by Mandy Magro
Rose nodded as tears poured down her face, visibly afraid of the awful situation unfolding. ‘I love Buck, Mum. He can’t die. He’s my best friend.’
‘I won’t let him!’
Molly couldn’t believe the ferocity of the fire once they reached the stables. The huge, yellow flames flickered and roared like spirits from hell, devouring the timber as windows exploded from the sheer force of the heat. Horses were kicking and neighing in terror inside the burning building. She watched on helplessly while the men ran one by one into the flames, vanishing into the thick wall of smoke. Their fears of being caught up in the fire themselves were evidently being put to the back of their minds. Jade and Elizabeth threw buckets of water over the fire while Molly attached a garden hose to the water tank. Rose stood behind them, the heat from the bellowing flames making her face turn red.
‘Stand back a bit, sweetheart, over there near the round yard, where it’s safe, okay?’ Molly yelled, watching like a hawk as Rose obeyed. The little girl walked backwards then sat down on the grass, well away from any potential threat.
Molly screamed out over the roar of the fire. ‘We need Heath here now!’
‘I can see his headlights coming down the road,’ Elizabeth shouted back.
The men were bringing out one horse after the other. Molly quickly calculated that there had been about seven horses in there to begin with. It was hard enough fighting through the thick, black smoke but once back in the fresh air they also had the difficult job of trying to calm the horses down and check them over quickly for any injuries they might have to see to immediately. Molly watched on, growing more and more anxious as time ticked by. Where were Buck and Leroy? Were they hurt, or worse, dead? She ran over to her grandfather as he stumbled out of the stables with Jade’s horse, Spirit, in tow. David was choking badly from the smoke. She wanted to tell him to leave the saving of the horses to the younger men, but she knew he wouldn’t hear of it. Jade took the lead rope from David’s blackened hands and led Spirit away, thanking David over and over.
Molly placed her hand on David’s back. ‘Have you seen Buck and Leroy in there, Granddad?’ she asked, panic rising in her throat.
David tried to answer her between bouts of coughing. ‘There’re only a few horses left in there. I gather two of them are Buck and Leroy. They’re alive, love, so don’t worry. The fire is worse out the front here than it is when you get through the door. So as long as I move fast I’ll get them both out for you.’ He ran back towards the fire and in a flash he was gone behind the smoke that was pouring out of the stable door like a raging black river.
‘Be careful, Granddad!’ Molly screamed after him.
Heath had arrived and was using the spray tank on the back of the tractor to douse the flames. Trev came running out of the stables with his horse, Dakota. Molly winced at the horrific burn on the horse’s rump. Trev was using all his strength to keep hold of his horse that kicked and whinnied out in pain.
All of a sudden there was a loud bang and the ground shook beneath Molly as an explosion ripped through the stables. She watched in horror as the roof began to cave in and the walls crumbled to the ground. Heath slipped and fell from the back of the tractor, the impact of the explosion causing him to lose his footing. He hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. Kenny and David came running out of the flames with Leroy, yelling that the horse was okay. Molly felt a surge of relief, but her fears for Buck were growing by the second. She had to get the horse out of there. God, please let him be alive! David collapsed on the ground, vomiting, the smoke finally overcoming him. Molly ran to help him.
‘Buck is still in there!’ Rose shrieked as she ran for the stables.
Molly screamed in horror, tears pouring down her blackened face, her voice hoarse from all the smoke as she caught a glimpse of Rose disappearing into the flames. ‘Rose! No! Don’t go in there! Rose!’ And before anyone could stop her, Molly went tearing into the flames after her. She couldn’t lose Rose; not like this, not ever.
‘Molly!’ Heath cried out but Molly was gone. His blood ran cold as he imagined Molly and Rose burning alive in the stables. He had to save them. They were his life, his everything.
Elizabeth and Jade tried to run into the burning building after Molly as Kenny and Trev stumbled over each other to pull the two women back. Elizabeth tried with all her strength to fight them off but they wouldn’t let go of her and she finally gave in and slumped into Trev’s arms, sobbing hysterically. Jade screamed out Molly and Rose’s names, her helpless frustration written across her face.
‘I’m going in there! You lot stay out here and look after David, you hear me?’ Heath roared, running into the fire without further hesitation.
The group stood together, holding their breath. Elizabeth sobbed as she stroked David’s back and Jade did her best to comfort them both, tears pouring down her face. Trev and Kenny did all they could to control the fire, but to no avail. Flames were licking around the stable door, there were only minutes before the whole building would be completely ablaze. There was a sudden crash at the side of the stables and Buck came bolting out of the flames, neighing in terror. Trev ran to the horse, trying to sooth Buck. The horse reared up in panic and landed with a ground-rattling thump but Trev skillfully threw a lead rope over Buck’s neck and led the animal towards the other horses. Trev was relieved to see that, amazingly, the horse had escaped almost unscathed, aside from a few minor burns on his face.
Heath felt the flames burning through his clothes and painfully licking his skin. He pushed forward as smoke engulfed him like a suffocating blanket and his lungs began screaming for oxygen. But he wasn’t going back outside until he had found Molly and Rose. He would rather die in here than give up searching just to save himself.
The intense heat scalded his face, as though someone had pushed him into an oven. He had to fight back the urge to vomit, the stench of the smoke making him feel violently ill. He stumbled over the burning timber beams that had fallen from the roof, yelling out over and over to Molly and Rose. He strained his ears for a response, the roar of the fire deafening. He couldn’t see a metre in front of himself as he shuffled along the ground, trying his best not to fall over.
His boot hit something and he heard a muffled murmur. Heath quickly knelt down as a tiny hand fumbled for his. He grabbed it, his heart breaking.
‘Help me,’ Rose choked out. ‘My leg; it’s stuck under something. Please, please get me out of here.’
Heath eyes were burning and he instinctively closed them. Tears ran freely down his face. Knowing that Rose was lying here hurt and Molly was still in here somewhere was killing him. ‘I’m here, Rose. I’m going to help you, darling, okay? I’m not going anywhere till we get you out,’ he replied as he heaved a heavy timber beam off her leg. He slid his hands underneath her and gently lifted her up and Rose let out a blood curdling scream. ‘Oh, Rose, I’m so sorry. I know it hurts. Just hang in there; I’m going to get you outside, okay?’
Kenny yelled out from the position he had taken on the tractor when he spotted Heath stumbling out of the smoke with Rose in his arms. ‘I’ll call an ambulance!’ he yelled, jumping down from the tractor. Everybody else ran to help Heath as he gently carried Rose into fresh air and carefully laid her down on the ground. His lungs heaved as he breathed in fresh air. It felt as though they were about to collapse and he was afraid of passing out. He pushed through the pain and ran back towards the flames, knowing every second mattered now. Flames scorched his skin, but he was running on adrenaline, barely acknowledging the pain. He picked up burning bits of timber and threw them out of his way while he called out for Molly, his desperate voice not even sounding like his own. He let out a primal scream as the smoke cleared a little and he spotted Molly’s body lying deathly still, her head beneath a lump of timber bigger than him. He fell to the ground, crying out her name. Carefully lifting the heavy timber from Molly’s head, he groaned as he felt her hair strangely wet. Was that blood he could feel?
He tenderly lifted her limp body from the floor, unsure of whether she was alive, or, God forbid, dead. His body shuddered with sobs. I can’t lose her, please God, no, don’t let her die, he screamed in his head as he stumbled back in the direction he had come, holding Molly close to him to shield her from the fire. Images of the day he lost Jenny and his baby came flooding back to him, taunting him, filling him with urgency. He was not going to go through that again. Ever! Flames were licking his body and his legs wanted to buckle beneath him, but he fought on, his only objective to get Molly to safety. He finally emerged from the smoke and the flames with Molly cradled in his arms, the fresh air worth more than gold as he took deep gasping breaths, then yelled as loudly as his dry, burnt throat would allow for someone to come and help them. He couldn’t see, everything was blurry, but he felt a man’s strong arms taking Molly from him as he collapsed to the ground coughing and wheezing, utterly exhausted. And then everything went black.
Chapter 22
The doctor systematically checked Heath’s vital signs, scribbled on his clipboard, then vanished out the door, his white coat flapping behind him. Heath was abruptly awoken by the loud thump of the door closing. His eyelids felt like lead weights as he tried to force them open, and for a second he struggled to figure out where he was. Then the pungent smell of disinfectant hit his sense of smell and he heard the methodic beeping of a machine beside him. Memories of the fire came flooding back and his heart beat frantically as he remembered someone taking Molly’s lifeless body from his arms and then everything going black. Heath felt terror rise up in his throat as he wondered whether Molly was alive, whether Rose was okay. He attempted to sit up, his eyes intensely trying to focus; everything in the room spun around him. He tore at the leads attached to his chest, wincing as the strong tape ripped at his skin. He could feel something pulling in his arm as he tried with all his might to climb out of the bed and he slipped over the railings, hitting the cold hospital floor painfully, the drip that was attached to his arm toppling over with its stand on top of him.
The door flew open and a nurse came running to his aid. She held his arms and tried to help him up. ‘What on earth are you doing out of bed, Mr Miller? Come on, let’s get you back in there,’ she said in a gentle but firm voice.
‘Molly Jones, where is she? Is she all right? And Rose, how’s Rose?’ Heath pleaded, his throat hoarse and sore as he sat in a crumpled heap on the floor.
‘Rose is doing fine. Her broken leg will have to be in a cast for about six weeks, but it will heal. Her grandparents are with her.’ Heath let out a relieved sigh. Rose was okay. But what about Molly? Why wasn’t Molly with Rose? Panic rose up in his throat. What weren’t they telling him?
The nurse bent down and took Heath’s arm, groaning as she helped him to stand. ‘Now, I’ll have to go and get the doctor to come and have a talk with you about the lady that was admitted with you.’
Heath noticed her avoiding eye contact with him. How could she not tell him what was happening? Didn’t she know that Molly meant everything to him? He felt his anger bubble up as he shook her hand from his arm. ‘No, please, you have to tell me. I need to know right now if she’s okay. Don’t leave me here wondering, I’m begging you. You have to tell me something, anything.’
‘I can tell you she’s alive but I can’t tell you any more than that. I promise I’ll get the doctor as soon as I’m finished here with you. So the quicker you let me get you back into bed, the quicker I can go and find him. You’re suffering from extreme smoke inhalation, minor burns to your arms, legs and neck, and are very dehydrated so I must insist that I get you back into bed.’
Heath felt a torrent of relief, as though he could breathe again. ‘Thank God,’ was all he managed to say as he let the nurse lead him on unsteady legs back to bed. And she was as good as her word. A few minutes later the doctor appeared beside him, a sombre look on his face.
‘Hi there, Heath. It’s nice to see you awake. We’ve been keeping a close eye on you over the last sixteen hours. You have a few nasty burns on your legs, but they will heal, given time. Now, I hear you tried to get out of bed to see Miss Molly Jones.’ The doctor cleared his throat. Heath held his breath. ‘I am sorry to be the bearer of grave news, but she’s in an induced coma and it’s a waiting game now to see how she goes. She had a heavy knock to the head and we had to operate to relieve the pressure on her brain. I can’t really tell you any more at this time. We all just have to be patient and wait to see what happens over the next couple of days.’
Heath felt like someone had just punched him hard in the chest and he began to gasp for air. He grabbed the doctor’s hand and held it fast. ‘I need to see her now, Doc, and if you don’t help me I swear I’ll rip all these tubes and cords right out and crawl there if I have to!’
The doctor nodded, a look of sympathy flashing across his face. ‘I’ll get a nurse to bring a wheelchair and she’ll take you to see your Molly. Her daughter and grandparents are with her, so she’s not alone. The nurse will be back in a few minutes, so please be patient. We’re short-staffed at the moment and everyone is working as fast as they can.’
As Heath lay waiting for the nurse to return, the seconds crawled by like hours. He couldn’t lose Molly; he wouldn’t! And poor little darling Rose, she must be absolutely distraught. He had to be there for Rose and for Molly, when she woke up. He prayed with everything in him that she would.
Trev, Kenny, Jade and Melinda were huddled in the waiting area as the nurse wheeled Heath down the corridor towards Molly’s room. They all ran for him when they spotted him, their weary faces revealing their helplessness, fear and sorrow.
‘Heath, mate, how are you doing?’ said Trev as he placed his hand on Heath’s shoulder.
‘Not too good, Trev. Not good at all.’
‘I’m so sorry about Molly. They won’t even let us in to see her.’ Trev turned his attention to the nurse. ‘Apparently we aren’t family and only family can go in. But, I tell you what; we aren’t leaving until you let us in.’
‘I’m sorry, sir, they’re the rules and I don’t make them,’ the nurse replied sternly as she turned to wheel Heath away. ‘I’m only agreeing to take Mr Miller in because he’s her boyfriend. Now please, we must be on our way. I have plenty to do.’
Jade lightly grabbed the nurse’s arm to stop her. ‘No, wait, please. Heath, can you tell Molly that we all love her and that we’re here for her? I know she’s in a coma, but trust me, she’ll hear you.’
Heath reached out and took hold of Jade’s hand, tears stinging his eyes once again. ‘I promise I will. I’ll tell her over and over again.’
Chapter 23
The afternoon sun poured its golden rays into Molly’s hospital room, hitting the crystal sun catcher Rose had bought for her and sending rainbows of colour across the walls and furniture. Heath admired the beauty of it for a few seconds before his gaze fell back upon Molly, her face pale, motionless. It had been six gruelling days since the fire, and Molly had still not come out of her coma. Heath knew she could hear him when he spoke to her. Her eyelids would flicker softly, and that tiny sign of life lifted his spirits to no end. He had never been a religious man, but now he prayed all day long for Molly to wake up so he could tell her repeatedly just how much he loved her.
David and Elizabeth sat on the opposite side of the bed, their faces solemn. Rose wriggled around on David’s lap, her heavy cast clearly cumbersome to move, so she could look at David’s face. ‘When’s Mum going to wake up, GG? I miss her and it hurts so much not being able to talk to her.’
‘Hopefully soon, love. We’ll make it through this, little one, it will all be okay,’ David replied softly as he ran his hand over Rose’s cheek, wiping her tears away while he recalled the day he had said those very words to Molly, by her parents’ graves. His heart quivered at the thought, and his face showed the ravages of the past six days.
‘Well, I think she’s had enough sleep now, GG.’ Rose said. ‘I have
to tell her how well Buck is going. Not that I can ride him for another five weeks, seeing as I have this stupid cast on.’
Elizabeth pulled a tissue from the half-empty box beside the bed and blew her nose loudly, her eyes red-rimmed. ‘I think I might nip downstairs and get us all some afternoon tea. Do you want to come with me, Rose?’
Rose nodded and David gently helped her onto the floor, passing her the crutches she was now using to walk with. She manoeuvred them under her arms, stumbling as she tried to follow Elizabeth. David reached out to catch her. ‘Whoopsy daisy.’
Rose shook her head in frustration. ‘Thanks, GG. I hope I get the hang of these things soon. I feel like I’m going to have this cast on for ever!’
Heath smiled as she limped over to him. He leant over and kissed her on the cheek.
‘Keep your chin up, darling. Mum will be all right. You’ll see.’
‘I hope so,’ Rose replied as she hobbled out the door with Elizabeth.
David stood wearily, his chair scraping along the floor. ‘I might head down too, Heath. I could do with the fresh air. How about we grab you some food? You really should eat something.’
‘Yeah, maybe just a coffee and a toasted sandwich, thanks, David.’
David patted Heath on the shoulder. ‘Make sure you try to get some sleep tonight, buddy? You look like hell. I can sit here with Molly and give you a break if you like.’
Heath shook his head. ‘Rose needs you at home, David, and I want to be here when Molly wakes up. I can sleep just fine in this chair.’
‘She’s one lucky girl having you in her life. I know how much you love her, Heath. I can see it every time you look at her,’ David said as he pushed his way out the door and into the hospital corridor.
