Chapter 32
Jace
Hayden barrels out the door as smoke follows his motion, rolling out with a force.
A small female body pressed to his chest, in a ball gown.
My heart hammers out of my chest as he rushes to the ambulance where Cody waits.
“Female, lost consciousness, pulse is steady, but fading.” He turns around and looks at me, “It’s Lilla.
She’s inside, man.” My heart leaps out of my chest, fighting to be next to her.
Two words, ‘it’s Lilla’, is all it took to engage in fight mode, to save her, once more.
Something I promised I’d do for the rest of my life.
Without thought or hesitation, I turn and run.
Bolting towards the building on fire and disobeying all commands. Hayden rushes after me, “JACE STOP! You can’t go in there, man! It’s not safe!” His voice is deep, stern.
“MY WOMAN’S IN THERE!” The scream slices my throat as I run through the threshold.
Heat radiates off the walls, and fire spreads like an infection.
Hayden passes me, leading the way. The place is deteriorating as the fire eats away every inch of her clinic.
Taking with no mercy as it spreads, seeping through the cracks, eating away the trim, darkening the walls, burning the once fresh color to black ash.
Following Hayden, we enter the room, my eyes darting around the dark, thick haze, trying to find my future, begging for her life.
I need more time to love her. Jace runs to the corner, where she sits pinned against the wall.
“Lilla! Baby!” Hayden signals to the other end.
We lift the beam, just as another flame roars from above.
Hayden yells, “GET DOWN!” We drop to the floor, getting down as the flame rages over us with a terrifying roar as it threatens our lives, Lilla’s life.
All those times I saved her from herself, from her thoughts that told her to jump, I’ll be damned if a fire will take her now, after I just got her back.
I’ll never stop saving her, I roar back as the heat scorches us, and the flame blasts.
The window blasts, throwing glass everywhere as the flame escapes.
Once the blaze settles, we continue moving the beam.
Lifting Lilla in my arms, I hold her close to me, feeling her warm seep through my jacket. I hold her tightly, “Come on, baby, let’s get out of here.” I kiss her as we run, begging her to breathe. “Come on, baby, feel me. Feel my heart. Feel my lips. Come back to me.”
I follow Hayden out as he makes a path through the debris, rushing out the front door. The fresh air hits my lungs, making me cough, as I run Lilla to the ambulance. There is no way I’m getting out of what I did scot free, and I don’t give a damn.
Lying her on the stretcher, I start an overall review.
Looking at all the signs her body is telling me, while I put the oxygen mask on.
“Breathe, baby. Take my breath, breathe for me, come back baby, you’re not even my wife yet.
” Hayden scoots by me and just stands there.
Not saying anything while I fight for my girl's life.
I can feel Hayden watching me, “Mild to Moderate fluctuation of respiratory distress. Broken leg. First degree burns on her arms, back, and hand, and singed hairs.”
Oxygen flows into Lilla as her chest rises and falls; her eyes begin to flutter. “There she is.” I lean down, placing my forehead on hers. After being loaded into the ambulance, Hayden stays behind, trying to salvage as much as he can from her clinic.
The whole way to the hospital, she fades in and out of consciousness, while I do something I never thought I’d do, I pray.
I pray to the God Mr. Wilder speaks of, I pray to Mrs. Wilder to help, I pray to every person I have lost to help me, to save her.
I squeeze her hand in mine. I know I haven’t always been a good man; I’ve lied, and I’ve cheated.
I haven’t always been kind or merciful, but please hear me, save my reason, and I promise to be better every day. Save my future, please.
A tear falls as the nurses rush her back. I sink to the floor, and I continue to beg and plead for something higher than me to save her.