by Croix, J. H.
He swore to himself and ran to catch up to Travis, James right behind him.
“We need to radio for one of the helicopters to circle back and try to douse those trees,” Travis said, his voice muffled by his respirator.
James tugged his radio out and called in. He gave a quick shake of his head. “They flew back to refuel. It’ll be another half hour before they can get back here.”
Darren glanced around and swore. Without another word between them, they separated and moved toward the house to knock down the nearby trees and flammable tinder. The best they could hope for was to keep the fire far enough away to save the house.
Darren ran on adrenaline for the next half hour. Finally, Risa was out of his thoughts, but now, he’d have given anything to be thinking about her instead of working frantically to keep the fire away from the house. He conferred briefly with Travis and James at one point to identify the best direction to move with the mother and her children if it looked like they couldn’t hold the line around the house. A wide stream ran through the area a short distance away. If all else failed, they’d head there and wait in the water if necessary.
Moments later, it was obvious they had to get the family out and move. The wind shifted, pushing the fire toward the house and them. The dry spruce crackled, a few trees toppling quickly in the wind and flames. Darren didn’t have time to think as they pounded on the door. A little girl who stood no taller than his hip opened the door, her brown eyes wide. Impatience flared when he realized the family wasn’t ready to leave. With Travis and James shouting for them to follow immediately, the little girl stood frozen by the door. She met Darren’s eyes and pointed to a room to the side. He followed her point to find the mother frantically trying to lift an elderly woman out of a bed. The woman was asleep, her body frail.
Darren didn’t stop to think. He strode over and lifted the elderly woman out of the mother’s arms, setting her back in the bed. A wheelchair sat in the corner. He calculated he could run with the woman in the chair, perhaps safer for her than being lugged in his arms. Not to mention the condition she appeared to be in, she’d need somewhere to rest while they waited for the helicopter to return and airlift them out. He hollered through his mask for the mother and her two children to follow Travis and James. When the mother hesitated, both children clung to her. He swore and grabbed the wheelchair. He was as gentle as he could be as he moved the woman into the wheelchair. Her body was so frail, he worried he’d hurt her by moving her. Her eyes never opened. When he reached the door, he saw James at the front of the mother and one of the children, leading the way toward the stream with Travis holding back, attempting to persuade the little girl who’d answered the door to come with him. She was clinging to the railing at the foot of the stairs, refusing to budge.
Darren couldn’t hear much with the wind, the fire and his helmet and respirator mask muting everything. The dead trees, ideal fire fuel, continued to topple as the flames licked around them. He hollered Travis’ name. When Travis lifted his head, the little girl turned to follow his gaze. As soon as she saw Darren with the woman he presumed to be her grandmother, she ran to his side. He couldn’t take it if something happened to her because she waited. As soon as she reached his side, he grabbed her hand firmly. With Travis helping, they maneuvered the chair down a ramp adjacent to the stairs and rolled it quickly across the field to the side of the house. In the midst of this, Darren had to release the little girl’s hand. Halfway across the field, he realized she wasn’t following anymore and turned back.
She stood by the end of the ramp. As he turned to go back for her, horror welled inside when she ran up the ramp and back into the house. Wind gusted, sending flames spiraling against the bright blue sky. Darren wished he could move faster in his gear. His heart was in his throat. That split second when he reached for the little boy all those years ago flashed through his mind. He forced his mind back to now. Fire was dancing in the trees, skirting far too close to the house. He barreled through the door and saw the little girl curled up under the bed where the grandmother had been, her knees tucked to her chest and her face buried against them—as if she could hide from the fire and find safety there.
He heard shouts and knew he had to move fast. The heat of the fire gusted through the open door. The crackle of burning trees was all around. He ran the short distance into the bedroom and reached for the little girl. Though tiny, her strength was surprising. She resisted his tug on her arm. Her body shook though not a sound came from her. Darren’s pulse was pounding. Fear choked him. He wouldn’t leave her behind. He knelt down, reached under the edge of the bed and dragged her out, lifting her fully into his arms. She was a tight ball and didn’t make a sound. He moved as fast as he could, shouldering through the door and back outside, a wall of heat slamming him in the face.
The little girl began crying, her sobs strident through the cacophony of sounds echoing in his helmet. He knew from his work as a police officer and a firefighter that reason rarely drove responses when emotions were high. She began kicking against his legs, screaming and pointing at the house behind them. They were about halfway to the stream. Darren glanced ahead to see James had grabbed the hands of the mother and her other child and was tugging them along. The mother’s neck was craned back, her eyes on them as they moved toward the stream.
The wind gusted, toppling trees into each other, one falling and bouncing on the roof of the house. Darren gestured for Travis to keep going. Darren began to run in Travis’ wake while the little girl kicked at his legs. He kept moving, the crackle and hiss of burning trees behind them too close for comfort. His heart pounded frantically, his throat was tight, and flashes from his familiar nightmare flickered in his mind.
They finally reached the stream, ushering the family into the water and to the far side. James and Travis jointly lifted the wheelchair holding the elderly woman and set it on the sloping bank on the other side. Darren forced himself to breathe slowly, a task made far more difficult by the heat inside his helmet and respirator mask. He shoved his memories away and tried to focus on the moment. They sat in a small group beside the stream and watched the house go up in flames. The little girl now wouldn’t let go of him. She stuck to his side like a burr.
He eventually got her to settle beside her mother. The fire blew through the house quickly, marching along the line of forest. The stream had been a good point to wait with the fire following the trees further down before jumping the stream a good half-mile below them in the field. Darren needed to get his nerves under control and his runaway memories in check. He kept telling himself this wasn’t the accident, that the situation was as safe as possible right now. Though safe was relative considering they were surrounded by burned forest with the wind driving the fire forward. The saving grace was the section of the stream where they waited was clear of trees for a good distance in both directions. He glanced to the little girl, his throat tightening as he watched her climb into her mother’s lap. The elderly woman in the wheelchair opened her eyes and looked toward the flames—so beautiful and destructive at once. Her eyes were filled with wonder, as if she was in awe of the force of the fire. She seemed unperturbed to have woken in her wheelchair by the stream, surrounded by her family and three strange firefighters.
Darren closed his eyes, fear pounding through his heart. Stop thinking about that damn accident. It’s been five years. That was then, this is now. Everyone got out okay. It didn’t work. His mind clung to the tiny slice of memory, playing it on a loop in his brain—the moment when he reached for that little boy. Sweat dripped on his skin inside his gear. James tore his respirator off and splashed water on his face. When Travis quickly followed suit, Darren did the same. The cold water was a balm and helped ease the tight feeling in his chest. As they waited and his mind kept disobeying his orders to stay focused, he found the only thing that kept him from mentally spiraling inside was to think of Risa. Her warm, dark eyes and full mouth, her throaty laugh and the feel of her b
ody beside his.
He chuckled to himself when he realized he’d flipped the script in his head. He’d come to the backcountry to chase a fire to try to shake the grip Risa seemed to have on his heart, his body and his mind. And yet, when the demons of a single memory, a split second in time, came back to haunt him, he sought her out in his mind. For now, he let it be. With another splash of water on his face, relief washed through him. In the distance, he saw a helicopter crest the horizon. Moments later, the thwack of its rotating blades was a welcome sound.
He stood by with Travis and James as the helicopter slowly came down for a landing in the burned field. Time passed in a blur as they helped everyone get loaded into the helicopter. He would wait with Travis and James for another helicopter to carry them out since there wasn’t room for all of them.
Hours passed as they waited, watching the fire move. The wind changed direction more than once. The sun began to set over the mountains. Streaks of red, orange and gold smudged in the haze of smoke hanging over the sky.
Chapter 22
Risa threaded her way through the gallery on its opening evening. They’d timed it to open on the date of a monthly arts event, First Friday, a common event in many communities. Art galleries stayed open late with refreshments, sales and special exhibits. Locals turned out in force in Diamond Creek, along with lingering tourists. She paused by a back window and looked out over Kachemak Bay. The sun was well on its way down, low over the mountains. Its faded rays mingled with the clouds, shimmering in blurred gold, red and orange on the water.
She turned at a tap on her shoulder. Ethan stood there with a glass of wine held out for her. She grinned and took it, kissing him on the cheek as she did.
“So how are we doing?” she asked.
Ethan winked with a small smile. “Absolutely perfect. I know you had your concerns about opening after summer passed, but we caught the last of the tourists and opening on a First Friday brought half the town out,” he said, glancing around at the crowded gallery.
Risa followed his gaze and felt a wave of satisfaction. “I’m pretty happy with how it’s gone. Our sales have been fantastic today and tonight’s the icing on the cake.” She paused to take a sip of wine. “You’re right, of course. This will give us the winter to solidify our inventory and head into next summer’s tourist season ready to go.”
A few customers approached them, and Risa and Ethan separated as they addressed questions. As the evening wore on, Darren kept strolling into Risa’s thoughts. It had been two days since he’d been gone, and it was a constant battle not to obsess over him. She alternated between wondering how he was doing and if he was safe to ruminating over her conversation with Hallie and whether she had the nerve to tell him how she felt. She seriously doubted her ability to do that when she could barely stand to consider how she genuinely felt. The word ‘love’ would rise through her heart, and she had to shove it out of her mind. Restless and irritable, she’d woken this morning with Darren fresh in her thoughts. She’d climbed on her elliptical for a brutal fast-paced workout, an attempt to get him out of her mind. The respite was brief.
As she moved through the gallery, she heard snippets of conversation and came to a complete halt when she heard someone mention that some of the firefighters were unaccounted for today. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she was so desperate for information that she stepped to the side of the man who’d spoken and met his eyes when he turned to her.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have a friend who’s on one of the crews at the fire. What did you hear?”
The man wasn’t bothered by her interruption and continued. “Well, my son who lives in Kenai said that his buddy told him they have three teams that haven’t reported back yet today. His buddy is a firefighter from Kenai. They finished their rotation the day before last.”
Risa’s chest felt tight, her skin clammy. She remained by the group of people while their conversation floated around her. There were various theories about the numerous factors that could have delayed the teams’ return. All she could think about was how to find out if Darren had reported back with his team. The man whom she’d overheard appeared to notice her distress and when she turned to move away, he stepped outside the circle of people and placed his hand on her arm.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said quietly.
She met his eyes, which were warm blue and kind in his weathered face. She took a shaky breath. “I don’t know how to find out if my friend is okay.”
“I can have my son call his friend to find out whatever I can for you. Let me do that right now. Don’t go anywhere,” he said, holding a finger up and stepping to the side of the room.
Risa waited by the counter, trying to stay focused on customers. She answered questions automatically with a polite smile pasted on her face. After a few minutes, the man returned, tucking his phone in his pocket. He rested an elbow against the counter and met her eyes.
“I’m Dan, by the way.” His eyes crinkled with his smile.
She nodded jerkily. “I’m Risa.”
His kind eyes anchored her. “My son called his friend and called me right back. He said it’s not likely they’ll give him names yet. They’ll want to wait to confirm the situation. Just because the teams haven’t reported in doesn’t mean they’re in danger. With the weather and the vast area where they’re spread out, they may have radioed in with a plan to sit tight. In the meantime, he said to call the station here and they’ll have any updates for you.”
Risa’s heart was in her throat, fear coursing through her. She nodded, hot tears pressing against her eyes. She swallowed and took a deep breath. She stumbled through thanking Dan and watched him walk away. The evening was mercifully close to ending. Jack glanced her way and arched a brow. She knew he sensed something, but she was relieved he was too busy to walk over. She couldn’t talk about it with the gallery full of people.
She went through the motions until the crowd filtered out of the gallery. Ethan and Jack ushered the last few visitors out the door and locked it. Risa busied herself at the register, tallying up totals and desperate for anything to keep her mind off of Darren.
Ethan walked around the gallery quickly, picking up wineglasses and tidying as he moved through. Jack came to the back and leaned his elbows on the counter.
“Are you okay?” he asked immediately.
The tears she’d been holding at bay spilled over, sliding down her cheeks. She felt ridiculous because she was freaking out and she didn’t even know if Darren was with one of the missing teams. She heard footsteps and then Ethan’s voice.
“Oh dear, Jack mentioned he was concerned about you. What’s wrong, dear?”
Her shoulders shook, but she forced herself to breathe. A handkerchief appeared in front of her. She snatched it out of Jack’s hand and wiped her cheeks.
“I was walking around and overheard some people talking about the fire up north. They said some of the crews hadn’t reported in today. Darren’s up there with the Diamond Creek crew, and I don’t know how to get a hold of him…” Her words tumbled out, stopping when she needed a gulp of air.
She wiped her eyes again and looked up to find two pairs of familiar blue eyes pinned on her with a shared look of concern. Ethan set the tray he held down on the counter and pulled her close for a quick hug. Jack, ever-practical, slipped his phone out of his pocket and made a call. She quickly ascertained he was calling the fire station.
His one-sided conversation did little to soothe her. “When should I call back for another update?” Jack asked before ending the call.
“What did they say?” Risa asked as soon as he moved the phone away from his ear. Ethan’s arm remained around her shoulders.
Jack’s eyes met hers, his gaze sober. “All they could tell me is two teams that haven’t reported back yet are from the Diamond Creek station. They assured me that in a backcountry fire, delayed returns aren’t unusual. They did say one team was delayed be
cause they’d rescued a family who took their place on one of the helicopters. That team was accounted for and safe, but waiting for another helicopter to pick them up.”
“Did they give you any names? I mean, could they at least tell you who had returned?”
He shook his head. “I’m not family, so no. My suggestion would be to head down there yourself and personally ask. You might get more information that way.”
Risa closed her eyes and took a slow breath. She shook her head sharply, trying to force her mind off of its endless loop of unfounded worry. “Okay, okay. Do you guys mind closing up? I’m going to stop by Darren’s place and see if his sister knows anything.”
Jack and Ethan instantly agreed, but insisted she call them with an update after she talked to Hallie. Ethan assured her they’d be stopping by her place later this evening to check in on her.
***
Darren sat on the stream bank and glanced around at the sky. The light had faded, stars were winking and a half moon rose behind the mountains. Travis and James lounged beside him. They’d enjoyed a dinner of snack bars and trail mix with water. The helicopter that had been slated to pick them up had been sent to a more pressing pick up. By that point, dusk had settled in with darkness on its way. They’d agreed they could remain for the night and had hunkered down. He wished he could get word to Hallie and Risa, but the best he could hope for was that the station in Diamond Creek would give them an update if they called. Safety wasn’t a concern now. The fire was far in the distance now, the shimmering orange from its flames flickering in the dark sky.
When another helicopter carrying water and flame retardant had passed over earlier, supplies had been dropped for them, which included a deck of cards. They passed the hours until dawn between games of cards and taking turns staying awake in case the wind shifted in their direction again. The cool night air fell around them. Darren rested on his elbows during his time for watch and thought about Risa. He’d give just about anything to be with her right now.