Chapter 32
CHAPTER
Justin heard the alarm on his phone with a sense of dread.
If this was Ben messing around, he’d have his little brother’s hide.
But even as that thought formed, he knew that wasn’t the case.
Not even Ben would mess around with a fire alert.
He pulled his phone from his pocket as the alarm programmed just for fire alerts continued to sound.
He silenced it with a touch and swiped the screen to see the message.
Beside him, Anna was silent.
‘I’m sorry. It’s a fire warning. I have to call in.’
She nodded.
Justin hit the call button as he stood and moved a couple of steps away. The other end rang once before he heard his brother’s voice.
‘Sorry, but we need you. And the Wagtail Ridge volunteers.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘Wind change. The teams at the Castle Rock fire won’t be able to hold it. They need reinforcement. Now.’
As he listened, Justin became aware that the wind had indeed changed direction and strength. There was even the smallest hint of smoke in the air. He wouldn’t have noticed it if not for Ben’s call. Now he couldn’t shake it. ‘I can smell the smoke.’
‘Yeah. It’s moving fast. Can you open up the station there and call in as many volunteers as you can get? I’m doing the same here. We should be on the way in about half an hour.’
‘Will do.’
‘When you’re ready, central ops will tell you where to go.’
Justin heard a shout down the phone.
‘I’m out of here,’ Ben said. ‘Be safe, brother.’
‘Be safe—’ Ben was gone before the words were spoken.
Justin put his phone back in his pocket. ‘I have to go.’
‘I know.’
‘I …’ He had to say something. He couldn’t just walk away from her, but his mind was spinning with the urgency of the things he had to do.
‘It’s fine. I understand. You have to go.’
She did understand. He knew that and it meant everything to him. ‘I’ve got to get the volunteers organised. Come on.’ He reached for her hand and held it tightly as they hurried back inside the hall.
The party was in full swing, with the band playing loudly.
The dance floor was heaving with people having a good time and Justin pushed his way through to the stage and jumped up.
The singer looked at him with surprise. Justin held his gaze for a few seconds and the singer understood.
He stepped back and signalled to his bandmates to stop.
As the music faded, Justin stepped to the microphone. ‘There’s a bushfire.’
The words echoed around the hall. The band put down their instruments, all movement on the dance floor ceased and every face turned towards Justin.
‘Sorry to spoil the fun. Most of you know I’m with the RFS. There’s a fire burning up near Castle Rock. The wind is changing. They need us.’
There was a sudden stir of movement and voices as the information sank home.
Someone on the dance floor asked the question that was on everyone’s minds. ‘Is it coming this way?’
‘It might. The smoke is blowing this way. We need all the trained volunteers we can get. I don’t know if the fire will get this far, but everyone should get ready to defend your homes.
Make sure your neighbours are all right.
Have a go-bag ready in case the word comes through to evacuate.
Keep listening for updates. Radio. Internet.
Phone. If you don’t have it already, download the RFS app. ’
There was a soft murmur of assent.
‘Thanks.’ Justin turned to the small crowd of townsfolk who weren’t firefighters. ‘Please spread the word and make sure no one gets caught out. Help each other. You know what to do.’
His eyes met Anna’s and she nodded. ‘We’ll get things organised here,’ she said. ‘This can be our evacuation centre and it’s the best place for the firefighters if they need food or a break.’
‘Thanks.’ He wanted to say more to her, but he didn’t have time. Carol was standing beside Anna, her face creased with worry. ‘Look after each other,’ he said again to the town in general, but his eyes were on Carol and Anna. ‘And if the word comes to evacuate the town, don’t hesitate.’
They both nodded.
‘I’m heading over to the fire station now. Firefighters, come with me.’ Justin jumped down from the stage. Anna was waiting for him, but they were soon surrounded by people stepping forward with offers of help.
‘I know I’m not properly trained, but I can help.’ That was Dave, who had helped clear the firebreak around Carol’s house. He was clutching the hand of his girlfriend.
‘I’ll help too.’ Rick was also eager.
‘I’m not up to much,’ his injured father said beside him. ‘But I’ll do whatever I can.’
‘We’re ready.’ Jake was there, as was Shane from the pub and Bree’s husband, Matt.
‘Thank you. Thank you, all.’ Justin made his way through the crowd and led them out of the hall. Most of the volunteers said goodbye to their families on the footpath, leaving them behind as they crossed the road and walked to the fire station. But Anna never left Justin’s side.
‘How bad is it?’ she asked quietly, so no one else would hear.
‘I’m not sure, but if the wind goes the wrong way, it could be really bad.’
‘The Ridge is safe, isn’t it?’
‘I don’t know. The fire is twenty kilometres away.’ He knew that wasn’t far enough. With a strong wind, a fire could travel that distance in a couple of hours. Maybe less.
‘But it’s coming this way?’
‘I can smell the smoke.’ He could feel the wind in his face too. It was blowing directly towards the town.
As soon as they reached the fire station, Justin pulled the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the roller doors.
Inside, the town’s fire truck was waiting, exactly as Justin and Ben had left it.
He double-checked that the water tank was full.
All around him, volunteers were taking safety gear from the hangers and pulling it on as he had trained them to do.
Justin did the same, then he called central operations for an update and instructions.
When he finished the call, he found the men and women standing silent, watching him, waiting for him to lead them.
‘The fire has turned and is definitely heading this way,’ he said.
‘It’s about twenty kilometres away, so if the wind doesn’t change, it’ll be here before dawn.
’ The group of volunteers remained silent, but their faces changed.
‘The crews already up there are doing their best, but they’ve been fighting it for twenty-four hours. They need our help.’
A murmur of voices declared they were ready to do whatever was needed.
‘My brother Ben is coming down from Tamworth with another crew. They’ll tackle the northern front.
We are approaching from this side. I’ll lead the way with the unit I brought down today.
Dave and Rick, you’re with me.’ He pointed to two more men.
‘That’s four in my unit. Jake, you take this truck.
Matt. Mike. Shane. And two others …’ Hands went up.
Justin selected two more. ‘You’re with Jake.
The rest of you, start on that side of town.
’ Justin pointed. ‘Bang on doors and make sure people are ready. Help them get their hoses out. If they can, they should start spraying water on the roofs now.’ He could see in their eyes that they knew what he meant.
With strong winds, sparks would be flying well ahead of the fire front.
‘Great. Everyone, keep your radios on and your phones close.’ He handed the truck’s keys to Jake, who’d driven it many times in training.
‘Ken,’ he addressed the policeman who had just arrived, having paused on the way to don his uniform.
‘There are already road closures in place, but we may need more.’
Ken nodded. ‘I’ve been talking to regional HQ. We’ve got it.’
‘All right. Let’s get on the road.’
The volunteers climbed into the trucks. Justin swung into the cab of his and turned the key. The engine sprang to life, and keeping his eyes peeled for people standing watching, he headed out of town. The second truck followed.
***
As Anna watched the red truck lights turn onto the highway and head out of town, she felt the breeze lift her hair. The smell of smoke was too strong to miss. She heard a voice beside her. A fear-filled whisper.
‘Be safe.’
Fingers closed around her hand and she looked over to see Carol, tears in her eye, shaking with tension.
‘It’ll be all right,’ Anna reassured her. ‘Justin will come back. They both will.’ She wasn’t entirely sure who she was trying to convince.
Deb and Kelly appeared in front of them. ‘We need to get the hall set up,’ Deb said. ‘Whatever happens, there will be tired and hungry firefighters needing somewhere to rest soon.’
Anna nodded. ‘I’d like to get back to the clinic, to check everything is ready and get a change of clothes. Then I’ll be—’ She stopped in mid-sentence. ‘I don’t have my car.’
‘It’s all right,’ Carol said. ‘I have mine. I’ll drive you home to get yours.’
‘And I’ll start getting the town organised,’ Kelly said. ‘Where’s Val? This is where she shines. She can get in touch with everyone.’
The partygoers began, slowly, to move away. Some went back to the hall to help. Others went home. Anna followed Carol to her car and got in beside her. Carol’s hands were still shaking as she started the engine.
‘Are you all right, Carol?’
Carol nodded. She drove in silence for a few minutes before speaking again. ‘Justin said he was going to come around to my house tomorrow. I was hoping that meant he … we …’
‘He’ll come around the next day. Or the one after that. You know, you should be so proud of both of them. They are both good men. And what they do is very brave.’
‘I don’t know how much credit I can claim,’ Carol said. ‘I was a bad mother. That’s why they both hate me now.’
‘Justin doesn’t hate you!’ The mere thought shocked Anna. ‘You’ve been distant for a long time, but he doesn’t hate you. I think he’d like to be on better terms with you now.’
‘I hope you’re right. But Ben is never going to forgive me, and Justin has always chosen his brother over me.
Even when they were small, they pushed me away.
It was hard being a single mother to two boys.
I wanted to be with them more, but I worked two jobs to keep food on the table and a roof over our head. ’
‘They might not have understood that when they were kids, but I’m sure they do now.’
Carol sniffed loudly and rubbed one hand over her eyes. ‘Enough of me and my self-pity. There’s a fire burning. We’ve all got jobs to do.’