Jodie was thrown on her back by the blast. She tumbled across the room to skid to a halt at the foot of Viola's bed. After a few seconds of mind-numbing pain from the impact passed, she gazed around the room, stunned, at the sight of the burning ceiling beams and the splintering wood that had scattered around the once-organised space.
Her eyes found Viola's unmoving form with a panic through the thick smoke that was gradually increasing by the minute. The elderly woman's black scarf had loosened, and her grey hair fell over her face. Fire burnt the hem of her gown, and blood dampened the side of her head when her face was turned. The fresh scent of the blood hit Jodie's nostrils amidst the smoke and the chaos in the room, and she managed to scramble to her feet, headed towards Viola.
