Chapter 29
End of Shift
Blaze
Autumn and I had rescued each other from the tower. From the climb. Now, as I drove, navigating the roads and watching for fallen brush or anything else that might come out at us, my right hand was clenched into hers. I never wanted to let go.
For the first handful of miles, the drive was really intense.
The tinder box of trees was lighting handfuls at a time.
This was a normal fire… If the month started with a ‘J’.
The Chinook winds blowing through our landscape only made matters worse.
As we drove around a bend, it took all of my willpower to not look over at Autumn out of the corner of my eye.
I had to keep them straight on the road, as any of these trees could have toppled, and then we’d really be stuck.
By the grace of God, we made it out of that treacherous stretch.
Finally, the fire was in the rear view. I slowed down the truck, wanting to check us each for injuries in the first pull-off I could find.
I wanted to stare at her some more. I wanted to look at the woman that I’d fallen for over the radio.
As I pulled over, Autumn unbuckled her seatbelt, thinking the same as me. We both got out of the truck and brushed off the soot that covered us. I handed her some tissues to blow her nose, and we each chugged a bottle of water.
“Is the fire going to come this way?” she asked with wide eyes, looking back. I shrugged.
“It could, but the wind is favoring the east. I think we are safe here, at least for right now.”
“Darn,” she said, and I looked at her with confusion, before she smiled.
“Do you want it to come this way?” She shook her head.
“No, of course not. But maybe I’m still scared, so maybe you need to hold my hand again.” I let out a laugh, taking her by the hand. As I did, a sudden, loud roar of thunder was heard overhead. We both ducked, as if something was about to fall on us.
“Is that…” I trailed off. “Oh, oh my word…” I looked at the sky in disbelief.
Large, dime-sized raindrops start to fall on us. Slow to start, but in a moment, they were pouring down on us like a river. Autumn looked at me and started to laugh, and then we were both laughing hysterically, putting our hands up in the rain as we praised the God above.
The rain didn’t relent, and after a minute or so, the smoke in the air was already getting tampered down.
The soot from our faces, and hair, and clothes was starting to wash away.
But it was the scent of the rain. the mixture of sagebrush, and the dry ground being kissed for the first time in what felt like years, that gave me an idea.
“Autumn,” I said, and she turned in the middle of her rain dance.
“Blaze?” she said, putting her hands on her hips, her hair soaking wet, the color of a low fire on wet logs, sticking to her face.
“Autumn,” I said again, pulling her towards me.
“Blaze,” she repeated, closing her eyes, and waiting for me to lean in.
And finally, I kissed her, holding her face up with my hands.
Kissing her was like being kissed for the first time.
My body tingled, my heart screamed, and all of my senses learned the language of love.
With her lips pressed to mine, the rain washed away the rest of the signs we had ever been in a fire, while God washed away all of our previous hurts and brought us together.