Old Film, New Fire

"Some of it?" "My father used to work night shifts in that warehouse," he said. "He was inside when the fire started." The room went silent at once. Aunt Fang set down her ladle gently. Teacher Shen did not speak immediately. The cinema was left with nothing but the old air conditioner humming like an insect that had finally run out of patience. Xu Zhixia felt something inside her chest sink. She had not failed to imagine that Lu Chen might have a connection to the fire, but not this close. It took her several seconds to gather her thoughts again. "Then what happened?" "He never came out." Lu Chen stared at the floor. "The warehouse had been locked. Fire services said no one was inside.