Gravel

"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."