Gravel

Gravel by Harry Marks (a Short Story Contest entry) 

Mary kicked the gravel as she walked, forming clouds of dust up to her knees. She imagined her feet were on fire and each step was only a few seconds away from setting the ground ablaze.

She didn’t hear the sirens screaming behind her. The cop cars whizzed by in a panic, swirling up the dirt around her like a dust devil. They squealed as they turned at the next street. Her street.