted. Grayson thought as he saw Dane's back, who had stopped in his tracks. He's screwed, he must be thinking that right now.
He decided that it was time to go back and prepared to retreat, but Dane suddenly asked.
“Where’s the attic?”
What are you talking about, that.
Grayson frowned and looked at him. He couldn’t read his expression because his back was turned, but he could definitely feel that Dane wasn’t going to back down.
“Inside the ceiling... ... You just have to press the button... ... . Did Charlie go up there often?”
- Yes, yes, we trained him to go up right away when something scary happened. Like a robber coming in and killing Charlie. Or he might get startled and go outside and lose it... ... .
The man asked urgently, his voice filled with sobs.
- You can find the Charlie, right? Charles is still alive... ... .
He kept talking, but Dane cut the radio off sternly. He didn’t know if he didn’t want to hear his whining, or if he was pressed for time, or both, but he knew exactly what he was going to do next.
I can’t do that.
“Hey, stop it now... ... .”
“Miller.”
Just as he was about to say that he wouldn’t go any further, Dane suddenly called his name. He, who had been running forward without looking back, turned to Grayson for the first time and said.
“You get out. You don’t have to stay here. You’re just a nuisance.”
Of course he had intended to do so. Just coming this far was enough, and Grayson had done enough. However, when he was the first to say that, Grayson felt bad. Of course, it was probably because of that unchanging unpleasant tone.
“And you?”
He tried to say, “Are you going to jump into that fire to save a dog that was clearly dead?” but there was no time for that. Dane disappeared into the black smoke without even answering.
Left alone, Grayson blinked in bewilderment before coming to his senses at the loud ‘snap’ sound. Once again, somewhere in the house had collapsed.
It was already impossible to chase Dane. Of course, he had no intention of doing so. Staying in this dangerous situation would be suicide. There was no way Dane didn’t know what Grayson, who was just a total novice, knew.
He’ll just do it moderately.
Grayson thought that and immediately retreated. Humans have a basic fear of death. The same goes for the fear of pain. Dane wouldn’t be able to avoid it, so he’d abandon the dog and come out right away. After all, his own life would be the most precious thing.
The moment he turned around, he briefly remembered what Wilkins had said about never coming out alone, but he immediately erased it from his mind. He figured that Dane would come out after him anyway, so that was probably it.
Grayson didn’t hesitate any longer as the flames rose from all sides and ran outside without any regrets.
Wilkins stood in the same spot, anxiously looking at the burning house. The flames were engulfing the house like a huge wave, and the red light billowing through the window looked like hellfire. It wasn’t the first time he had experienced this situation, but since it was always something that put his life on the line, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. Even Wilkins, who was in charge of the scene, was at a loss as to what was going on even though it seemed like a long time had passed since Dane entered there. He even turned off the radio and wondered what Dane was thinking.