Chapter Three The Warning
Maci
Maci felt like she was swimming with every ounce of strength that she had as she struggled to the surface of the haze.
Bright lights and white everything in the room merged together and almost blinded her as she tried to open her eyes.
She raised her arm to cover her face and felt a tug near her elbow.
She managed to peek enough to see an IV tube taped to her upper forearm.
Ever so slowly she managed to focus enough to realize she was in a hospital room.
Why am I in the hospital? The fire flared up in her mind as she remembered.
A nurse walked in carrying a clipboard. She smiled brightly at Maci and checked the machines before writing on her pad. “Welcome back. You gave us a little scare for a bit.”
“Water,” Maci croaked. Her throat burned from the smoke and her voice crackled.
The nurse poured a glass from a nearby pitcher and guided the straw to Maci’s parched lips. Her name tag read Selene. “Not too much now. Just little sips.”
The cool water rushed over her tongue and soothed her throat. She tried to drink more, but Selene took the straw away. “You don’t want to throw it up or your throat will really be sore.”
Maci lay back against the pillow. “How long have I been here?” Some of the scratchiness was gone when she spoke.
“Since yesterday. One of the firefighters found you out in a field. From the looks of you when you came in, it was in the nick of time. Your hair and clothes were scorched, and your oxygen level was really low due to smoke inhalation. Do you remember coming in?”
I remember flying. Maci tried to clear her mind and think back. She remembered the fire all around her...and then the sensation of flying. It must have been the smoke, like she said. I must have been dreaming.
“Honey,” Selene leaned over her, “are you okay?”
“I...I don’t remember. There was fire everywhere and then...nothing.” Even in her current state of mind, Maci knew that less was more until she figured it out. “Are my grandparents here?”
Selene hesitated. “I’ll go see and find the doctor.” The door swung shut behind her.
Maci struggled to sit up. She couldn’t tell if the nurse was acting weird or if she herself was just a little disoriented. She glanced at the door before she reached for the glass of water and gulped it down. She gave a little happy sigh. Water had never tasted so good.
She thought back to the field. The last coherent thought she remembered having was of her mother.
Maybe I’m just remembering the firefighter carrying me to...
an ambulance? Or his vehicle? How did I get here?
She had so many questions and very few answers.
She wiggled her toes and did a quick stretching test to make sure there weren’t any injuries she didn’t know about.
The door opened and Malo walked in. He hurried across the room and kissed her forehead as he grasped her hands. “My princess. I am so happy you’re awake.”
She kissed the backs of his fingers. “I’m fine, Grandpa. A little singed, from what I hear, but I’ll be no worse for the wear. Where’s Grandma?”
His smile faded. When he didn’t answer right away, alarm bells rang in Maci’s head and replaced any lingering dizziness. “Grandpa, where is my grandmother?” Panic rose in her throat.
“Two floors up.” He finally met her eyes. “In the cardiac ward.”
She instantly sat straight up and swished the blankets out of the way. “Why? What happened?” She tried to swing her legs over the side of the bed, but a wave of dizziness washed over her at the same time Malo blocked her movement.
He helped her settle back on the bed. “She’s stable for now. You’ll do her no good by rushing up there, nor is there anything you can do. You need to rest.”
“What happened? You’re not answering me.” He had always been brutally honest with her, and the fact that he was skirting the issue just increased the panic.
“She…” he took a deep breath, “she had a heart attack. The stress of the fire...she couldn’t…”
His voice faltered and her heart broke. She pulled him into a hug. “It’s okay, Grandpa. She’s strong. She’ll be fine.” She made herself believe her own words. There were no options.
He cleared his throat. “I know.” He pulled back. “The doctors have said that she just needs rest.”
“The fire!” Her brain finally snapped back into place. “What happened to the fire? Is the resort okay?”
He nodded. “It’s out. Everything is under control now.”
She glanced out the window. “Did it rain? How did it get put out?”
Malo shrugged. “I don’t know. Just as I’m unsure how you arrived here. I went to the kitchen to get water for the men and found your grandmother. I must admit, I lost track of everything else after that. But when we arrived here, you were being admitted.”
“Did I get here by ambulance?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Grandma was, but they said a firefighter brought you in personally. I have been unable to figure out who.”
“It wasn’t Liam or one of the guys?”
“No, they were all with me. The nurses said it was a firefighter.”
“But who…” Her brows raised and she sucked in a deep breath that made her cough. “Things are weird. I think the smoke rattled my brain.”
Malo took her hands. When she looked up at him, his face wore an extremely solemn expression. “Maci, you need to be careful. Circumstances are not always in line, and things get...weird...like you said. Be aware of your surroundings always. Do not trust many.”
She giggled. She didn’t mean to, but the seriousness of the moment overwhelmed her. “Grandpa, you’re talking silly. You sound like we’re in a spy movie. You know, those James Bond ones that you like to watch.”
“Sweetheart, I’m serious. You must listen to me.”
“What are you talking abou--”
She was interrupted as the door opened again and a doctor walked in, followed by Selene. He carried her clipboard. “Ms. Moynahan. It’s nice to see you awake and coherent.” He checked her IV before he extended his arm.
She shook his hand. “It’s nice to be awake.”
“I’m Dr. Cordrey. Everything looks good; your vitals are back in normal ranges.
I want to keep you overnight just so we can keep the IV fluids going and make sure everything stays stable.
You were very lucky not to have any burns or…
” he checked the clipboard, “any real injuries other than low oxygen. You’ll be going home tomorrow. ”
She started to check the burns on her arm, but something stopped her. Waiting until she was alone was a better idea, even if she didn’t understand why.
“Thank you. Do you know anything about my grandmother?”
He shook his head. “I don’t keep in touch with the cardiac ward.” He smiled at Malo. “Hopefully everything is fine. You’ve had quite the last twenty-four hours.”
“Would it be okay if I took a shower?” Maci wrinkled her nose. “I smell like smoke.”
Selene laughed. “I sponge-bathed you the best I could, but I’ll help you shower if it’s okay with Dr. Cordrey.”
The doctor nodded. “Just be careful with the IV and you’ll be good.” They walked out after Selene promised to be back as quickly as she could to help with the bathing.
Malo kissed Maci’s forehead. “I’m going back upstairs to check on your grandmother. Have me paged if you need me.” He winked at her. “Although, I sense I’ll be seeing you up there sooner rather than later.”
“I love you, Grandpa. Tell Grandma for me.”
After he left, she pulled her gown away from her arm. All of the ugly welts were gone where she had been burned. No red streaks, no scar, no evidence that she had ever been injured. She flopped her arm to her side.
What the hell is going on? And who is the firefighter that brought me here?