Lifting Cassie into my arms, she burrowed her face into the crook of my neck. My body was covered in sweat, and I gasped. I knew my lungs were filled with smoke, but I didn’t have a choice.
Shoving the towel into Gladiator's slobber-filled water bucket, I quickly explained to Cassie I was going to put it over our heads and then get us out of here. With her wide, terrified eyes staring at me, I couldn’t let her down. I wouldn't let her down. I refused. Even if it cost me my last breath, my daughter was getting out.
“You ready?” I asked as I covered our heads.
Cassie nodded at me, and holding her as tight as I could, I kicked at the gate, swinging it wide open only for Gladiator to finally decide to move.
He pushed past me, knocking me sideways.
As I went down like a sack of potatoes, I rolled to my side, cradling Cassie and cushioning her from the fall. Landing awkwardly, I blinked through the pain as I saw Gladiator take off toward the doors.
“Daddy,” Cassie cried as her tiny hand touched my face.
“Cass, I need you to follow Gladiator. Run. Straight out the door to Mom. Okay. Can you do that for me?” I pleaded.
“Dad?”
“Go, princess. Go now. I’ll be right behind you,” I lied, knowing I wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’m scared,” she told me, and my heart broke for her.
“You’re big and tough, and you can do this. You need to go now. You need to run straight out the door,” I told her, pointing the way. “Mom’s there waiting for you. Can you do that for me?”
Please, kid. Please just do it,I begged internally.
Cassie nodded, and awkwardly, I managed to wrap her in the wet towel before nudging her toward the door.
“Cassie’s coming out!” I screamed as she toddled clumsily toward the break in the flames.
I felt like I was holding my breath when she veered off path, but thankfully corrected herself.
It wasn’t until she’d disappeared through the smoke and Nash called that he had her that I dropped my head back on the ground and took a breath. Now Cass was safe, I could figure out how the hell to save myself.
I was starting to get dizzy, the smoke was getting thicker, and the heat was unbearable. Another loud crack echoed, and I saw the roof over the horses’ stable come down. Time was running out.
“Jake!” Sawyer called.
“Get out of here. The whole place is coming down,” I replied, not wanting anyone else in here.
“Well, get the fuck out,” came his harsh reply, and he wasn’t wrong.
Looking down at my leg, I knew there was no way I would be able to walk. My knee was turned the wrong way, and when I tried to correct it, agony shot through me, bringing tears to my eyes.
“Jake!” Sawyer called again.
In the distance, I could hear the sirens closing in as I coughed up a huge lungful of smoke. Around me, burned straw floated to the ground like a feather caught dancing on the breeze. Closing my eyes, I gritted my teeth and tried to roll over. I needed to get out of here before someone did something stupid like coming in to get me. No one should get hurt trying to save me. No one.
Biting my lip, I managed to drag myself along the ground. I’d made it a couple of feet when a blast of heat whooshed above my head, forcing me back onto my stomach. The stench of my hair burning was putrid.
“Jake!” my name came again, urging me on.
But it was the innocent scream of “Daddy!” that had me pushing through and trying even harder to save myself. I had to. Cassie was out there, and the last thing she deserved was to have me give up and not fight.
“Everyone, get back!” a direct, bossy voice came.
“Jake… he’s, he’s in there…” Kellie cried.
It was a weird experience. Being able to hear them talking about me but not being able to see them or be able to reach them. Using the last of my energy, I tried again, desperate to make it to the door only thirty feet away.
