Ms. Dee Anna J. and her faithful companion, Butch, are having a rough day. A Ranger had stopped by Dee Anna's campsite to tell her to break camp. A fire started by a lightning strike was getting out of control because of unusually high winds. By the time, she had packed her stuff and gotten Butch into her trusty old Toyota Landcruiser, thick smog already filled the air. Dee Anna took a quick glance around and could see flames burning trees on the mountain slope above them. The fire could not be farther away than three or four miles at best. A winding, twisting forest road was the only way out of the area and it would be twenty miles before they reached a larger gravel road and another thirty-five miles on that road until they reached a paved highway. She couldn't get up very much speed on the rough road, but the wind was steadily picking up. Several times, she pulled the Landcruiser over to allow firetrucks and trucks carrying volunteer firefighteers to squeeze past it. The smoke was getting thicker and the temperature kept getting hotter. Soon Dee Anna could hear the fire roaring over on her left. It was not too long after that she could see the fire blazing down the ravine that the road was following. That fire was getting too close! Dee Anna pressed down on the accelerator and raced down the road. The landcruiser was bounding all over the trail. By now the road led through a part of the ravine where the trees were on fire on both sides of the road. Dee Anna picked up more speed, skidding around a sharp turn in the road. A burning tree crashed down across the forest road, throwing up showers of sparks. Dee Anna hit the brakes, which locked on her. The vehicle skidded into the burning tree, sending up more clouds of glowing or burning embers. Shaken by impact, Dee Anna sat there stunned for a moment. The engine had stopped so she tried to re-start it, but it refused to turn over. She had to force open her door and called for Butch to follow her out of the Toyota. The pair were able to get around the burning trunk and started racing down the road through a short tunnel of fire. When she looked back, Dee Anna could see that the Landcruiser was already in flames. Breaking free of the flames, she dropped to a fast walk. Butch stayed close, matching her pace. For the next half an hour, they managed to keep ahead of the flames because the wind had died down some. Then it began to blow harder and the fire started crowning the dry trees. They were racing for their lives now. The flames burned closer and the heat left Dee Anna feeling faint. The smoke irritated her throat and lungs, choking her. It kept getting thicker and thicker. Dee Anna checked to see if Butch was close by. She couldn't see him. Not even a few minutes later when the smoke momentarily thinned. Butch was gone. Dee Anna pushed back the panic growing within her. Almost, she started to go back to look for Butch, but checked herself. Going back would be fatal. Butch might actually have a better chance of escaping the flames without her. Dee Anna turned her attention to getting out this situation alive. She ignored her bursting lungs, her cramping leg muscles, and pushed herself to stay ahead of the flames. (To be continued.) ______________________ Bet I've got your attention now. Heh! Thanks for dropping by and having look. Thanks for all comments on this and earlier works. Jeremy CREDITS: Vue6 Pro Studio; Poser 6.0. Figure: DAZ's A4, Tipol's "Betty" skinmat, 3dreams's "Boy Hair. Her clothing is Ravenhair's "Miss Dee Anna J" with Moyra's "Perils" textures. Dog: DAZ's Millinium Dog with a combo of mostly mastif and Boxer, with some German Shepard and Hound morphs in him; uses the German Shepard texture. Scene: "Arson" from Monsoon's "Fire for Infinite."