Chapter 8. Hmm, this is getting long. I still don't own anything.
I lost my breath as soon as Columbia and I barged in the kitchen door. I dropped to my knees coughing until she tugged at my arm trying to get me to move. It was Riff who had been yelling, or rather was still yelling, trying to find Frank's version of a fire extinguisher. The thick smoke made it terribly difficult to see and the three of us blundered blindly around the room until Columbia walked headfirst into the sprocket on the wall holding the fire extinguisher. We would have kept going if she hadn't yelled out "found it" before slumping to the floor. I nearly tripped over her, but I felt around the wall area until I grabbed a hold of the handle. By this point Riff was right next to me, so I handed him the bottle and he pulled out the stopper, unfurled the hose bit and aimed it at the stove/oven and the steam poured out.
He must have pretty good aim because the fire was out before the bottle was empty. It was a little easier to see now, and I wafted the smoke towards the open kitchen window. I turned to see Riff staring wide-eyed at the doorway obviously trying to conceal his emotion. I turned around slowly and saw Frank gaping in the doorway.
He was quite the sight. Standing there in his silk robe, with curlers in his hair and his makeup halfway done. I suppose he had heard the commotion and come to see what the fuss was about. I'm sure we looked quite entertaining, covered in soot and minor burns, and the both of us trying not to wince every time we had to breathe.
We were all at a loss of words. Frank's eyes traveled around the room, pausing on the unconscious form of Columbia, then on the blackened stove and finally on my brother and I. He mumbled something about a smoke and going back to bed before turning and walking away from the kitchen at a remarkable pace. I glanced sideways. Riff looked at me before saying
"This isn't over, we're sure to hear about it later."
I had the feeling he was right. It wasn't like Frank at all to leave a scene without any say, especially if it involved my brother and I. Columbia began to stir. Slowly she picked herself up off the floor and looked at us. She shrugged and I looked over at the stove. Riff looked at her, then at me, then at the mess. Silently we moved to clean it up.