I hoisted her up and turned, rushing through the back door. I felt sweat cover me from the heat. Even outside, the wind did little to help. I ran across the yard, holding her close as I could hear the sound of sirens coming up the road. I pushed the back gate open and hurried into the parking lot. There were already cars there filling the once, empty lot.People standing around covering their mouths in shock, there was hardly as space left.I noticed an ambulance and hurried toward it.
“She’s hurt,” I yelled, rushing towards them, my arms shaking.
An EMT turned from the vehicle and looked at me, instantly going into action. She opened the door and showed me the bed to lay Nora on.
I laid her down, and the EMT frowned, her eyes quickly looking Nora over. “She’s bleeding on her head. What happened?” She started grabbing gaze, wiping at Nora’s head. I could see a large wound on her scalp.
“I had no idea,” I said, unsure of what happened inside. I knew that Nora fought back, though. I knew her magic likely started the fire. But that was all I knew.
“Oh my god, what about the animals inside?”
“Is there anyone else inside?”
“Who got hurt?”
I looked outside the truck, taking in everyone who was staring at the shelter. I watched the fire, the snapping of wood, and the shattering of glass. The world seemed to stop for a moment as I stared, taking the building in. The fire already engulfed over half the building now, the sigh half burned.
Questions from surrounding people filled the space, and everyone seemed to be talking at once. I could hear the police yelling for people to stand back. The sound of a fire truck pulling into the space. The EMT kept asking questions, but my eyes remained on the building.
“The building is going to collapse at this point.”
I thought of all the time I had spent inside. All the hours I had spent with Nora. Listening to her talk, watching the dogs run around in the back. The times I helped her clean or feed the animals. All the animals locked in the kennels, the creatures that Nora and Mike had spent endless hours taking care of, couldn’t get themselves free.
“Save her,” I yelled before I jumped out of the truck and started for the front door. I didn’t even get a few feet before anofficer grabbed my arm, stopping me. “Kaleb, you can’t go back in. It’s unstable.”
“There are animals inside.”
“We are aware, but still. You can’t risk it.”
“I can,” I snapped, shaking his hand away. I then spotted Mike coming up the street. His eyes were wide as he stopped taking in the disaster. Frank was next to him, pausing as well. I could see the horror flash in his eyes, the terror and pain that filled his face. I knew just how much this building meant to him. The building I couldn’t save, but the animals I could.
I moved, running away into the building. I could hear everyone yelling behind me, but I didn’t stop. I got back inside. I covered my mouth as I moved, heat radiating everywhere now. Smoke had filled the room, making it impossible to see at this point. I walked carefully, trying not to run into anything.
I shoved the door open toward the back and moved to the kennels. I reached for the first kennel door to unlock it when I heard my name. I turned as Brandon and Asher stepped into the space through the back door. I didn’t explain, knowing we didn’t have time.
“Unlock the kennels!” I yelled, waving at the others. “We need to move fast.”
They both moved quickly, starting to unlock them, letting the dogs out the back door. There was snapping of wood, and Brandon grabbed me from the side. His hold was firm as he shook my arms. “Kaleb, we need to leave. The building is going to collapse.”
I shook his hand off. I couldn’t leave yet. We weren’t done. “Take the dogs out. I have to grab the cats.”
“Kaleb, we don’t have time,” Asher yelled, looking at me with fear. “We need to leave. If you don’t come out now, you could die with them. We saved the dog. That has to be enough.”
It couldn’t be. I couldn’t stomach the idea that we gave up, that maybe we had a chance to save them all, but didn’t think it was worth it. “I’m not leaving. Not without all the animals!” I moved past them. “Take the dogs out.”
I coughed as I moved, feeling my head growing heavy. I kept moving, forcing myself into the cat’s room. Smoke quickly poured into the space, and I knew I only had a few minutes. I unlocked the doors of their cages, the cats refusing to run like the dogs did. I grabbed the cat carriers and started pulling them into it. A few fought, clawing at me, but I shoved them into the carriers.
I grabbed the kittens, making sure to have all of the animals before I made it back into the dogs’ room. I hurried toward the door, running into the yard. Then the sound of the roof caving in filled the air.
I turned, looking back as the building fell in. A large gust of air slammed into me outside, knocking me on my ass. The fire erupted louder, and screams filled the air. I froze for a moment, trying to pull air in. My lungs burned from the lack of oxygen and my head felt fuzzy.
My heart was beating quickly, knowing that if I had stayed a minute longer, I would have died inside. All of the animals would have died.
I was panting for air as I pulled myself up. I ran around the yard toward the open gate. I found that Brandon and Asher had gotten the dogs all outside. Mike was crouching by them, crying as he spoke to them. I paused, trying to catch my breathas I made it to the parking lot. Mike’s head snapped up toward me, and he was moving.
“Thank you!” he pleaded, reaching for the cats. The pain and horror from before only grow stronger now. I looked over to see the fire truck gearing up, starting to spray the building. It wouldn’t save the building, but it would stop the fire from spreading.
“I got them all,” I told him, setting the carriers down. “Minus the fish.”
