“Matt!”
My brain registered the terror in Madi’s voice two seconds before water rained down on us, like a miracle from heaven.
They breached the door.
Madi would survive.
We couldn’t move, so the firefighters came to us.
Bodies surrounded us.
Masks covered our faces.
We greedily sucked in the clean air between coughs.
“Let’s get you out of here,” the firefighter closest to me said when my cough finally subsided.
“Madi first,” I croaked out, pointing to her as two firemen helped her stand.
Two sets of hands gripped under my arms and helped me stand. The guy on my left was careful not to touch me below the elbow.
“There are a lot of anxious people waiting for you outside.”
“She needs an ambulance.”
“So do you. Guess it’s a good thing we have two waiting outside.”
Once we were safely outside, the firemen removed our masks. As soon as they did, four bodies crossed the police line and rushed Madi.
John was the first to hug her, followed by Jamie, then Jack and Jay.
In the bright lights of the emergency vehicles, I could see the extent of Madi’s injuries more clearly.
Slashes crossed her cheeks, chest, and stomach.
Blood soaked her leggings; the wounds visible through the blood-stained holes.
Her neck was covered in several continuous scratches.
Her wrists were circled by raw, open wounds.
And she’d been worried about me!
She’s so fucking strong.
“She needs a doctor,” I said to everyone and no one in particular. Not that it mattered, only John heard my weak attempt at giving an order.
“She’s going straight to the hospital,” John said as he carefully wrapped his arms around me. “Thank you for saving my little girl.” He didn’t bother wiping the tears from his face when he pulled away.
His sons followed right behind him.
“You can talk to them as the paramedics look them over,” the firefighter closest to me said as he turned me towards the waiting ambulances.
“I go where she goes.” I sounded like someone who’d smoked three cartons a day for forty years.
“You’re going in the same direction.”
My arm screamed with every step. Even the pressure from the ambient air was painful to endure.
