by J. R. Tate
They reached their destination. The fire lined the outskirts of the park and it was a shame to see much of it already destroyed. The park was heavily blanketed in pine trees, and the pine needles that covered the ground were serving as kindling to fuel the fire’s speed. Michael got out and they were instructed to put their masks on immediately. The smoke was so thick that it was as if they were in a heavy fog storm.
“McGinnis, go search that structure and make sure no one is in it. Lawton, go with him,” Harlan instructed. “If it’s clear, come back and grab shovels and start helping with the building of some fire breaks and lanes.”
For the most part, Lieutenant Harlan had been right. His instincts kicked in, and with the help of adrenaline, everything started out fine. Aside from being awe struck from seeing wildfires like this for the first time, Michael was ready to go. The line of buildings they were ordered to protect were several cabins built years ago during the Great Depression. They were bricked up using old rock, and algae lined the bottom area of each cabin.
The smoke hovered at eye level in the buildings. “Anyone in here?” Michael crouched down to get a better view. “Fire department! If anyone is in here, yell out!” He made sure to keep Lawton in his peripheral vision. They were right when they emphasized how important it was to stay together. The haze and smoke was so thick that Michael could definitely see how getting disoriented would be easy to accomplish.
There were four cabins clumped together and they did an interior walk through of each of them.
“There were no civilians in any of the structures, Lieutenant,” Lawton replied.
“Okay. We’ve got a truck soaking down the land around them and spraying down the roofs of the buildings. The fire is still a few miles away. We need to start building trenches, breaks, and lanes to keep it away from these. There’s a bulldozer down there knocking trees down. Start piling the limbs up.”
The terrain was uneven and Michael remembered hearing that fire spreads faster as it goes uphill. Unfortunately, the cabins were at the top of a hill. He had to wonder how long their air tanks were going to last if they kept them on the whole time. Did they have someone going back and forth to the firehouse to get full ones if need be? Just as he was thinking that, an order was called out to preserve their oxygen and only use it when the smoke was overly thick. With the fire still being a few miles away, a lot of the air wasn’t as potent to wear a mask constantly.
Michael pulled his off and let the mask dangle from his neck. As long as he wasn’t in a confined space, he felt it wasn’t needed. He was amazed at how out of breath he was as he gathered up branches and piled them up. He felt as if he was out of shape. If they appeared to be exhausted, another firefighter would take over and allow them some rest time.
It had been some of the most excruciating work Michael had ever taken part in. He looked down at his watch and was shocked to see that it was already past noon. Time was flying by and the fire was getting closer and closer.
Another fire department took over their task as they got a chance to take a break and eat. And auxiliary group of women brought in some sandwiches and more water. It was just bologna on white bread, but tasted as if it was gourmet cuisine. Each fire fighter got two sandwiches and tons of water, and Michael had never scarfed his food so quickly.
“McGinnis, I told you that you’d kick ass out here. Damn fine hard work!” Lieutenant Harlan patted him on the back. “What do you think so far?”
Michael thought about the question for a second. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. Sad to see it get so bad.” He was also amazed at the camaraderie with the group. They were all together, doing horrible work in bad conditions, volunteers making no money for it, yet the morale of the group was amazing. Everyone was laughing and spirits were high. It was an eye opening experience, and one Michael was glad he was taking part of.
“Okay boys, we’ve got another good few hours of work ahead of us. Drink up your water and stay hydrated. Another department will be coming on soon to relieve us,” Lieutenant Harlan said. “Keep up the good work!” Nodding toward Michael, he winked and went right back to the task at hand. Not once did Michael hear a word of complaining from anyone. It was a true inspiration right in the midst of it all, right in front of him.
***
The sound of the phone ringing jolted Eva from her sleep. Sitting up, it was as if her body wouldn’t move. Everything was a haze and as she reached for the phone, it seemed to be moving farther and farther away. Stretching, the nightstand continued to move back. She was finally able to grasp the phone and answered it quickly, hoping whoever was on the other end hadn’t hung up yet.
“Hello?”
“Is this Eva Crisante?” The voice was raspy and deep. She didn’t recognize it and her heart began to race. What time was it? Why was it so hard to move? Who was randomly calling her? She was so confused and frazzled.
“Um, yes it is. May I ask who’s calling?”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m just calling to inform you that your boyfriend is dead.”
The words echoed in her mind and her body jolted. Instantly she woke up, buried under the covers, sweat soaking the pillow and sheets against her. It took her a moment to gain her composure and realize that it was all just a dream. She pulled the comforter off and saw that the sun was streaming through the blinds on the window near the bed. It was a little after eight in the morning. Her cell phone was in the same spot she always left it before going to sleep. She never had been so thankful that something was just a dream, but at the same time was flustered for what her mind had thought up.
Rolling on her side, she curled up on Michael’s side of the bed. It smelled like him. She gathered his pillow near her and took a deep breath. The small hint of his aftershave gave her comfort. Any time she had a vivid dream she tried to figure out why. Last night he had called her, but they only talked for a few minutes. He had seemed to be in good spirits and was more relaxed after getting the first day under his belt. It was refreshing, but Eva wished he didn’t describe some of the things he did to her. The very thought of him being out in walls of fire and heavy smoke blankets made the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up.
She had the day off and didn’t want to be cooped in the house. Everything reminded her of Michael. It had only been a few days since she had last seen him and already, she was going insane without him near.
After a quick shower she took a stroll down to the subway station. After getting on, Eva wasn’t entirely sure on where she was going. She just needed to get away from Hell’s Kitchen and get her mind off of the horrible dream. She watched out of the window as it flew by different neighborhoods. She would study people as they came and went, imagining what kind of life each of them had.
The subway stopped in Flushing and that’s when she realized she was close to where Mikey’s mom lived. She made a quick decision and got off before the doors slammed shut. She promised Mikey she would go visit her while he was gone. She had always wanted to get closer to her and now seemed like the perfect opportunity. She had come to the house a few times with him and remembering the short walk from the subway station wasn’t a challenge.
Betty was working out in her flowerbed when Eva got there. She slowly walked up the driveway, admiring how she was still a very active woman. “Betty?” She looked up and Eva smiled. By her body language, she was happy to see her. “Hope you don’t mind a visit. I’m off today and wanted to come by.”
“I love visitors, hon! How are you?” She got up and pulled Eva in for a tight hug.
“I’m doing okay. Your flowers are looking really nice. I wish I had a green thumb like that.”
“Oh, it doesn’t take much.” She slapped her hands to the side. “How about we go inside and have some tea? It’s so humid today. Gotta keep hydrated.” She held the screen door open for Eva. She had been in the house a few times before and never would forget the instant comfortable feel. She loved looking at all of the pictures of Michael th
at Betty had arranged on one of the walls. The pictures ranged from when he was a baby, all the way until he had graduated the fire academy.
“So, something tells me you didn’t come to Queens just to come. I can tell something is on your mind, Eva.” She scooted the glass of iced tea across the kitchen table and after a few more seconds of looking at the pictures, Eva joined her. It was amazing how easy people could be read.
She took a sip of the tea and tasted a small hint of lemon. “Am I that obvious?”
“Honey, there’s no shame in it.” Betty reached out and patted her hand. “You’re worried about Michael.” It came out as a statement, rather than a question. Her green eyes were almost identical to Mikey’s and the way she arched her eyebrow showed major resemblance to him.
Eva nodded and took another drink and ran her index finger through the condensation on the glass. “Yeah, I am. I had a really short dream this morning about getting a phone call that he was dead. I know it’s just a dream, but it still bugs me.”
Betty leaned forward in her chair. “It’s normal to have those types of dreams. Our mind just goes crazy, especially if we have vivid imaginations. The important thing is to be able to decipher the difference between them and reality.” She squeezed a lemon wedge into her drink and stirred it up. “Don’t dwell on what hasn’t happened yet. You know how that corny saying goes. Don’t cross a bridge until you get to it.” She let out a laugh and her smile had a relaxing effect on Eva. Even though she didn’t know her real well, she was very easy to talk to.
“I just don’t understand how you are so calm about it all. Not just with Mikey being in Texas, but his career choice in general. Especially after, you know…” she trailed off, regretting that she was even bringing it up.
“After my husband died doing the same job?”
Eva shook her head. “I’m sorry, that was dumb of me to say.”
“No it wasn’t. That happened so long ago. It’s not a touchy subject anymore. And in reply to me being calm, deep inside I can definitely be a nervous wreck. There are times I’ll be watching the TV and hear a news story of a big fire and panic. If I don’t hear from Michael for an extended amount of time, I worry. But like I said, I’ve learned how to cross bridges when I get to them. It comes with age. You’ll get better at it.”
Eva hoped Betty was right. She had always been the type to stress over everything and nine times out of ten, the problem never even came into her life. “I almost didn’t date Mikey because I was scared of all of the baggage that came with a firefighter. Almost missed out on a great guy because of my neurosis.”
“And look at you two now. I’m glad you pushed the anxiety away.”
Eva refilled both of their tea glasses and sat back down. “Me too. He’s a good man. He just needs to learn that himself.”
“I agree. You also wonder how I stay so calm. With sons like Casey and Mikey, that patience develops fast.” Betty winked and they both laughed. “I’m kidding. They’re both good boys. I’m glad for every grey hair they put on my head. We’ve all learned from it, and that’s what is important in the long run. There’s good in everyone.”
Eva’s scanned the kitchen, taking in the creative décor. “Yes there is. Thanks for letting me come and vent to you.”
“It’s no problem, honey. You can come over any time. And don’t worry about Mikey. He’s a smart man. I’d want him at my side in an emergency situation without even hesitating. He’ll come back safe and sound, you just wait and see.”
Chapter Eleven
The Manor Fire Department had been ordered to clear out a farm area that was feet away from being burned up. From what Michael could tell, it was several acres of ranch land, with a ranch house at the top of the hill. Much of the equipment and land had already been charred. The house was surrounded by flames on every side except one, where he, Lawton, and two other men went in to clear the house and check for civilians.
They searched the barn first. A distinct and nauseating smell hit him hard and he came close to throwing up what little he had eaten for breakfast that day. Several farm animals, including horses and cattle were dead and burned up out in the pasture. He had seen human corpses and domesticated animals in homes, but for some reason, seeing this bugged him. He stared at their bodies on the ground, hoping that the people who owned the land had already evacuated.
The barn was clear and they made their way to the two-story ranch house. Smoke was thick as the fire got closer and Michael kept hearing the voice in his head telling him to not forget that fire always travels faster uphill. Maybe it was because they were on top of a hill and the fire was lurking just a few thousand feet below them.
Lieutenant Harlan’s voice was staticky over the radio traffic. “The fire is moving fast. Do a search and get down! The last thing you guys need to do is get trapped up there.”
“We’re moving, Lieu,” Lawton replied.
They knocked on the door and got no answer. The knob was locked so Michael kicked it in. “Fire department! Anyone inside?” Michael could swear he heard a woman whimper and stopped walking to try and hear better. “If there’s someone inside, yell out so we can find you!”
They walked through the living room and den and found an old man and woman burrowed against the back wall of a bedroom. Both had their faces wrapped in towels and had buckets of water around them. “Get out of our house! We are not leaving!”
Lawton shoved through the door and took his mask off. “Listen! The county of Bastrop has issued a mandatory evacuation of this area! The fire is coming and you have to leave!”
“You expect us to leave our home? We’ve been here for fifty years,” the woman cried out. “We’ll lose everything.”
“You’ll lose your life too, if you decide to wait it out,” Michael responded. They had to move fast, or the four of them along with the couple would be trapped with nowhere to go. The roaring of the fire was getting louder with each second.
“You guys have fire trucks. Why don’t you come fight the fire and save the house? Do you have any idea how horrible it is to be told you have to leave everything? I built this house from the ground up!”
“We are sorry sir, but your life can at least be spared. We really have to go. We can’t get our trucks up through the fire to save it in time. The fire is moving way too fast.” Another one of the firefighters chimed in as he knelt down in front of them. “It’s a bad situation and we truly are sorry for the misfortune, but don’t lose your life too.”
Michael’s heart ached. Tears flowed from each of the people’s eyes as they stood up and gathered up what they could carry. They even helped in grabbing pictures of family and different heirlooms they didn’t want to part with. When they got outside, the smoke seemed even thicker than just ten minutes before. Maybe it was in his imagination, but Michael knew they had to get back to the other men.
The old man paused at the edge of the pasture where all of the animals lay dead. Shaking his head, he appeared to be defeated at the sight of his misfortune. “I can’t believe this is happening. Is this the end of the world?” He looked at Michael, tears streaking down his cheeks.
“No, it’s not the end of the world, sir. This is what nature does.”
“Mother nature is a cruel bitch,” the man said as he turned back and they made their way down the hill.
Neither of them could move fast and the woman would stumble over bumps and branches. Michael picked her up and carried her on his back, thankful that she was as thin as she was. Along with the gear he was carrying, it felt as if base camp was miles away. The other guys offered to take over, but Michael resisted. It would be harder to shift her to someone else and he already had momentum going down the hill.
They reached the rest of the men and sat her down on the back of one of the personal pickup trucks. He set his mask and tank aside and looked her over. “What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Anita.”
There was sorrow written across her face. Just the thought of hav
ing to leave a home they developed themselves with the chances of it being gone when they got back made Michael sick.
“I’m really sorry you had to leave, Anita.” She appeared to not have any injuries.
“Thanks for carrying me down. What is your name, young man?”
Michael took a deep breath as he looked up the hill in the distance and back down to her. “Michael.”
“Thanks for everything you have done, Michael.” A tear fell down her cheek and he handed her a tissue from the first aid kit beside them. He wasn’t sure what to say back to her, so he forced a smile and waved as she and her husband were escorted to a vehicle that would take them to a shelter in town.
“Good work, men. Hays County is going to take over our spot for the evening so we can get some relief,” Lieutenant Harlan said. “Let’s get some rest.”
They all drove back to the firehouse, leaving the raging fires behind, but never allowing for them to escape their minds. Michael had only been out for a few days and when he closed his eyes, all he could see was orange and red flames towering high above him. Now he would have the sorrowful looks of families forced from their homes in his head, adding on a whole new level of stress.
He rested his head against the window of Lawton’s truck as they drove down the winding back roads that led back to Manor. The sun was setting, lending a purple hue that was barely escaping the foggy haze from the smoke. If Michael thought hard enough, he imagined they were in Scotland or somewhere known for their fog, rather than being in a wildfire inferno that just got stronger as each day passed.
