Chapter 18
Jesse
Brady and I were sitting in the bay, playing cards, because the night had been slow. The wind outside whistled around the corners of the firehouse, and the weather forecasters were predicting a severe thunderstorm. Rain should’ve already been falling, but it hadn’t yet.
Just then, my phone went off with a text message.
Laida: The storm is coming in hot. Rusty and I are heading outside to lock things down. It’s so windy. Please be careful tonight! I hope it’s a quiet night for you. Xoxo.
She was supposed to lock things down during the day when things were calm. I didn’t like the thought of her going out to do it when the wind was blowing everything around and a storm was coming in. Worry crept in so I sent her a text.
Me: Be careful. What do you still have to do? The wind is insane right now. I’d rather you stay inside.
I thought that she must’ve gone out already because she never texted me back.
Brady pointed two fingers at his eyes and said, “I’m the captain now!” doing his best impression of Barkhad Abdi’s pirate character from the movie Captain Phillips. Then he tossed his last card down to go out and end the hand. I love Rummy, but Brady is the worst winner.
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Wow. Calm down, it was one hand. Don’t let it make your head big.”
We laughed right before the fire alarm sounded, sending us bolting to our gear. It was always a race. Brady said, “Alright! Let’s see what it is.”
Dispatch: "Engine 7. Respond to a structure fire at 51340-County Road 26. Caller and dog are stuck inside the barn. I’ve lost contact. Attempting to reconnect.”
I jumped. “What the fuck did she just say?” I looked at Brady for an answer.
“It’s Laida, man!”
I yelled, “Hurry!” as we jumped into our gear and climbed onto the truck. “Light em up!” Brady flipped the switches to turn on the lights and siren as we took off.
Engine 7: "Dispatch, Engine 7. Responding to 51340-County Road 26. ETA is three minutes.”
Dispatch: Copy that Engine 7. Five minutes.
Every fucking horrible thought was going through my mind as we made our way to the barn.
“She’s inside? Did she say she’s INSIDE the barn?
” Everyone was quiet. I looked at Brady and he just stared at me.
I kept going, “She said she lost contact. What does that mean? Did the call drop? Did Laida stop answering her? What happened?”
We pulled down the gravel road, and my heart sank when I saw the barn almost completely engulfed in flames. “Oh, God.”
Mark said, “Game face, Harrington. We’ll get her out.”
Brady parked the truck and we jumped out. The Chief was already standing nearby. “Harrington, stay back.”
“What? No.” He couldn’t keep me from getting to Laida.
“Stay back! It’s too close for you. Everyone else go in and report out.”
Helplessly, I watched on as the team busted into the barn to clear it. I didn’t know what to do. My entire fucking world was in that barn, and I was standing outside. “Chief… please…”
“She said to tell you she loves you.”
I turned to him. “What?”
“That’s what she said to the dispatcher before the connection was lost.”
I wanted to cry. Before the connection was lost. I dropped to my knees and stared at the barn on fire, waiting to hear something, anything.
They’d been in there too long. “Chief, it’s taking too long.
What’s happening?” Just then, the rain came pouring down, putting the fire out, a little too late.
I gritted my teeth through tears and cursed the sky. Maybe a little too soon.
“Chief. We’ve got them and we’re coming out.”
I ran to the barn as I watched them appear from the smoke and debris. Evans carried Rusty. Brady was carried Laida. I screamed for her, “Laida! Laida, baby!” She didn’t respond. I turned to Evans. “Rusty!”
They took them straight to the ambulance, with neither of them moving. My world came to a stop.