Fire!
August wondered about the proprietor, but Hank stepped from the inferno, leading two horses. So August ran as fast as he could toward the fire bell. By the time he reached the bell, Hank had tied those two horses to hitching posts and headed back toward the stable. August pulled the rope hard several times until people carrying buckets started running down the street toward him. They would form a bucket brigade, dipping water from Lake Ripley. It was a good thing the livery was at the edge of town, near the body of water.
In other circumstances, they would have used the fire wagon. The trouble was that both the wagon and the horses that pulled it were kept in the livery. It was too late to get to the wagon, but Hank was leading the fire horses from the burning barn when August returned.
❧
Gerda and Anna were working on a wedding dress that a customer needed by the end of the week. After they had sold Anna’s wedding dress soon after the Dress Emporium opened, many brides ordered their gowns from them. Anna had finished sewing the last seam on the machine when the fire bell startled them. They both ran out on the sidewalk to see what was happening. They were appalled by what they saw.
“What do you think we should do?” Gerda shaded her eyes with one hand. “They need help with the bucket brigade.”
“Most of the town is heading that way, but if we both go, we’ll never finish this dress in time. I wouldn’t want to disappoint the bride, would you?”
Gerda nodded. “You’re right. At least I can pray while I work on it. Be sure to come back as soon as you can and let me know what is happening.”
Anna left Gerda in the workroom, grabbed a bucket, and hurried to join the brigade from the lake. While she ran, she searched the sky for even a hint of a cloud. Rain would be especially welcome right now. It could do more than any bucket brigade to put the fire out.
When she reached the line of people, she looked toward the lake. There were fifty or more people passing full buckets one way and empty buckets back. Her brother Ollie let her get in line in front of him. He was near the end of the brigade closest to the livery. She would be able to see all that was happening.
Anna handed her empty bucket to Ollie and took the full one he was passing forward. Then she exchanged buckets with the person in front of her. By the time she turned back to Ollie, he held another full bucket. Even though the work was repetitious, it allowed her the opportunity to watch August without him being aware of it.
When she ran to get in line, she noticed that August was the one who rang the fire bell. She watched him go to some of the horses tied along the street and try to calm them.
It was so like August to care for the animals. Probably that was one reason he wanted to be a blacksmith. He knew how important it was for animals to be treated right. Anna had heard several men say that his horseshoes were some of the best, and they complimented August on treating the animals with care while he shod them. It was another thing to like about him. Too bad he was so bossy with her.
While she was watching him, August looked her way. She turned around, intent on passing the buckets quickly. When she glanced at him again, he was headed toward the owner of the livery stable.
❧
“Are all the horses out?” August called to Hank.
“No. There’s one more. I’ve tied all the others to hitching posts.” He pointed down the street where August had been trying to calm down the skittish horses that were dancing around, pulling on their leads.
August knew that horses didn’t like fire or smoke. It might take a lot to calm them. He wished he could help them, but right now, the fire was more important. The livery building was wooden and filled with so many things that burned easily. Hay fueled the flames, sending them higher and higher. They had broken through the roof by the time August neared the building. Sparkling embers danced in the air above the fire. At least there wasn’t any wind to blow them toward the other wooden buildings.
Although the buckets were being passed from hand to hand at a fast clip, the small amount of water poured on the raging fire didn’t seem to affect it at all. August started toward the open doorway of the stable.
❧
“Hey, you can’t go in there!”
Anna heard the shout about someone going into the building, and she looked toward the livery. Who was that man walking so close to the inferno?
“There’s still one horse inside!”
Right after August’s shouted statement, the shrill whinny of a scared animal pierced the air. To Anna’s horror, August continued toward the raging fire. In an instant, he was swallowed up in the roiling smoke.
“No!” She couldn’t leave the line, but she wanted to.
The thump of her heartbeat in her throat almost choked her. August, dear August. For the first time, she realized that she truly loved him. And it might be too late. She might never get the chance to tell him. What he was doing was heroic, but it was also stupid. Who in his right mind would rush into a burning building? But Anna knew his tender heart made him want to rescue the frightened animal. She began to pray frantically that his efforts wouldn’t be in vain. She begged God to bring both August and the horse out of the inferno.
❧
August pulled the blue bandanna from his hip pocket and tied it around his face, leaving only his eyes uncovered. If he wanted to find the horse, he needed to see. Before he entered the stable, he should have asked Hank which stall the horse was in, but he couldn’t go back now. The overpowering heat almost brought August to his knees, but he heard the animal’s horrible scream again. The sound gave him a direction to go.
Thick smoke obscured most of the things around him. He stumbled over burning pieces of wood that had fallen from the beams. He didn’t know how much time was left before the roof would cave in. Flames licked upward on the sides of the walls and scrabbled across the floor. August stamped the flickers near his feet, keeping them at bay for a short time. At least he had on heavy boots.
One more agonized cry from the animal brought August to his stall. The horse was so overcome with fear that August had a hard time catching hold of its bridle, which, thankfully, someone had left on the animal. He grabbed the lead line that lay across the stall divider. He attached it to the bridle and tried to lead the horse toward the door.
When the animal refused to move from its stall, August pulled the bandanna from his own face and quickly covered the horse’s eyes. Then he jerked on the lead line and moved as swiftly as possible toward the stable doors. August knew that if he didn’t get there very soon, neither he nor the animal would survive. The air was full of burning bits of debris that were constantly falling through the thick haze.
Smoke and heat seared August’s lungs, so he tried to hold his breath. Choking and coughing, he stumbled forward pulling the horse as hard as he could. Oh, Gud, please help us. Let us reach the door in time.
❧
Anna stood horrified, as did many others in the brigade. She held her breath for what seemed an eternity, crying out to God to save August. Finally, the majestic animal and man came through the smoke-filled opening. August stumbled and fell to his knees. With a shrill cry, the horse reared up on his hind legs and pulled his lead away from August. The bandanna fell from its head, and the horse shot away from the heat and smoke. Hank ran toward one of the other horses and jumped on its back. He took off after the runaway. Anna knew that he wanted to bring it back safely.
When Anna looked back toward August, he was lying on the ground, much too close to the burning building. She passed off the bucket she held, gathered her skirt with both hands, and started running toward him.
One of the men tried to stop her, but she pushed past him. It took three men to hold her and keep her from rushing into danger.
“Stop! We have two men going to get him!” It took awhile for the words to soak into Anna’s fear-crazed brain. Finally, she stopped writhing and twisting, trying to get away from the hands that held her.
“He has to be all rig
ht! He just has to!” Then she burst into tears.
Gustaf and Ollie ran toward August’s still form. Anna was thankful for brothers. They would take care of August. She wondered where Lowell was. When she glanced around looking for him, he was coming from the direction of the doctor’s office. Carrying his black bag, Dr. Bradley hurried after Lowell.
❧
August couldn’t remember when breathing had hurt so much. Not even the time the plow horse kicked him when he was only ten years old. It was agony to take a breath. He tasted smoke and flames. He smelled smoke and flames. The only way to get a breath was to cough some of the smoke out of his lungs. When he did, he sputtered, trying not to scream from the pain.
Finally aware that two men were carrying him, he tried to open his eyes, but even that was hard. When he glimpsed Ollie and Gustaf, he relaxed as much as he could without becoming dead weight to them.
Lowell and Dr. Bradley met them in the middle of the street. The doctor told the two men to lower August to the dusty ground. People gathered close around, and August felt as if he couldn’t breathe at all.
“All right now!” Doc’s voice thundered. “Everybody back! Give the man some air!”
When people moved back, it brought some relief, but not much. Doc’s hands roved over his form, seeking, searching. Doc put a stethoscope against August’s chest and listened.
“He doesn’t seem to have any burns on his body. He’s just breathed in too much smoke.”
“What can we do to help him?” August was glad his brother asked the question that was screaming in his mind. “Should I take him out to the farm?”
August glanced at Doc in time to see him shake his head. “I would like to have him here in town so I can keep an eye on him.”
“I don’t feel good about taking him to the boardinghouse. There wouldn’t be anyone to look after him,” Gustaf said.
“You can take him to the apartment.”
Anna had come to stand by Lowell. The sound of her voice was a soothing balm to August’s heart. He tried to smile at her but didn’t think she noticed. She was intent on her conversation with the doctor.
“That’s a good idea,” Gustaf agreed. “I’ll go get Moder. She’ll want to take care of him.”
Thirteen
Anna rushed to the Dress Emporium and burst through the front door. “Gerda, August has been hurt!”
Gerda placed the wedding dress she was hemming on the cutting table and hurried into the shop, toward her best friend. “How bad is he?”
So she could catch her breath, Anna stopped beside the counter and leaned one hand on it, placing the other over her heart. “I don’t think he’s burned, but he went into the livery stable to rescue a trapped horse. When they came out, August fainted.” Anna had never swooned in her life, but she felt as if she could crumple into a heap right now.
Gerda put the fingers of her right hand over her mouth, and tears started making their way down her cheeks. After she sobbed a moment, she took a deep breath and asked, “Is he going to be all right?”
Tears were also streaming down Anna’s cheeks, and she didn’t even try to wipe them off. “Lowell went to get the doctor. Doc wants August to stay in town. I told them they could bring him to the apartment. I hope that’s all right with you.”
Gerda grabbed Anna and held her tight. “Of course, I want him here. I want to take care of him.”
Anna clutched her also. “Gustaf has already gone to get your mother. Lowell and Ollie will bring August to our place.”
The two young women decided to close the dress shop. If anyone needed anything, they could come back later. Everyone in town would understand.
Lowell and Ollie met them at the bottom of the outside stairs. Their shoulders supported August’s arms, and he was trying to walk, even though the other two men carried most of his weight. That was probably why it had taken this long for them to arrive.
The two women preceded them up the steps, and Gerda immediately went into her own room to prepare the bed for her brother. Anna stood by the door and watched, feeling helpless, while her brothers helped August across the parlor and down the short hall to the bedroom. Before she shut the outside door, Dr. Bradley reached the top of the stairs.
After showing the doctor to Gerda’s bedroom, Anna dropped into her rocker. Unmoving, she stared unseeing at her hands that were clasped in her lap. It was hard waiting for the doctor to finish tending to August.
Lowell and Ollie soon joined her in the parlor. They didn’t sit. Instead they prowled around as if they couldn’t settle down. Anna knew they were probably as worried as she was.
She glanced up at them. “Has Doc almost finished with August?”
Lowell continued to pace the room, but Ollie dropped onto the settee across from her. “He was still working with him when we came out.”
“Did he say anything about how badly August is hurt?”
Before he could answer, Gerda came down the hall and joined them. “Dr. Bradley said that he would talk to us when he’s finished, but he was sure that August would recover.”
Anna let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. August would be all right.
Lowell and Ollie decided to go back and join the battle against the fire. Although the livery stable was a total loss, the townspeople were still trying to make sure the fire didn’t spread to any other structures. All buildings in the vicinity were also wooden and could easily burn.
Gerda went to the kitchen while Anna continued to sit in her rocker. She remembered how she felt when she saw August run into the burning building. Love had welled up and overtaken her completely. She wanted, more than anything, to be able to express that love. But Anna knew that she had had strong feelings twice before. She began to wonder if she could trust her emotions. Nothing she experienced had led to a lasting relationship. Maybe this new love wasn’t strong enough either. Anna felt confused, but she didn’t want to completely let go of these feelings. They seemed to be different from before, but she couldn’t be sure. Life—or was that love—was much too confusing.
❧
By the time Dr. Bradley had finished with his thorough examination, August was exhausted. He had been having such a hard time breathing, and Doc said that was making him even more tired. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much Doc could do for August. He said it would take time for all the smoke to get out of his lungs. Until then, he wanted August to take it easy.
“I’ll make sure he does.” Ingrid Nilsson stepped through the door just as the doctor made that statement.
August was glad to see his mother, even though he hadn’t wanted to bother her. He tried to smile, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace. Although he didn’t have any blisters on his skin—and that was a surprise—it felt as if he had worked two days in the sun without any shade. His skin was tight and dry. He was sure that if he could see in Gerda’s mirror, he would be red, too. If he smiled too much, his face might crack.
“Now, Doctor, what do I need to do to help my son?”
Dr. Bradley smiled. “I’m glad you’re here, Mrs. Nilsson. I know you’ll take good care of him.”
August knew his mother. She always wrote everything down. She took a small tablet and pencil out of her handbag and wrote down everything the doctor told her. Moder was careful like that.
“Keep the windows open, so he has fresh air to breathe. If anyone has time, have them fan him. That will help move the air from the windows to where he is in the bed. You might even send over to the ice house and get him some ice. Chip small pieces off the block for him to eat. That should help him start to cool down.” Doc turned and looked at August. “And make sure he drinks a lot of liquid. He’s probably pretty dry after being in that fire. It was like a giant oven.”
When August’s mother turned her attention from the doctor to her son, she asked another question. “And what should I do for his skin? It’s awfully red and dry.”
“Any kind of lotion you have would be good. Or if yo
u don’t have any, use butter or lard. But be careful when you are smearing it on him so you don’t damage his skin any more than it already is.”
Well, great! August couldn’t help thinking about Anna being in the same apartment. I’m going to look like a greased pig. That should really make her love me.
❧
Soon after the doctor left, Johan and Marja Braxton arrived at the top of the stairs. When Anna opened the door, she was surprised. Both of them carried folding cots.
“We thought you might need these for tonight.” Marja put her cot down and leaned it against the wall beside the door. She took Johan’s from him, and he left. “I knew that with two extra people up here, you need a place for them to sleep.”
Anna thanked her. “We’ll put one in my bedroom and the other in Gerda’s. That’s where August is. He probably needs someone in there with him all night.”
Mrs. Nilsson came out of Gerda’s bedroom. “Marja, how nice to see you.”
Marja handed Ingrid a small tin. “Here’s some salve. We’ve had good results using it on burns. Maybe it will help August.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Nilsson hugged her friend.
“Another thing we’ve done when someone has a burn is put mint compresses on it. The herb has a cooling effect. Johan is going over to the garden to pull some of mine. He’ll bring it up here for you.”
Ingrid smiled. “How thoughtful you are, Marja.”
“The women at the church want to help, too, so they’ve made a list of people who will bring meals to you the next few days.”
Anna was surprised. “There are three women here. We could take care of the cooking.”
Marja turned toward her. “We know you can.” She put her hand on Anna’s arm. “But August is always so helpful to everyone else. This is a way to show how much we love him.”
All Anna could do was nod, because her throat was tight, and her eyes were full of tears.
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