by Misa Rush
“I won’t leave until I find her!” Emily screamed as Brad and Marjorie pleaded with her to go, the smell of smoke seeping into the air, getting thicker. “Adie!” Panic-stricken, Emily raced through cubical after cubical, searching under every desk. By now the work areas were deserted as people piled into the hallway and stairwells.
“Someone probably found her. She’s probably already out of the building,” Marjorie tried to assure her.
“That’s not good enough! You don’t know that. I can’t leave without her! Adie!”
Brad turned to Hanna.
“Go! Take Marjorie and go now!” Hanna shook her head. “There isn’t time to argue, Hanna! You have to get out of here. Go!”
“No, I won’t leave you!”
He kissed her. His voice softened, trying to calm her. “You have to. I’ll be fine. Go now, please.”
“He’s right,” Marjorie said, coughing from the smoke as she pulled a golf towel embroidered with Urbane on it from a recent tournament from her desk. “Put this over your mouth!” she instructed.
Hanna held the towel up, covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes peered over the top and she looked one last time at Brad. They could still hear Emily screaming for Adie as they entered the stairwell.
Police guarded the area as the crowd of bystanders gathered. Curious on-lookers prodded for information. Associates searched for friends and family. Answers were few. Only time would tell how the blaze began or how it spread so quickly.
Flames sputtered from windows and black smoke billowed into the sky as Karsen and Addison jumped from the cab and pushed through the crowd. “Let me through!” demanded Addison, as Karsen weaved closely behind. As soon as Addison saw the chaos, she knew her worst fears were realized. The fire was anything but insignificant.
“I’m sorry, Miss, you can’t go past here.” An officer held his arm out, stopping Addison from crossing his path.
“This is my building! Damn it, let me through!” Just then a thunderous boom resonated and glass shattered down, hitting the sidewalk.
“Oh my God!” She stumbled backwards, shielding herself from the falling glass with her arms. Karsen dropped her phone as she caught Addy from behind.
“You need to move back.” The officer reiterated, his arms spread-eagle forcing them farther from the scene. Karsen swept down to grab her phone before it was trampled on. As she rose up again, her unstable body lurched forward and she grabbed Addy to steady herself. Both women stood shell-shocked in the moment. Not knowing what to do next, they turned back helplessly to their phones.
Addison called every office line she could think of to no avail. Karsen frantically dialed Brad’s number. Please answer. He’s out. He’s fine. She consoled herself. If she wouldn’t have ran off, he wouldn’t have come. This was her fault. The phone rang but Brad did not answer.
Unable to connect with Marjorie or Brad, both Karsen and Addison watched as people poured out of the building. Thirty-seven floors to come down. Addison, thought, knowing her floor would be one of the last to evacuate. She shivered although she didn’t feel the cold. She felt numb, deadened, anesthetized. She watched, a helpless bystander, as her associates, her building, her world teetered on the verge of destruction. There was nothing she could do but watch and wait.
Firemen entered and exited the building working diligently with utter disregard for their own safety. Flames danced in a wondrous flurry of devastation seemingly engulfing each and every floor from the thirtieth floor upward. Karsen watched as Addison stood in shock. She dug down in the pit of her being and drew an unusual strength from within.
“Everyone is going to be okay,” she looked Addison in the face to reassure her, while trying to do the same for herself. They stood hand in hand, eyes fixated on the doorway. Addison felt some relief as she recognized several of her employees exit. Not Marjorie. Not Jacob. Where were they?
Inside, Marjorie and Hanna inched slowly down the steps. Some pushed past rudely fearing for their own lives. Others coughed and panted as their bodies overexerted themselves to exhaustion. Hanna checked her watch. Thirty minutes and by her estimation they had only descended ten stories. The unknown horrified her. Where was the fire? How long could they inhale smoke? Had they found Adie? Had they even started down?
Too worn-out to continue, an elderly woman sat on a step against the wall burying her face in her hands. Her hair was a shimmery-silver and the wrinkles in her face told stories of their own. “You’ve got to keep moving.” Marjorie placed her hand on her shoulder.
“I can’t.”
“You must. Come on. We’ll help you. You can do this.”
Hanna and Marjorie each reached under one of the woman’s arms and pulled her up. They continued down, one step at a time, burdened by the extra weight. Neither of them cared. Even if they made it out, they wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror if they left her behind.
Finally, overcome by smoke and exhaustion, the three stumbled out from the building’s entrance and onto the sidewalk. Hanna and Marjorie transferred the elderly woman to paramedics waiting past the door as they hurriedly fled further from harm’s way themselves. Karsen spotted Hanna and scanned the door for Brad. He wasn’t there.
“Hanna!” Karsen screamed. Addison’s body shuddered with relief as she recognized Marjorie. Both Addison and Karsen darted through a gap in the crowd and made their way toward them. Addison embraced Marjorie and Karsen did the same to Hanna. She squeezed her into a bear hug and wouldn’t let go.
“Where’s Brad?” Karsen asked.
“He stayed behind,” Hanna said clearly worried.
“Adie,” Marjorie choked. “They can’t find Adelaide.”
“She wandered off before the fire. They couldn’t find her and Emily wouldn’t leave. Brad stayed to help. He wouldn’t let her stay alone,” Hanna added.
“What?” Addison asked in agonized disbelief. A lump swelled in her throat as she swallowed. She had forgotten Emily’s play date. She felt the ground shift beneath her. Only it wasn’t the ground, but her knees collapsing underneath. She sank to the sidewalk. She did not know what started the fire but she couldn’t help but feel responsible. She should have been there. She should have responded to Karsen’s first request to meet. Maybe then, just maybe, none of this would be happening. Adelaide, that beautiful innocent child would be safe. Emily would be safe. Brad would be safe. Oh God, this is my fault.
“It’ll be okay,” Karsen bent down to hug Addison and help her to her feet. “Brad won’t let anything happen. I promise you.”
“We have to go,” Brad pleaded with Emily. “She’s not here. We’ve looked everywhere.” There was no way to estimate how much time they had left, but he knew they had to get out immediately. The air was thick with spongy, gray smoke. Sweat seeped down his brow and he covered his nose and mouth with his shirt. Emily fought desperately.
“Adie!” her voice cracked, strained from overuse and hoarse from breathing in polluted air. Brad pulled her toward him as a loud crack sapped from above them. A devising wall fell, crushing Marjorie’s desk. Ceiling tiles crumbled down around them from the impact. Brad embraced Emily to shield her.
Distraught and exhausted, she fell to the floor. She curled into a fetal position and sobbed.
He reached his arm around Emily’s back and curled the other under her knees. He picked her up like a father would a sleeping child. Brad carried her into the hallway and to the stairs against her will. She wailed, flailing her arms and kicking her feet, but he wouldn’t stop. She didn’t have the strength to break free or she’d never leave. She’d sacrifice her life before ever giving up on her daughter.
The stairwell no longer held the mass of people as it had before. The well was dead silent with only the occasional cracks from the building as it shifted under the flames. Brad hacked as he struggled for air. Even with his seasoned runner lungs, his body craved oxygen due to the extra exertion. He moved swiftly, but with every snap he feared they’d left too late. He hoped
he hadn’t made a mistake by not forcing Emily to leave earlier. I’m sorry, Hanna, he thought, tormented by the idea that he may not see her again.
Brad continued down several flights of stairs. He carried Emily until his arms were weak. “You have to walk.” He moaned setting her down onto her own unstable feet. She started running up the steps. “No!” He grabbed her ankle. Her body slammed down against the cement steps.
“Adie!” she whimpered. He pulled her down. She turned toward him. His brave face looked beaten, frightened even. They stared at each other.
“I know you don’t want to give up, but you’re no use to her dead. We looked everywhere, Emily. She has to be down already.”
He squeezed her hand tight. White streaks striped her face from eye to chin where tears dripped down through the soot. She nodded blankly and he helped her to her feet. Together they began their descent again.
A fireman trudged past, stopping them. “Here.” He handed his oxygen mask to Emily. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs. “We thought everyone was out.”
“We were looking for a little girl. She’s only two,” Brad explained, wheezing. Emily held the oxygen mask to Brad. He took a drag from the mask then handed it back to the fireman.
“Keep it.” The fireman unstrapped the tank from his back. “I’ll take one last look around for the girl. What’s her name?”
“Adelaide,” Brad answered.
“Get down as fast as possible. I’m not sure how contained the fire is. It could still spread.” He pushed past before Brad could respond.
They trudged on for what seemed like hours, the repetitive motion and downward impact piercing Brad’s knees with pain. He winced with each step. They couldn’t afford to stop. Brad took an intermittent breath from the oxygen tank, allowing Emily to breathe with it freely. He held tight to her hand to make sure she couldn’t turn back.
Brad had lost count of floors somewhere around floor nineteen. He knew they were drawing close to the bottom, but wasn’t sure exactly how many more flights were ahead of them. With each floor the air grew thicker with ash. Brad’s lungs wheezed. He felt lightheaded.
“Look!” Through watery eyes he saw the first glimpse of daylight creep through the open doorway. His voice came out a mere whisper. “We made it!” He still held Emily’s hand. He could feel her hesitation knowing that leaving the building may also mean facing life without her child. Bewildered and exhausted, Brad’s oxygen-depleted body collapsed as they crossed the threshold.
Emily barely inhaled her first breath of fresh air before she saw Addison sprinting toward her. She sobbed as Addison threw her arms around her neck and pulled her in. At the same time, Karsen dropped to her knees beside Brad. She placed both hands on his face and lifted his head.
“Brad!” Hanna kneeled at his other side, as Emily and Addison huddled overhead.
“Brad! Don’t you dare leave me!” Karsen cried.
“Please, Brad! Wake up!” Hanna begged. “Please!” She held his hand to her heart desperate to feel him grip her hand, which felt like dead weight within hers.
Two paramedics launched through the crowd. A male medic dressed in a dark blue uniform grabbed Hanna’s arm and pulled her up, taking her place beside Brad.
“Move aside, please,” he directed Karsen without looking up. He began working diligently. Karsen staggered slowly back and walked around Brad’s body to Hanna. They wrapped their arms around one another as they watched, filled with despair.
Several yards away, another medic placed his hand on Addison’s back. “We need to check her vitals,” he advised, referring to Emily.
“NO. I’m okay,” Emily waved the medic off, weeping uncontrollably. At least she felt she was, physically. Her voice sounded spongy like she’d smoked two packs of cigarettes.
“You breathed in quite a bit of smoke, ma’am. We just need to check you out. It won’t take long.”
“Give her a minute,” Addison said sternly. She could not console her friend. There were no words; there was nothing she could do to soothe her. She felt Emily’s chest shudder against her. With every rise and fall, Addison felt increasingly nauseous. Adie was missing and flames still raged through the windows on her floor. The thought of Adie trapped inside was unbearable.
Addison felt a hand clutch her shoulder pulling her aside. “Emily!” He cried. Addison turned her head. Realizing it was Greg, she steadied Emily and stepped aside allowing him to take her place.
“Greg!” Emily cried throwing herself into his chest. “How did you find me?”
He wrapped his arms around her. “The fire is all over the news. I knew you were meeting Addy for lunch. I tried to call you again and again. When you didn’t answer, I just knew I had to get here.”
Emily sobbed against his shoulder.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. It’s going to be okay.” He looked relieved. “Where’s Adie?”
Emily’s sobs grew stronger. “Em, where’s Adie?” His face fell as his eyes gazed the surrounding area.
“Adie’s missing!” Emily choked. “Oh Greg, it’s my fault! I let her out of my sight. It’s all my fault. I’m so … so sorry.”
“What do you mean she’s missing?”
“She’d gone to find Addison when the fire alarm went off. I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find her. I looked everywhere! I’m so sorry.”
“No, no, no! Em, it’s not your fault!” Her husband pulled her in tighter and held on for what felt like an eternity. Their bodies rocked together. “We’ll find her. She’ll be fine. It’s not your fault. It is not your fault.” He opened his mouth to speak again, but he couldn’t find the words. There was nothing he could say to ease her fears, nothing he could do to protect his daughter. There was nothing he could do but wait.
Paramedics strapped Brad onto a backboard and whisked him directly into the ambulance. Karsen and Hanna watched in horror as they strapped on an oxygen mask on him and connected an IV. Addison turned toward Karsen. Just hours before, they were no more than two strangers -two individuals that would have passed each other on the street with hardly a greeting. Now they instantly had been bonded into family. They grasped each other’s hands, holding on for dear life. Brad’s life. The brother Karsen had always known and had always loved. The brother Addison had barely met, but that risked his own life to save a child he didn’t even know.
“It’s not your fault, Karsen. You know your brother. He’d save anyone. It’s just who he is,” Hanna whispered, her voice muddled with tears. Karsen listened to the words, but they didn’t pacify her. She couldn’t lose him.
“Addy! I find u, Addy!” The familiar voice twinkled in Addison’s ears. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
“Adelaide!” She turned around. “Oh, Thank God! Adie!” She swooped Adie into her arms, hugging her so tight she could hardly breathe. “Oh, child!”
“Where’s Mommy?” Adie coughed, struggling for air.
“She’s here, honey. She’s right over here.” Addison couldn’t stop the fat tears stinging her eyes. She carried Adelaide as fast as she could across the sidewalk to where her parents prayed and waited.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Adie chimed with the innocence of a child unaware of the immensity of the event that had just occurred. Addison set her down and Adelaide ran to her mother smiling like it was any ordinary day.
“Adie?” Emily questioned softly like she’d heard the voice of an angel.
“Adelaide!” Greg shouted.
“Oh, Adie!” Emily picked her up and embraced her. “Adie! My baby! Adie! Where have you been?” Adelaide wrapped her arms and legs around her tightly.
“I sorry, Mommy,” Adie said sounding as if she’d just come out of time out.
“Oh, sweetie. Mommy missed you so much!”
“Mommy hurt?” Adie inquired, seeing the tears drip from her mother’s eyes.
“No, not hurt, sweetie. Not now.” She held her against her body. She couldn’t bear the thought of letting her
out of her arms. Emily looked at Addison for answers to her question.
“Jacob,” she said. “He said she came to his desk before the alarm looking for me. He tried to find you, but in the chaos thought it better to get her out of the building.”
“Oh, thank God!” Emily said. “Where is he?”
“The paramedics are checking him out, just routine he said. He’s fine. He said they were out quickly.”
“I need to find him. How will I ever be able to thank him enough?”
“There will be plenty of time for that. Let’s just get you home.” The sight of Emily and Greg reunited with their daughter overwhelmed Addison. She was relieved to see Adelaide safe and sound, but a wave of regret flooded over her. She longed for Russell’s strong embrace as she scanned the crowd longing for a glimpse of him. Maybe he had heard the news. Maybe he still cared about her enough to come. She glanced back at the building as black smoke swirled above as she wondered what her future held.
Now only Brad remained a concern. Karsen knew his lungs were strong from years of training, but even so he’d been inside for forty-five minutes, taking little to no precautions for minimizing the amount of smoke he inhaled.
She stepped away from the others and fell to her knees. “God, if you’re listening, please don’t take him now. I know I’ve depended on him too much, but I need him now more than ever. Hanna needs him, too. I can’t have a baby without an uncle to watch over it. Please don’t do this.”
She closed her eyes, covered her face with her hands and sat blocking out the commotion revolving around her. She envisioned her mother. He’s needed here, Mom. Please don’t take him yet.
A hand lay gently upon Karsen’s shoulder. She didn’t look up. She didn’t want to be bothered. “Let’s go home, K.” The voice sounded weary, but she’d recognize it anywhere. Could it be? She reached her hand and placed it over top of his. She felt a squeeze against her thumb. She stalled, momentarily worried that when she got up it would be someone else.