6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Jake
T he siren pierces the night as I tightly grip the steering wheel, knuckles white, focused solely on the winding road ahead. My heart hammers inside my chest, adrenaline already pumping through my veins. I know every second brings us closer to the raging fire engulfing Deer Creek campground. Lives are at stake.
"Two minutes out," Elijah calls from the seat beside me, his voice steady despite the urgency.
"Copy that," I reply.
We round the last bend, the orange flames dancing violently against the dark sky. My eyes fixate on a yellow bus parked dangerously close to the inferno—a bus from Ellie's school. Fear floods my body, thoughts spiraling. Are there children still inside? Is Ellie here?
No, why would Ellie be here? There are tons of classes at the elementary school, so the chances are low. I only hope all the children made it out safe. Still, that school bus shouldn't be parked here.
I barely wait for the truck to stop before jumping out, Elijah on my heels. Our other teammates wait in the truck as our boots hit the ground running and we assess the scene quickly. I see several small faces looking at me from inside the bus—it must be some kind of field trip. They definitely picked the wrong weekend to camp.
A disheveled woman stumbles from the bus, her pajamas a kaleidoscope of colors so bold they have no business being in a place like this—flamingos and palm trees in a neon clash. She's sobbing. My chest tightens.
"Are any kids hurt?" I ask.
She shakes her head.
"Then we need to move this bus now."
She shakes her head again, mumbling incoherently between frantic gasps. Elijah calls for backup on the radio while I gently grasp her shoulders.
"Take a breath, miss. We're going to move this bus to safety. Now tell me, slowly, what's happening."
"We can't, we can't," she sobs. "There's...she's back there..."
"Who? Someone is trapped in the campground?"
She nods.
"Where?"
"Site twenty-six...Ellie...went to find...the dog...She..."
"Ellie Carter?" The name punches the air from my lungs. "Are you telling me Ellie's back there?"
"Y-yes." Her nod is frantic, desperate.
Ellie is...? Not Ellie.
My demeanor cracks and I spin toward the truck. I'm about to break protocol, about to charge into hell for one woman, and it terrifies me more than the inferno itself. Because losing Ellie isn't an option.
I sprint back to the truck, Elijah on my heels.
"We need to wait for aerial support!" he yells as the truck lurches forward.
I ignore him, consumed by a single thought—I have to find Ellie. Adrenaline pounds through me as we near the flames. I jerk the truck to a stop as close as I can to site 26, jolting Elijah forward, along with every other firefighter in the truck. As our teammates don't question anything and simply get to work, my boots hit the ground, gravel crunching under the weight of my decision. I tug my helmet on and face the flames.
"Jake, stop!" Elijah shouts after me. "You're acting crazy!"
Maybe I am, but I duck into the smoke. No plan, just an intense instinct to find her. My training screams at me, telling me I'm being reckless, that I should set up, assess, plan. But it's not just anyone in there—it's Ellie. And the thought of her trapped, scared, or hurt... it's like a vise on my chest.
The air is thick with smoke; it stings my eyes, clogs my lungs. I pull my mask tighter against my face. The crackling inferno surrounds me, heat singeing my gear.
"Dammit, Jake! This isn't you!" Elijah's close behind, his concern for procedure drowned out by his concern for me. Good man, Elijah, but he doesn't understand—this is personal.
Any second Ellie could be overcome by fumes, trapped by the ravenous flames. I have to find her. Can't fail like I failed Sarah. Searing pain shoots through me at the memory. Sarah's lifeless body after the accident. My inability to save her. I won't lose Ellie too.
The heat intensifies as we push deeper into the campground as we search, looking for any signs of life. Tents are ablaze, trees are torches, and the world is an angry orange. Then, a sound pierces through—a dog's distant bark. Hope surges within me. I wave Elijah over and we race toward the sound.
The bark grows louder, slicing through the roar of fire and crackling wood. My boots pound the scorched earth, each step a desperate race against time.
Guided by the distant barking, I push through the haze until finally, I spot her.
Ellie.
Her body lies crumpled on the ground, a limp silhouette, the dog circling her. My heart plummets to my stomach. "No, no, not again," I chant under my breath. I rush to her side, praying I'm not too late. Then I drop to my knees beside her.
With trained hands, I secure an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, relief washing over me as her chest rises and falls with breath. "Good girl, keep breathing," I murmur, more to myself than her.
In the corner of my eye, I see Elijah scoop up the dog, its golden fur blacken with soot but it's alive. One less life on my conscience tonight.
I gently lift Ellie's slender frame into my arms, her weight nothing compared to the burden of fear I've been carrying. Her head rests against my chest. "I've got you, Ellie," I rasp. "Just hold on."
I carry her back through the destruction as quickly as my legs allow. The fire rages on, but my mission is complete. She's safe.
We emerge from the deepest parts of the smoke and I breathe clean air into my burning lungs. The truck comes into view. We don't carry stretchers on the fire truck, so Elijah secures the dog's leash somewhere, then spreads a blanket down on the inside of the truck. I lay Ellie down on it, brushing ash-covered strands of hair from her face. Kneeling beside her, I remove my helmet and check for injuries.
Slowly, her eyelids flutter open, revealing those rich caramel eyes clouded with confusion and fear. "Jake?"
"You're okay," I assure her. "I've got you."
I tried to encourage her to keep laying down, but she's too alarmed, sitting up fully to stare at me. her eyes fill with tears.
"Shh, you're safe now." I brush a smudge of soot from her cheek, trying to offer comfort with my touch. My heart is still beating wildly, and my own eyes are feeling misty.
I almost lost her.
Tears spill down her cheeks. "Jake..." She reaches for me, and I can't help but pull her close.
I pull her shaking body against my chest, holding her tight. "You're safe," I repeat, as much to reassure myself as her.
Her sobs break, raw and jagged, against my chest.
"Shhh, you're safe now," I murmur into her hair. "I'll keep you safe." I clear my throat, trying to fight the emotion.
What if I had lost her? What if I hadn't reached her in time? What if...
She lifts her head, her face puffy and pink. Our eyes lock and something shifts between us.
Before I can react, her lips crash into mine. It's soft, tentative—a question hanging between us as I barely react, stunned. But it doesn't take long before my walls break, and I give into the kiss, the world fading away. I cradle her face in my hands, losing myself in her sweet taste. I'm lost in the feel of her lips on mine. In this instant, nothing else exists—no fire, no fear, just her. My Ellie.
She's safe. I didn't lose her.
But as relief and something more clouds my mind, reality hits me like a punch to the gut.
Marcus.
I wrench myself away. What the hell am I doing? She's my best friend's little sister. Off-limits.
"The mask," I say gruffly, avoiding her eyes. My voice is rough with emotions I can't afford to feel. "Put it back on. You inhaled a lot of smoke."
She nods and lays back down on the blanket.
I glance behind me to see Elijah watching us, his brows raised. Shit. He saw everything. Annoyance flares within me at his prying eyes. I don't need him poking around in my business. And I don't want him—or anyone—seeing me like this. Exposed. Vulnerable. I quickly avert my eyes, focusing on the job at hand.
I hop out of the truck, shooting him a look that warns him not to ask me any questions about what he just witnessed. He turns his attention to the dog, offering it a bowl of water.
The wail of sirens cuts through the air as the paramedics arrive on scene. I let out a breath. Ellie is in good hands now.
As the paramedics load her into the ambulance, I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "You're safe. They'll take care of you."
She nods, eyes brimming with gratitude and something more that I don't want to name. I force myself to pull away, returning to Elijah's side. He gives me a searching look, one I ignore. Now isn't the time for a heart-to-heart. We have a job to do.
I secure my helmet, pushing thoughts of Ellie from my mind. I need to focus. Lives are at stake. In this moment, I need to be a firefighter, not some guy tangled up in feelings he has no right to have.
"Let's move," I bark to Elijah. We jog back towards the raging fire, the swirling smoke stinging my eyes. Back into the belly of the beast.
We pull out equipment next to our colleagues. My gloved hands grip the hose tighter, focusing on the force of the water that surges from it, trying to drown out the memory of her touch. I plant my feet, directing the stream at a particularly stubborn blaze, the muscles in my arms straining with the effort.
But try as I might, my mind keeps drifting back to Ellie. The feel of her in my arms. To that kiss. The one I never should've returned but desperately wanted to. I've been lying to myself, pretending she means nothing to me. That she's only a neighbor who happens to be my best friend's sister.
But our kiss tonight shattered that illusion.
She's dug herself into my thoughts, as much as I wish otherwise. I can't deny it any longer. The realization is terrifying, and it's the exact reason why I have kept my distance all this time. My heart is a fortress, or at least, it needs to be.
What the hell am I going to do?
"Come on, Jake," Elijah calls out, breaking through my internal maelstrom. "Let's put this thing to bed."
"Right behind you," I reply, my voice more growl than tone. But I follow, because that's what I do—push forward, save what I can, and try to ignore the rest, especially my failures.
Too painful.