"He’s not on shift tonight.”
I cut him off again, desperation clawing at my throat. “Please, you don’t understand. He always stays late. He could still be inside!”
The chaos around us intensified. Water hoses battled the inferno, and I heard the crackle of flames even over the sirens.
“Listen,” the firefighter said, his voice firm but not unkind. “We’re doing everything we can. But I need you to stay calm and?—”
“Calm?” I laughed, the sound bordering on hysterical. “The man I love might be trapped in there, and you want me to be calm?”
My mind raced. What if West was hurt? What if he was scared, wondering why I hadn’t found him yet?
“I should have come sooner,” I said, biting my nails. “I knew something was wrong. I should have…”
The firefighter’s radio crackled to life, and he turned away to respond. I stood there, helpless, watching the flames devour the place we’d worked so hard to get. The place West poured his heart into every day.
Please. Please, let him be okay.
Suddenly, a shout cut through the chaos. “We’ve got movement on the second floor!”
My heart leaped into my throat. “That’s got to be West!” I yelled, surging forward. A firefighter caught me around the waist, holding me back.
“Sir, you can’t?—”
“I heard a voice!” another firefighter called out, emerging from the building’s entrance. “Male, adult. Sounded like he was calling for help.”
“That’s him in there,” I insisted to anyone who would listen. “West always works late. He’s probably trying to save important files or something stupid like that.”
The fire chief barked orders, his voice steady amid the pandemonium. “Johnson, Rodriguez, gear up. One of ours may be inside. We’re going in.”
I watched, my entire body trembling, as two firefighters put on their masks with practiced speed. The heat from the blaze was intense, even from where I stood. Sweat trickled down my back, and the acrid smell of smoke burned my nostrils.
My mind conjured images of West, trapped and coughing, desperately searching for a way out. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to banish the thoughts.
“Please,” I begged the firefighters as they prepared to enter. “Please find him.”
The chief turned to me, his expression grave but determined. “We’ll do everything we can, sir. But I need you to stay back and let us work.”
I nodded numbly, watching as the rescue team disappeared into the smoke-filled entrance. The wait was excruciating, every second feeling like an eternity.
“Come on, West,” I murmured, fists clenched at my sides. “You better be okay, you stubborn idiot. We’ve got way too much left to do together.”
My heart raced as I watched the firefighters vanish into the smoke-filled building.
The crackle of flames mixed with the shouts of firefighters, creating a hellish cacophony. I paced back and forth, unable to stand still, my eyes never leaving the entrance where the rescue team had disappeared.
“Come on, come on,” I muttered, willing them to emerge with West.
Suddenly, a thunderous crack split the air. My head snapped up just in time to see a portion of the roof cave in, sending a shower of sparks and debris raining down.
“No!” I screamed, lunging forward instinctively. “West!”
Strong arms wrapped around me, holding me back. It was the fire chief, his face grim.
“Stay back, son,” he ordered, but I barely heard him over the ringing in my ears.
“But West—” I choked out, my vision blurring with tears. “He’s still in there!”
The chief’s radio crackled to life. “Chief, we’ve got a problem. The collapse has blocked our exit. We’ll have to find another way to get out, and we’ve got an unconscious victim with us.”
