Chapter 268 Hero
As James disappeared into the inferno, Jennifer's breath caught in her throat. Thousands of unspoken words filled her heart, yet none could pass the lump in her throat.
It wasn't until she saw the flames licking their way up the side of the building, engulfing the first floor in a hungry blaze, that a cold dread settled in her stomach.
"Who is that man?" one of the teachers asked, his voice a mix of awe and confusion.
"He said he was a firefighter," another replied, her eyes glued to the inferno.
"But he's not wearing any gear! He just ran in there like..."
"Like an ordinary man," someone finished, their voice hushed with a mixture of fear and admiration.
"God, please protect those children," a woman whispered, her hands clasped in prayer.
A wave of murmurs and Amens rippled through the group.
Suddenly, a woman gasped. "The gas line! There's a gas line in the kitchen! If the fire reaches it..."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken terror.
Jennifer's blood ran cold. "He'll be killed!" she cried, her voice sharp with panic. "It's too dangerous!"
All eyes turned to her. "Who are you?" someone asked.
Jennifer bit her lip, her gaze fixed on the flames that now danced across the entire first floor. "His wife," she whispered, the word heavy with a strange mix of pride and despair.
A wave of respect, tinged with pity, washed over the faces around her. "Your husband is a brave man," the older teacher said, her voice soft. "He'll be alright. He has to be."
"Yes," Jennifer echoed, though the word felt hollow even to her own ears. She chewed on her lip, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
The fire had drawn a crowd, their faces illuminated by the eerie orange glow. Among them, Harmony searched frantically for Jennifer, her heart a tangled mess of guilt and fear.
Jennifer's phone had gone straight to voicemail, leaving Harmony to stew in a cauldron of her own making. Had Jennifer blocked her number? Had her battery died?
She couldn't bear the thought of Jennifer facing this alone, facing anything alone, after what she'd done. She had to find Jennifer, explain, and beg for forgiveness.
Following the GPS coordinates from their last phone call, Harmony pushed through the growing crowd, desperation lending speed to her steps.
Inside the inferno, James didn't hesitate. He charged up the stairs, heading straight for the source of the terrified cries. The heat was an almost physical presence, the air thick with the acrid stench of smoke.
Even for James, an individual whose physical prowess exceeded that of the average man, the conditions were harsh. The temperature was unbearable, the smoke threatening to suffocate him with every breath.
He ripped a piece of fabric from his shirt, covering his mouth and nose as he pushed forward. Upon reaching the second floor, he experienced a disheartening realization that he was utterly clueless as to the location of the trapped children.
"Kids! Where are you?" he roared, his voice competing with the crackling flames. "I'm here to help!"
His words, carried on the smoke-filled air, reached the anxious ears of the crowd outside. Jennifer, her nerves already stretched thin, felt a fresh wave of fear wash over her.
"Over here!"
The cry, faint but unmistakable, came from his left. Relief, sharp and immediate, surged through him. The children were together, and from the sound of their voices, relatively unharmed.
He sprinted towards the sound, his eyes stinging from the smoke. The fire was relentless, feeding on the old, dry wood of the building. Chunks of plaster rained down around him as he ran.
The floor was hot beneath his feet, but he didn't slow down. He weaved through the flames, his movements precise and efficient, until he reached a room where six terrified children huddled on top of a desk.
Two of the smaller ones were starting to cough, their faces flushed and streaked with tears. James' heart ached at the sight of them, so young, so vulnerable.
"It's alright," he said, forcing a reassuring smile onto his smoke-stained face. "I'm here to get you out. You'll be back with your teachers in no time."
He wished he had more hands, more arms, to carry them all at once. But there was no time. He scooped up three of the children, one in each arm and one clinging to his back.
"Cover your mouths and noses," he instructed, his voice hoarse.
As he turned to leave, a small hand clutched at his shirt. "You'll come back, right?" a little boy asked, his voice trembling. "You promise you'll come back?"
James' chest tightened. "I promise," he said, meeting the boy's terrified eyes. "I won't leave you behind. Just stay here, cover your faces, and I'll be back before you know it."
"You're a hero," the boy whispered.
A hero. The word felt strange, foreign. Just moments ago, he'd been nothing more than a disappointment, a failure. Now, in the eyes of this terrified child, he was something else entirely.
The encroaching fire had transformed the threshold into a blazing inferno, leaving James with the stark realization that further delay was no longer an option. With one last reassuring look at the remaining children, he turned and charged back into the inferno.
He had a promise to keep.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
