“Careful with her.That’smy girl.”
“10-4.Takingher down toEMS.Getout before it comes down.”
Red and white flashed in tandem with the orange asIfloated.Wasthis what dying was like?
“It’s not hot anymore,”Imurmured asIfloated in the grogginess between conscious and unconscious. “That’snice.”
I tumbled in the ether, crashing through the haze of dream-like clouds and landing on my back.Somethinghard pressed against my mouth.Myeyelids were opened against my will, and a harsh light bit into my vision.Thewind tunnel of roaring flames settled into the pitter-pat of steady summer rain.
It felt good.
Cleansing.
My lungs seized asIbroke into a coughing fit.Iopened my eyes and watched as chaos swirled around in a blur.Lightsflashed and sirens blared.Radioschirped with chatter.
Gloved hands were on me, gently laying me back on whatIrealized was a stretcher.Ifelt the sharp prick of a needle as someone started anIV.
“Aurora!” a deep voice bellowed.
I peered through heavy lashes as a firefighter pushed through the crowd and ran to me.
He yanked his helmet off, and my heart sank.
Drew.
“Shit,” he said under his breath. “Howbad is she?”
“Looks like she got lucky.Myguess is just smoke inhalation.Noburns.We’retaking her toMoreheadto get checked out.”
“Jack?”Irasped into the oxygen mask.
Drew’s face was grim. “He’son primary search.Foundyou, got you out through one of the bedroom windows, and handed you off to the ladder crew.Shouldbe out in a minute.”
He froze when orders to evacuate the structure crackled over every radio in the vicinity.Allat once, the driver engineers laid on the horns of each engine, sounding them off in short warning blasts.Thesound was deafening, rattling my bones.Iclasped my hands over my ears as the noise shook me to my core.
Jack was still in there.
A loud crack echoed across the rain-soaked beach, andIwatched in horror as the roof collapsed.
I tried to scream, but my lungs didn’t have the capacity.
Flames roared high, soaring into the heavens as everythingIhad worked to save came crumbling down.
The piercing siren of another fire engine ripping down the street added to the chaos.
The crowd parted as heavy boots clobbered against the driveway.
I knew it was him.Iknew the rhythm of his footsteps.Ihad listened to them all summer long.
Jack was drenched.Ididn’t know if it was rain or sweat or both.Therewas a matching fire in his eyes as his sprint turned into a bolt.
“Be patient with him,”Drewsaid. “He’sabout to be overbearing.”
Jack stuffed his breathing apparatus and helmet intoDrew’swaiting hands, yanked his gloves off, and cupped my cheeks.
I wasn’t surprised in the slightest that he didn’t take my oxygen mask off to kiss me.ItwasJackafter all.
Instead, he kissed my soot-streaked temple and whispered, “Ilove you.”
