Fire From the Sky: Trial by Fire

by N. C. Reed

  “It sucks,” Abigail admitted. “I don't know if we 'll get it to run or not.”

  “Well, we've got the tractors and Uncle Ronny's equipment,” Gordy reminded her.

  “And if I can't get that plow running, they will have to do. We 'll see.” And then she was gone.

  “Well, it's pretty late,” Gordy said, looking down at the small woman at his side.

  “So, it is,” she nodded. “Walk me home?” she laughed.

  “I am going that way,” Gordy played along and offered her his arm. “May I?”

  “Delighted sir,” Samantha laughed happily as she wrapped her arms around his much larger one and the two started for home.

  Her life was still in shambles, but things were definitely looking up. She glanced at Gordy, so much taller than her. He was handsome, kind and strong. Very mature for his age.

  And he seemed to have finally taken an interest in her. Things were definitely looking up.

  Way, way up.

  -

  Clay had attended a meeting at Leon's house after supper. He arrived before the other attendees and was shocked at how haggard and worn his grandfather looked. Lainie went to him at once.

  “Sugar you look tired,” she murmured as she pulled a blanket up over his lap.

  “It's more than looks,” Leon assured her. “I 'll be all right in a day or two. But this here can't wait a day or two. You seen that fire?” he asked Clay.

  “Yeah,” Clay nodded. “Funny. I've smelled wood smoke for two or three days but I just assumed it was from here. Never crossed my mind it was something like this.”

  “Wild fire ain't no joke,” Leon agreed. “Seen more than one when I was a young'un. It's bad business from start to finish. Ain't nothin' worse for an outfit like ours than an out o' control fire. What-” He stopped at a knock on his front door. Janice opened the door to admit Josh Webb, Darrel Goodrum, Franklin George, Gary Meecham, and Harley Jessup. Dixie Jerrolds could technically have been invited as the head of her family but her and her young son would be no help here.

  “You've all heard the news by now I expect,” Leon gave no preamble tonight. He didn't have the wind for it.

  “We heard,” Webb nodded.

  “Abigail is working on her fire plow right now with Big Jake,” Leon told them. “Hopefully she can get it running. If not, we got three tractors here that still run and my grandson-in-law has an operating backhoe and dozer. We got chain saws, plows, a high-pressure water pump, a large creek between us and that fire, at least for most of it anyway, and we got people.” He leaned forward.

  “One or two of you probably seen something like this before, but if ya ain't then let me explain something. Coming outta winter, everything is dead and dry. Burns like paper. This fire is already pretty big. Abby estimates it's about three thousand acres and that's a conservative estimate. If you can't picture that then know that this ranch, including the land I bought just after things got going good here, is still less than that.” This brought low whistles around the group as they considered how big a fire it would take to envelop the ranch they now lived on.

  “If we have to fight this thing, Abigail will be in charge,” Leon told them. Clay instantly started to object but Leon overrode him.

  “She's the professional,” he told his grandson. “She knows how to fight these fires and has been doing it since she got outta high school. Worked for them two summers when she was still in high school for that matter. So, Abby will decide how we attack this thing, assuming it becomes needful.”

  “Every family will have to contribute some manpower for this. My family ain't big enough to do it alone and even with the folks on the old Troy farm, we still have the need for protection. Not everybody can turn loose to fight the fire. On top of that we got a mess of kids to think about.” He looked at Clay.

  “I want them motor homes set and ready to ferry them young 'uns outta here, Clayton,” he ordered. “Want them fancy vehicles of yours to escort 'em, and they need supplies with them so they ain't beggars if the worst was to happen. You pick three of your men and three of that bunch of Gordy's that's done been trained to protect them, and make sure them motor homes have good drivers. I want Greg Holloway with them, too.”

  “Rest of you, if worse comes to worse, send one adult with your youngsters to the Troy place to be hauled outta here if it becomes needful. Every family that sends kids over there needs to have at least one adult present. I'm sure we 'll have plenty of help to watch after 'em, but kids need someone familiar and there needs to be someone can be responsible for making decisions for the child. I 'spect y'all to see to that tonight. Just in case.” Leon sat back for a minute and breathed deeply into his oxygen mask, motioning for the others to speak if they had something to say.

  “Why aren't we just evacuating until the fire's out?” Darrel Goodrum asked, looking around. “That's normally what they do for something like this ain't it?”

  “Normally there would be crews of professional and volunteer firefighters with trucks and plows working around the clock to contain the fire,” Clay replied. “With things the way they are now, I doubt anyone is fighting it in any organized fashion. Those who have the means are likely just trying to save their own homes and families, just like us.”

  “Why don't your granddaughter take that plow and go fight the fire?” Harley Jessup asked. “That's her job, ain't it?”

  “Are you still getting a check from where you used to work?” Josh Webb asked. “I doubt it. That 'it's her job' business went out with the lights, Harley. And shame on you for even suggesting that she go and do something like that when her own home is threatened.”

  “I was just sayin',” Jessup held his hands up in supplication. “No offense.”

  “Look, the bottom line is that we have to look after ourselves and can't afford to worry about the rest,” Clay spoke up. “We're lucky to have Abigail here with us as it is. I wager no one else here really knows how to handle a wild fire. I know I don't.”

  “You didn't seem so hot on her being in charge a minute ago,” Franklin George's deep voice entered the fray. His tone was firm but not unkind.

  “That's a personal issue between me and her, and not a reflection on her ability,” Clay admitted. “And I need to learn to set that aside. I admit I ain't always so good at doing that.”

  “Well,” Josh Webb got to his feet. “I'm headed back to let my family know the score. We ain't got no small children but Micah's wife, Daisy, is pregnant enough to pop, so we 'll be sending her over with my daughter and youngest boy, Seth. His leg still troubles him a bit though it's all but healed. Just a bit weak as he gets back on his feet. Anyway, they can look after each other and help the others. Rest of us will either work protecting our end of things or fighting the fire. You need anything else, Leon?”

  “No,” Leon lowered his mask and shook his head. “Thanks Josh. Knew we could count on you all.”

  “Night then,” Webb nodded and left, Janice showing him out.

  “Well,” Franklin George stood. “Me and my son will help with the fire, and my oldest, Marcy, can either stay with the houses or else go with the children to help keep them safe. Malitha and our youngest will go with the children. We 'll be down in the morning to hear what's what.”

  “Night Franklin,” Leon nodded. “I appreciate it.”

  “Well I'm in,” Gary Meecham stood. “Whatever you need me to do. I've fought wild fires before so I might be of use to your granddaughter. Like Frank said, I 'll be down in the morning.”

  “Thanks Gary,” Clay shook hands with the gunsmith. “See you in the morning.”

  The remaining family heads all made similar commitments and offered a good night before departing. Clearly exhausted, Leon sat back in his chair and gulped air from his mask.

  “Listen Old Man,” Clay sat near his grandfather. “You gotta take it easy for a few days, understand? I doubt anyone but you can keep this cluster fu-” he broke off and glanced around before turning back to Leon.
“Can keep this mash-up together and running. We can't spare you Leon, so you're gonna have to take better care of yourself.”

  “I hear ya,” Leon didn't argue, which alarmed Clay almost as much as his condition at the moment. Clay patted Leon on the shoulder and stood, looking to where Marla Jones was watching. Brick was behind her and Janice was trying to make Leon more comfortable.

  “Brick, I want you to watch over them,” he indicated the occupants of the house. “You can take them into the RV you brought down here if you have to evacuate. I'd appreciate you saving room for my mother and the Dynamic Duo, too.”

  “Will do,” Brick agreed immediately. “I 'll set the RV up in the morning just in case.”

  “Good plan,” Clay nodded. “All right. It's been a long day and I'm bushed and got plenty to do tomorrow. Remember not be out alone in the night time and to always be armed,” he told Janice and Marla, both of whom nodded their compliance. He knelt by Leon once more and squeezed his shoulder.

  “Don't worry Old Man,” he said with quiet confidence. “We 'll get it done.”

  “N…night, boy,” Leon's voice was muffled by his oxygen mask and his eyes were closed, as if opening them was just too much effort to expend. Clay tried to hide his concern as best he could as he stood and took Lainie's hand.

  “We 'll see you all in the morning.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  -

  Morning dawned cool and hazy. The sky was overcast anyway, and drifting smoke from the wildfire was heavier that it had been the day before. That was normal but it didn't make anyone feel any better.

  Tandi and Deuce stood looking at a map and listening to what Abigail wanted. Both nodded as she explained what she needed to try and do, signaling not only understanding but ability. They knew what she wanted and they could make it happen.

  “We may have to make two flights,” Deuce cautioned. “It takes a bit for these things to get to that altitude.”

  “I have a feeling you won't need as much altitude today as you did yesterday,” his cousin replied grimly. “Though I hope you do,” she added. “That would mean the fire is still further away than I'm afraid it is. Maybe even moving away.”

  “We 'll know soon enough,” Tandi said, taking his gear and climbing aboard a waiting ATV with Zach Willis and Kade Ramsey already aboard. Deuce went to where Gordy and Corey Raynard sat waiting for him and both vehicles sped away, heading to their designated spots.

  Abigail began pacing as she waited. It would likely be twenty minutes or more before they heard anything back from the drones. Not enough time to return to work on her dozer, yet more than enough time for her mind to run wild with worse case scenarios.

  What if they couldn't get her rig operating in time?

  What if the wind kicked up?

  What if they couldn't get a berm up quick enough and plow a trail?

  What if, what if, what if. There were always too many of them, and today of all days there were more than usual. She considered the feasibility of back burning, but with no trained help and no certain equipment she didn't think the benefits outweighed the risks. It wouldn't help deprive the fire of fuel if the back burn turned into just another part of the fire.

  “You need to chill, Abby,” Leanne said from where she was waiting to plot the position of the fire. “Pacing like that won't help anything.”

  “It won't hurt anything either,” Abigail responded, though not unkindly.

  “I suppose that's true,” Leanne agreed. “Still, you need to take a deep breath. While pacing won't hurt anything, it won't make this go faster either.”

  “I know that, but it does help me burn off nervous energy,” the older girl explained.

  “So, you're nervous?” Leanne asked.

  “It's not the same thing,” Abigail shook her head. “I have so much to get done but there's only so much of it we can do, and every minute I lose on getting a break built is a minute I can't get back if this fire is really heading our way.”

  “Okay, I can see that,” Leanne nodded. “If we can't-”

  “Pip this is Deuce,” a radio call interrupted her. “Bird is flying.”

  “I hate you!” she responded over the radio, white hot in an instant.

  “Easy now,” Abigail soothed.

  “He knows I hate that!” Leanne all but hissed as made a small check beside Leon's name. “He did it on purpose!”

  “Well of course he did,” Abigail chuckled. “Look, if you really hate it that bad and want them to stop using it, then stop responding when they do. Just ignore it. When they see it doesn't get to you anymore they 'll stop using it.”

  “Like that would work,” Leanne groused. “I've tried-”

  “Pip, this is Doc,” another call came in. “Drone's in the air and climbing.”

  Leanne's sharp intake of breath alerted Abigail that her cousin was not taking her advice.

  “Easy now,” Abigail told her again before she could reply. “Doc only used it because your brother did. Likely doesn't even know you hate it. Remember, if you stop showing irritation, the fun will be gone and they 'll stop.”

  “Roger Doc. The Younger's bird is in the air as well,” Leanne said sweetly.

  “Damn you Pippy Longstocking!” Deuce's voice was on the air immediately. “You know you aren't supposed to-”

  “This frequency is reserved for official business Mister Younger,” Leanne interrupted her brother. “Please state your business or clear the channel.”

  “When I get back up there I'm gonna clear-” Leon 'the Younger' and his outrage were cut short when Leanne turned her radio down, an evil smile on her young face.

  “Or you could do something like that,” Abigail sighed and resumed her pacing. It was shaping up to be a long day.

  -

  “You started it,” Gordy was laughing at Deuce who was sputtering in rage.

  “She promised not to call me that anymore!” he complained.

  “Well, you know she hates being called 'Pip', but did it anyway. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, cuz,” Gordy laughed again.

  “I 'll throw stones, all right,” Leon the Deuce/Younger muttered. “I 'll throw a stone right through her. . .oh, shit.”

  “What is it?” Gordy asked, moving to where he could see the monitor his cousin was looking at.

  “This is a lot bigger than it was yesterday evening,” Deuce almost breathed it out. “I don't. . .I don't know how much bigger but. . .it's a lot.”

  “Start recording and let’s get the bearings before your battery runs low,” Gordy ordered, taking out a pen and small notebook.

  “Bearing to the center…” Over the next two minutes Deuce pinpointed as close as possible the center of the massive fire, then the extreme left, and finally the extreme right. Gordy dutifully recorded it all even as Deuce began to lower the drone, which went to auto hover and auto landing about halfway to the ground. The teen managed to catch the fragile drone before it hit the ground, securing it and returning it to the storage box where it normally rested.

  “Well, our work is done, all but calling it in,” Gordy said as he keyed his radio.

  “Plate this is Chip, how copy, over?”

  Static.

  “Plate this is Chip, come back,” he tried again.

  Nothing.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Chip muttered as he checked his radio to make sure it was on and functioning.

  “She turned her radio off,” Leon said flatly. “Can't take it so she mouthed off and then turned her radio off. Just like a woman, ain't it?”

  “I seem to remember it was you that started this,” Gordy reminded him again. “And this childish bullshit has got to stop, man,” he told his younger cousin. “This is too important for you two to be haggling like that when we're supposed to be working.”

  Gordy continued to try and raise his other cousin on the radio as they climbed into the ATV to head back, but to no avail. Leanne wasn't answering.

  -


  “-so, like I said, if we can't use the dozer-”

  “Leanne, is your radio still turned down?” Abigail interrupted gently. The younger girl's eyes widened as her face went red. With a muttered “oh, shit,” she turned back to her radio and turned the volume up.

  “-Plate, this is Doc. Is anyone awake up there or not?” they heard at once.

  “Sorry Doc, this is Home Plate,” Leanne tried to sound cheerful. “Go ahead.”

  “About damn time,” Doc could be heard to mutter before he began reading her the information they had gathered.

  “Copy all, Doc,” Leanne said when he was done. “Sorry again. Plate out.” Before she could speak the ATV with Gordy and Deuce pulled up.

  “I guess your radio isn't working, Pippy,” Deuce said happily, a big smile on his face. “We tried and tried to call but I guess you couldn't hear. Here's our readings, by the way. You could have had them ten minutes ago if your radio had been working. Sorry,” he said with another smile as he handed the sheet over to his sister.

  Jonathon Jackson had sat at the small plotting table through all of this without comment. He took the paper from Deuce in silence, obviously fighting off laughter at the antics of the twins. They were usually less antagonistic of each other, but for the last week or so things had been much worse between them than was normal. He wasn't sure what the problem was, but it made for some highly entertaining moments.

  “Well, maybe my radio wouldn't have quit working if I hadn't gotten tired of listening to you,” Leanne replied venomously.

  “Wait,” Gordy spoke before either twin could speak again. “Are you telling me you turned your radio down so you wouldn't have to listen to Leon mouth off?”

  “Yes,” Leanne said definitely.

  “Leaving you out of the communication loop, shutting off everyone else that was depending on you to be monitoring the radio for the farm while we were off doing our work, and when you were supposed to be standing by to receive critical data needed for plotting the position of this fire? The same fire that is threatening us all?” Gordy's voice had gotten steadily louder as he scrolled through that litany of complaints, while Leanne's face had gotten progressively redder.