7. Asher
Chapter 7
Asher
A rush. That was the only way I could explain everything that was happening around me. My boots echoed against the cold concrete floor of the fire station as I rushed to suit up.
A call had come in—an apartment building ablaze, one of the worst calls I had to deal with. It was almost routine for us to rush around the way we were, as the sirens rang in the background, and the captain shouted in the back for us to hurry our asses up.
Something gnawed at my gut as I ran into the bus with my colleagues, and we were en-route. Too similar, I thought to myself. It was all too similar.
As soon as we arrived, the flicker of flames that the building was engulfed in and the acrid smell reminded me of my past. A past that I had fought so hard to forget, but it haunted me.
The chaos and trauma that I had buried deep was revived as I marched into the building with my team; the sirens wailing in the back distracted me from the past. As hard as I tried to fight it, I couldn’t ignore the adrenaline that was pumping through my veins.
At that moment, I felt like I was addicted to this lifestyle. The rush, the danger pending, the uncertainty...it felt good.
My team and I moved in synchronized movements—a well-practiced ballet, making sure to call out for any victims who were still in the apartment as we extinguished the fire.
“ It’s all clear here!” Jax shouted as he extended his arms outwards and down at a forty-five-degree angle.
“ I think there’s still some people in the building,” I told him as he joined me by my side, and he shook his head.
“ Nah , man; Damon and his team checked the other floors. It’s clean.” He slapped my back as he pushed me toward the stairs, hurrying me to leave the building that could collapse at any minute.
“ Help !” We both stopped in our tracks as we heard the voice that screamed into the smoke-filled air. “ I’m still here!” The person coughed, and we rushed upstairs, maneuvering between the fire and falling ceilings.
“ Asher , it’s too dangerous!” Jax shouted as we came across a stumbling block on our path; the flames seemed to grow, and I shook my head as I looked at the flames.
“ Get out of here!” I yelled as I pushed my arms up and crossed them over my face as I ran through the fire, following the timid voice that grew weaker at every shout. I could hear Jax’s faint cussing as I ran further away from him, and I knew he had done exactly what I told him to.
Was I being reckless? Perhaps , but there was no way I would leave someone to die. It wasn’t right.
Oh , the captain is gonna be so pissed at me if I make it out alive.
“ Where are you?” I shouted as I kicked the doors in, and all I could hear was coughing. I was running out of apartment doors to kick in, and if I didn’t find this person soon, then we’d both be dying in this building today.
As the fire grew, I finally caught wind of where this person was. I kicked in the final door, and he was slumped over the chair, weakened from all the smoke he had inhaled. I quickly removed my mask and placed it over his head so that he could breathe in the little bit of oxygen I had left.
“ Are there any other people in this apartment?” I helped him get up from the floor, and he shook his head.
As I led him to the door, the crackling bitter fire burnt the door, forcing it off its hinges, and I cursed under my breath as I looked for a way out of this apartment. I noticed the balcony at the end of the room and urged him to quickly walk toward it. With one quick swing of my axe to the door, the glass shattered, and we stood on the balcony while I devised a way to get out of the building. I looked down and noticed the building close to his apartment had a low rise.
Just might have to take a chance with it.
“ We’re gonna have to jump to that building over there, okay?” I told him my insane plan, and his eyes widened as he shook his head.
“ Uhm , no, I’m not doing that.” Was he even in a situation where he could choose?
“ We don’t really have a choice,” I said as I looked at the fire that spread quickly in his apartment. “ On the count of three, we jump, okay?”
“ No , no, no!” He shook his head, and I began the countdown. “ There has to be another wa-ahhh!” He screamed as I reached the number three, and Jax helped me pick up the tenant and place him safely on the fire aerial ladder, where I quickly joined them.
“ Wait , what?” the man asked, shocked as he looked around, taking in the scenery around him as the ladder moved further away from the apartment building, and I smiled as I bumped fists with Jax .
“ You’re risky, man,” Jax laughed as he shook his head. “ You’re lucky I got here on time.”
“ I knew I could trust you,” I said as I climbed off the ladder and helped the victim, who still couldn’t register the fact that he didn’t have to jump onto another building. So , sure, I scared him a bit, but that was because I didn’t want him to panic and run back into the blazing apartment.
I gave him something else to fear other than the fire while Jax continued with the plan we had discussed when the victim called out for help. Nobody was a better duo than us.
“ Stone ! What the hell is wrong with you?” my captain shouted the moment he set eyes on me, and I brushed my hair with my hand as I faced my boss, patiently waiting for the tongue lashing I was about to receive from him.
“ I saved another life, sir,” I defended myself, and he sighed as he shook his head.
“ Go back to the station with alpha crew and think about what you’ve done!” Like a child; he liked to treat us as if we were his children, and I guess I understood him. What I did was dangerous, and I didn’t put much thought into it.
I never did.
“ What about the overhaul, Derek ?”
“ Beta and delta crew will deal with the hot spots and securing the scene. Just get out of my face.”
“ Yes , sir.” I waved and went back to the station with the alpha crew, which Jax was part of. I immediately took off my uniform and took a quick shower, wanting to get home as soon as possible.
Today had exhausted me to my core.
Jax raised an eyebrow as he saw me gather my stuff into my bag and fling it over my shoulder. “ You’re skipping our tradition, Asher ?”
“ Not in the mood tonight,” I shrugged, as I could still smell the acrid flames, that reminded me of the decayed bodies from Afghanistan that had haunted me. The flames were always a bitter reminder of that tour.
Fuck - why did I choose to become a firefighter?
“ You alright, man?” Jax asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, and I nodded.
“ See you.” I raised my hand as I walked over to my car and quickly made my way home. I had decided to skip the bar and drinks with the boys today. I needed rest.
The apartment hallway greeted me with dim lighting and smooth ceramic tiles as I headed to my apartment. And there, giggling alone standing opposite her apartment, stood Brooke . She was engrossed in her phone, too engrossed to even notice me as I stopped by her.
She was dressed in a very cute sundress, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders, with a few purple pins on her head. Her pouty pink lips were glossy, and even though her face was cast down, I noticed the faint brown freckles scattered across her face.
She bothered me, and yet, simultaneously, I was intrigued by her. She was odd.
She finally raised her head from her phone and released an exhausted breath.
“ Brooke ,” I greeted her, and she forced a smile on her face. I knew she had blocked me ever since I sent her the first text, because I would send her regular updates involving the petition— I was just being an informative neighbor—and none of the texts were read.
“ Hi ,” she snarled, seeming like she had forced herself to greet me back.
“ Have you managed to not burn your apartment down? I saw a glimpse of the future if you continue living in this building,” I teased, and she sighed as she looked at me from the corner of her eye.
“ Leave me alone.”
“ Have you been behaving?”
“ Why do you care? Now leave me alone,” she gritted, and I tilted my head to the side.
“ I can’t leave you alone. You bother me.”
“ I bother you?” She sounded shocked, and I nodded. “ You’re the one who bothered me while I was texting on my phone.”
“ Just wanted to see if you’re being responsible. You worry me.”
“ I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I don’t need any of your concern!”
I leaned in closer as I noticed that her expression had shifted from surprise to annoyance. She was interesting.
“ No candles burning lately?”
“ I learned my lesson the first time. Doors are expensive, and I have been on my best behavior! Promise ,” she said sarcastically, and I could feel my lips threatening to stretch out into a smile, so the best I could do was scoff and offer a smirk.
She is odd.
“ Good . Daddy is pleased.” Horror and disgust took over her face as she let out some weird sounds as she took a few steps back.
“ You —” she gasped and shook her head as she blocked her ears with her fingers. “ You’re disgusting!”
“ Relax , Brooke ; I’m just messing with you,” I grinned, and she pretended to barf. As she raised her middle fingers, I couldn’t help but notice how bouncy her brown hair was.
She really was gorgeous; I thought so the first day I met her, even though it was in the most annoying circumstances. She was pretty then, too.
But dammit, Brooke is annoying!
“ You’re a really disgusting man,” she whispered, and I watched her go. She was unpredictable, fiery and intriguing. I wondered just what she would do once the petition was successful.
Perhaps she would create one that would counterattack my petition. Maybe I had underestimated her.
I entered my apartment and grabbed a water from the fridge, replaying our banter in the hallway. I can’t believe I expressed my concern over her, and she pushed back.
Brooke had a story; I could see the vulnerability in her eyes. I knew those eyes way too well— they had the same vulnerability I had seen in war-torn eyes years ago.
She felt familiar.