Shadow barked. He spun on his heel, heading along the hill toward the frantic barking, calling out for Holly. Shadow ran up to him, nuzzling his hand and wagging her tail.
"Shadow, come here, girl! Where is she?" Andrew asked, picking up her trailing leash. As if he expected an answer, he asked again. "Where is Holly?" Shadow whined and pulled him down the hill.
Holly lay on the ground, her hands digging into the steep hillside like she was fighting to stay upright. Pools of pine needles lay around her and her face was covered in dirt and ash. "Holly!" he cried. He could see the fire in the trees, flames licking up and down the parched bark. He dropped his shirt and ran toward her, yelling, "Ray, I found her!" as Shadow barked.
Her lips were white against the ash on her face, her dark hair tangled and filled with needles and branches. He put his hands on her back, checking to see that she was breathing. He started whispering to her as he brushed her off and pulled her to a sitting position. She stared blankly at him, like she couldn't believe he was there.
"Can you walk?" He asked. She looked confused for a moment, her lips forming a no as she shook her head. The heat from the fire was making him sweat; he could hear it roaring in the distance like a hungry beast. He scooped her up, and she put her head on his shoulder as he started back up the hill. She seemed so light in his arms, like he could carry her forever. It only took a moment to make his way up the hill and around the house, calling out to Ray to start the truck.
***
I felt Andrew power up the hill, holding me close to his chest. He made the distance between where I was and the house in a matter of seconds where I had struggled for what seemed like hours. I wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in his masculine scent. His bare skin didn't smell like smoke, but like running water and sunshine. He was so solid beneath me, his body pressed against mine. I wondered if he was going to the garage, because we would never fit on my bicycle together. A car horn sounded as Andrew rounded the corner of my house; Ray's truck was in my driveway.
"Ray, I got her and Shadow—I think she's going into shock," Andrew shouted.
"Get in the back and lay her down—we gotta get out of here now!" Ray yelled back. I heard a metal thunk as the back of the truck dropped open. Andrew set me down gently on the warm metal truck-bed, and called Shadow's name. She jumped up next to me, her fur brushing my leg. Andrew slammed the truck gate back up and jumped in beside me.
"Go! Go!" He yelled, pounding the side of the truck, gathering me back up in his arms. The engine revved and I peeked out over the side of the truck. My house stood illuminated against a sea of black and sparks. I never did make it to my bicycle.
Chapter 16
The flames died slow, painful deaths as they starved for more. But there was no more. The trees were gone, the grass was gone, the bushes were gone. The fire had nowhere left to go. The firefighters pressed on, determined to never to let the flames rise again. They searched for any hint of flame. No glowing ember was left alive to burn. Shovels buried, water quenched, and eyes hunted. No quarter was given, no mercy to the flames. The fire must not be allowed to continue, too much was at stake to let it start again.
***
Andrew brushed the hair out of my face, peering down at me. His blue eyes stood out against the soot on his cheeks. His hair was a mess with streaks of black from where his dirty hands had brushed through it. The truck engine roared as Ray sped down the road. Andrew smiled down at me and kissed my forehead.
"You came for me," I whispered. It was easier to breathe now, but my throat still felt like I had swallowed lit charcoal.
"Of course I came for you. I will always come for you," he said tucking my hair behind my ear. My head was spinning. This had to be a dream. I was either going to wake up safe in my bed, or still trapped on the mountain by fire.
"But... you're mad at me. You wouldn't talk to me," I whispered. My fingers buried themselves into his skin; I was afraid if I let go of him, I would wake up. He felt solid underneath me, and I didn't want to lose that.
"I was mad. But when I thought I might lose you, I..." Andrew's breath caught and he tightened his hold on me. He cleared his throat and said softly, "I couldn't bear to lose you."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have told you everything from the beginning, but I loved the way you looked at me. Like I was perfect. You didn't look at me like I was broken," I said. The truck hit a bump in the road and I yelped. Andrew held me protectively, his face full of concern. I didn't know I could feel pain like that.
"Holly, I love you. I have always loved you. I wish you could see what I see in you." He kissed my head gently. "You aren't broken. A little bruised, but not broken. Well, maybe your ankle, but not your spirit." He grinned at me. I tried to smile back, but everything was starting to hurt. Just breathing hurt.
"I thought I was going to die," I whimpered. He nodded and squeezed me closer to him. I felt so safe in his arms. "All I wanted to do was tell you I love you."
"You can tell me now," he whispered with tears in his eyes.
"I love you, Andrew."
"I love you, Holly." He kissed me. It felt like life was rushing through me, colors and emotions overwhelming everything. I lived in that kiss.
***
The truck slowed and turned into the parking lot for the emergency clinic. The space was fairly full and people were milling around the building. Ray came around and unlatched the gate, making sure Shadow was tied to the bed of the truck. She lay quietly in the corner on the driver's side, her dark eyes taking everything in. Andrew carefully handed me off to Ray. I felt like a small sick child in Ray's long arms as he carried me into the clinic.
The waiting room was a busy scene of organized chaos. It was full of patients waiting to be seen or waiting for family. Ray carried me up to the desk, the smell of smoke drifting behind us. The receptionist looked up, startled, her eyes going wide. She stammered and handed Ray the patient sign-in sheet before running to grab a nurse. I rested my head against Ray's shoulder, watching the other patients stare at the three of us. My ankle hung limply, but as long as I didn't move it I could ignore the pain.
"Seriously, Anna, what could be so important that..." Audrey's words trailed off as she turned the corner and saw us. Her face went pale, then red, then pale again. I just wished I could lay down and sleep. "Get them in a room now."
A woman in blue scrubs rolled up a gurney, and Ray set me down gently. I hissed with pain when he carefully moved my foot up onto the gurney. Andrew held my hand as we rolled toward a room made from curtains.
I caught my reflection in the glass of a picture frame and nearly jumped off the stretcher. No wonder we had startled the receptionist. I had twigs and bark tangled in my hair, with soot and tears making a frightening mask on my face. Andrew and Ray didn't look much better, covered in ash and debris themselves. Andrew was still shirtless, soot and my blood smeared across his chest. I almost wanted to giggle at how frightening we all looked.
Once in the curtained room, Audrey came in and hooked me up to the monitors and put a plastic oxygen tube in my nose. She relaxed a little as she asked me questions and found my vitals were steady. Andrew and Ray listened and added to my story as I told her what happened. Audrey gasped and looked back and forth at the two of them as I told her how they saved me. They were my own personal heroes. Audrey looked like she was debating strangling them both for risking their lives or hugging them for saving me.
The woman in blue scrubs returned with a plain white T-shirt for Andrew. Then, she shooed the males out of the room so she could help me change into a hospital gown. I felt better after laying down and not breathing toxic smoke, but I was still beaten and tired.
She was gentle, but I still held my breath as she maneuvered my torn shorts over my ankle. It was so swollen and painful that I yelped despite her best efforts. I made her check the pocket for my mother's picture. She handed it to me and I held onto it like it was a winning lottery ticket.
As soon as I was decent, Andrew was back holding my hand, distracting me from the pain. The blue-scrub lady brought me a warm washcloth. Andrew took it from her and wiped the grime from my face with delicate care. It felt luxurious.
Audrey came in and started an IV, pumping drugs and liquids into my system. She specifically refused to look at Ray, focusing only on me. The drugs hit me, and I felt loopy; the pain was still there, but I no longer cared. Pain didn't matter anymore.
"Holly, we are going to take you down for an X-ray to look at your ankle in a few minutes. You doing okay for now?" Audrey said as she hung a bag of fluids above my head.
"I'm better now. Audrey?" I felt the medicine making me bold. I couldn't stop the words from pouring out of my mouth. "Why are you fighting with Ray?"
The room went quiet except for the constant beeping of the machine recording my vitals. It reminded me of crickets chirping after an unsuccessful joke. Everyone was staring at me.
"Holly, that's not really important right now. You just rest," Audrey finally said, patting my good leg gently.
"No. It is important. You two were happy, and no one can give me a straight answer why you aren't together and happy." The words just poured out of me. Andrew squeezed my hand and looked expectantly up at his mom.
"She's right, Mom. Doped-up Holly has a point. Neither one of you has given me a reason that actually makes sense. You say it's his fault; he says it's yours. So I want to know why you aren't together," Andrew said firmly.
Ray dropped his eyes to the floor. Audrey played with her pen, biting her lip.
"Andrew, this is between Ray and me. This is not the time or the place to discuss our relationship," she said firmly, her voice taking a chastising tone.
"No, this is exactly the time," I interjected stubbornly. "I saw fire today. Once you light a fire, it has to burn and it doesn't care if this is the time or place. Fire either burns brightly or it fizzles into nothingness and smoke. Without the fire, there is no light. So, are you two burning or fizzling?" I demanded. I wanted an answer. Andrew looked at me, and I shrugged. I might be confused from the drugs, but it had sounded poetic in my head.
"I nearly lost my best friend today. I love her, and I nearly didn't get to tell her I was sorry." Andrew looked pointedly at his mother. Silence echoed across the room.
"I'll be here, marking time for as long as you need me to," Ray said softly, breaking the silence. Audrey's hand suddenly went to her throat as her eyes filled with tears.
"Ray," Audrey whispered, dropping to her knees in front of him. He looked up at her, his smile shy and timid. He looked so much like Tyler that I wondered if their shyness was genetic. There was a sweetness in his eyes that I couldn't look away from. Audrey looked at him for a long time, her eyes searching his face. She started to smile, her eyes going bright like she had just discovered the answer to a difficult puzzle. "I should have said yes a long time ago."
She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. Ray's face lit up like the Fourth of July before he caught himself and looked at her seriously. "Really?"