Scorched

by Lee, M. A.

  My eyes travel to where Jackson now looks and I see a guy covered in black soot. It is hard to tell his hair, skin, or eye color from all of the debris covering him. Without thinking, I ran over to him. Jackson calls out my name, but right now, I know I am not his biggest concern.

  I get to Matt and he eyes me carefully. “Meghan?” he asks, his voice scratchy and hoarse.

  I nod and smile, tears streaming down my face. “Yess.”

  “Ryder hasn’t shut up about you since you two met. He has shown me your picture a million times,” he says, trying to laugh but he ends up coughing.

  “Where is Ryder?” I ask frantically.

  One of the paramedics holds up his hand. “Miss, I need you to step away from the patient. I need to continue working on his wounds,” the man says.

  “It’s ok. Her husband is still in there,” Matt says to the man.

  I raise my eyes at the mention of my husband. I go to protest, but Matt gives me a look that makes me clamp my mouth shut tight.

  “Oh, well, I guess just for a minute,” he says, and then walks over to the ambulance.

  “Husband?” I ask.

  “If I said girlfriend or friend, he would have called for a cop to remove you. Besides, Ryder will marry you once he is out of there,” Matt says.

  My heart beats loudly in my chest. “I need him to be ok,” I cry.

  “Ryder is strong. He has been through worse than this. Just give him time. We never leave a man behind and I am not leaving this place until Ryder comes with me,” Matt states firmly.

  Everything in my being believes him. I just have to hold out faith that Ryder is somewhere in there, trying with all of his might to get out.

  All I can do is stand there helpless, watching and keeping my eyes glued on the blazing darkness all around me. My ears are alert, listening for the sound of Ryder’s voice.

  Suddenly, I hear a loud commotion and I rush to the fence, my fingers touching the scorching hot metal.

  “We have a body.”

  I hear and all at once, I fall to my knees.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  My eyes slowly pry open and all I can see is a raging fire blazing all around me. Everything I see is engulfed in flames. Am I dreaming?

  The searing white pain from the intense heat around me, tells me I am very much awake.

  I go to move, but my body screams in pain. I think back for a moment, and all I remember is a loud blast and then everything went dark.

  Reaching for my phone, I dial the only number I can think of. Meghan. If I die here right now, her voice is the last that I want to hear. If I am able to survive, it will be because hearing her voice will give me the strength needed to find a way out of here.

  The phone rings over and over again. The phone falls from my hands and I can barely hear Meghan when she answers. Her voice is frantic, but it’s the strength I need right now.

  As I open my mouth to say her name, something catches my eye. Nathan is lying just a few feet away from me and he is starting to move. He must have been in the blast, too.

  Rolling to my side, I grunt as pain radiates throughout my body. All I can see right now is blazing flames lighting up the early morning sky. Nathan rolls over, too, and we lock eyes.

  At first, I think he assumes I am just another victim in this deadly blast, but then, something registers in his mind.

  He has to know now that it’s not a coincidence that I just happen to be near him, or that I am near where the bomb went off. In my mind, I see him replaying my role and time here at the Ports. I’ve worked all of the same shifts he has. While we haven’t spoken more than a handful of times, I have always been around. Watching and waiting in the background. He has to know now. He has to be aware that I am not just a security guard, but with the police, too.

  Nathan uses all of his strength to push himself up on wobbly legs. Following his lead, I hold in the screams I want to expel as I find a way to stand. There is only one exit now, all others are either blocked with debris from the blast or full of the raging fire.

  “It’s just us now,” I manage to yell to him.

  Nathan nods and a smile barely creeps up on his lips. “So, you’ve been watching me?” he asks, but it is more of a statement.

  “Yes. Why don’t we just end this now and you come with me and you can turn yourself in,” I say.

  Little does he know, I am goading him. If I had learned one thing in my time fighting, it was that the bad guys never backed down, nor did they give in this easily.

  Shaking his head, Nathan begins to slowly back away toward the only clear exit, which leads out to the docks and water. “No way. If I turn myself in, I’m as good as dead. The guys who are after me will kill me before your police or justice system can throw me in jail,” he screams at me.

  It is sad, but true. However, that’s not my problem. My job here is to capture him and take him to the authorities. If he is worried, then he never should have gone down the path of crime.

  “I can help you,” I say, lying through my teeth.

  “Thanks, but I will take my chances,” Nathan says, starting to hobble toward the docks.

  I go after him, slow and steady, but never losing sight of him. Behind me in the distance, I can hear the wails of the firetrucks and ambulances. I have no idea where Matt or the rest of the men are, so I say a silent prayer that everyone is alright.

  “Stop following me,” Nathan yells, before speeding up. He is running now and I know he must be in pain.

  I begin running, my legs feeling as though they are going to break off at any second. If Nathan makes it to the docks, he can jump on one of the boats or swim his way to shore. I have to catch him before he can make it there.

  My pace quickens and I know I am running primarily on adrenaline. I ignore the pain and heat that seems to follow me from the scorching fire that is threatening my life.

  I catch up to Nathan and extend my arms, grabbing him by the shoulders and tackling him to the hard ground.

  We roll as we both slam onto the concrete. Maneuvering myself so that I am on top of him, I reach into my back pocket for my gun and cuffs. If I can just apprehend him, I can find a way to get back up here.

  Nathan sees me reaching and he brandishes a gun, startling me. Before he can place his finger on the trigger of his 9 mm pistol, I land a punch on his jaw, cursing his head to fall back.

  This gives me a few seconds to move myself and to get my gun and cuffs out while he is regaining his composure.

  My hand finds my pistol and as I bring it out in front of me, I hear a loud blast before Nathan’s eyes widen. Then, everything fades to black once again.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The heat from the fire is so intense, I can barely breathe.

  The paramedics have asked me to move away from the fire and fence, but I refuse to move. Not until I see Ryder.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket and I quickly pull it out, hoping it is Ryder. However, no such luck. It’s a group text with me, Ashley, and Kirsten.

  Ashley: We were stopped by the police. We can’t go in any further. Where are you?

  Me: I’m with Ryder’s friend, Matt. He’s still in the Port.

  Kirsten: Stay safe and keep us updated. We won’t leave until you tell us to.

  Me: Thank you

  I tuck my phone back into my pocket and keep my eyes focused on the raging fire. I keep hoping to see Ryder appear, jumping through the fire like the hero he is.

  Suddenly, a gunshot rings out and everyone around us screams.

  “We are moving in now. That was a gunshot,” Jackson yells into his walkie.

  I see a group of men dressed in fire repellent clothing rush inside of the Port. Without thinking, I begin to move toward where they are going.

  Just as my foot crosses into the Port, I feel a hand grab hold of me.

  “Miss, you can’t go in there,” a police officer says.

  I fight and kick, screaming for him to let me go, but I have only ca
used more attention to the spectacle I am causing. Two more officers rush over to us and begin holding me back.

  “Ryder!” I scream out.

  The officers begin pulling me back. Tears are streaming down my face and my vision is blurry as I struggle out of their grasp, but it is no use.

  Then, I hear a few people yelling as they run past us, pushing us out of their way.

  “Move, we have two injured,” I hear called from somewhere ahead.

  I am pulled to the side where the white tent is held. Matt is sitting on the back of an ambulance, watching with freight filled eyes.

  Then, as if by miracle or a dream, I spot Ryder walking out of the black haze of the smoke. Two men follow behind him, carrying an unconscious man with dark hair.

  It was like he was a prince in fire armor.

  A red stain grows larger on Ryder’s right arm and I see him gripping it and wincing.

  Everyone begins rushing over to the men and I manage to get out of the officer’s grasp.

  Without thinking, I lunge forward and reach Ryder just as he falls against the fence.

  “Ryder?” I question, almost like I don’t believe it is truly him.

  Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

  “Meghan,” Ryder says, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Smiling through my tears, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his weak and fragile body to me.

  “Hold on to me, Ryder. I’ve got you,” I say, kissing his cheek.

  I am holding him in my arms and I swear, I will never let this man go.

  “I made it because of you,” Ryder says, his eyes now searching mine. “I almost died but I couldn’t. I had to come back to you.”

  “Please don’t ever leave me,” I whimper, kissing him so passionately, I swear the heat between us is no match to the scorching fire around us.

  “Miss, we need to check out the victim,” one of the paramedics says, breaking our union.

  “Fuck off,” Ryder growls out.

  I chuckle. Even now, Ryder finds a way to be stubborn. I love this man more than anything and I promise, I will spend the rest of our lives proving it.

  “Ryder, we really do need to get you checked out,” Jackson warns, glancing between us.

  Ryder shakes his head furiously. “Not until I know where Matt is. I never leave a brother behind.”

  “I’m right here, brother,” Matt calls out, hopping off the back of the ambulance and limping over to us.

  My arms are still wrapped around Ryder and he is still holding firmly to me.

  “You are shot,” Matt says, as he approaches us.

  Shocked, I glance back to the red spot I saw earlier. Now, a deep, crimson red blood is pouring down his arms, and Ryder’s face is pale.

  “He needs help!” I scream out, even though the paramedics have been arguing with me about this.

  “I’ve been shot before,” Ryder says, sighing.

  “Not the time to be stubborn,” Matt chastises.

  The paramedics and Matt finally convince Ryder to get into the ambulance, but not without me as well. I’ll be damned if they take this man away without me.

  As the ambulance begins to move, I hold onto Ryder’s hand and vow to never let go.

  Chapter Thirty

  On the ride to the hospital, the paramedics begin asking Ryder questions about the fire and the gunshot wound he endured. A police officer is also riding with us, taking down notes, too.

  From what I have heard, Nathan reached for his gun at the same time Ryder drew his. However, two of the trained guards who were staked outside the fences of the Port witnessed the entire thing. They were able to shoot Nathan, wounding him, but not before Nathan managed to fire a shot into Ryder’s arm.

  Listening to Ryder replay the events made me cringe. I hated that he had to go through that, but he told the events like he was replaying a moment from a sports game. His face stayed stoic and his voice never wavered.

  When we arrived at the hospital, the officer informed us that Nathan was in custody and was being charged with drug trafficking on national waterways and were going to try and get him to share both who was shipping the illegal drugs and who he was selling them to. I knew the investigation would take time, but for now, Ryder had accomplished his mission. He was a hero and I was never more proud to call him mine.

  At the hospital, I sat in the waiting room as they rolled Ryder down to emergency surgery to expel the bullet. I called Kirsten and Ashley and in no time, they were sitting with me.

  “Wow, I can’t believe that happened,” Kirsten sighed, as I finished sharing with her and Ashely what had happened.

  “It’s like an action movie,” Ashley agreed.

  “I know. It feels so surreal, but at the same time, it has given me so much clarity,” I say.

  “What do you mean?” Kirsten asks.

  “Well, I fought loving Ryder because I was afraid to love, but the thought of losing him tonight showed me that I need to take control of my life and love as much as I can,” I say.

  Kirsten and Ashley smile at me, before enveloping me in a massive hug.

  When we part, I glance at the clock on the wall and realize it is six in the morning.

  “Oh no, I need to call Melanie,” I say, freaking out. “There is no way I can make it to work today.”

  Both Kirsten and Ashely nod in agreement and listen as once again, I replay the events of tonight with Melanie. She had seen the explosion and fire on the morning news, and was grateful we were all ok. She told me to take off as much time as I needed. I told her I would only need a few days, but more importantly, I would finish my article and get it to her ASAP. She tried to argue with me, but I refused to listen.

  After seeing how brave all of these men were tonight, I needed to write that article. The world needed to know more about the first responders and the men and women who selflessly fight for all of us.

  As Kirsten and Ashley head to the hospital cafeteria to get us some coffee, I take out my phone and pull up my Google Documents. I begin writing the rest of the article and include the events of tonight as well. I paint a horrific picture for readers as everything is still fresh in my mind. I don’t mean to be morbid, but the dangers pretended by our heroes need to be known. I don’t leave out any of the gritty details.

  Kirsten and Ashely return and as I sip my coffee and type, they watch me with curious eyes. When I am finished, I allow them both to read it.

  Before I can ask them what they think of the article, a nurse comes out to the waiting room.

  “Miss, are you Meghan?” the plump lady asks.

  “Yes,” I say, jumping up out of my seat.

  “Ryder is out of surgery and requesting to see you. He is very grumpy,” she stifled a laugh.

  “If he’s grumpy, then that’s normal,” I say with a smile.

  I follow her back as Kirsten and Ashley wait behind in the waiting room.

  When I reach Ryder’s room, I stand in the doorway for a moment, taking him in. He is laying on a cot, white sheets draped over his massive body. His arm where the wound was, is now bandaged and in a sling. His face has been cleaned up a bit, the heavy smoke long gone, but in its place, are cuts and bruises.

  Tears fell down my cheeks as I saw how this brave man was so badly injured. I wish I could snap my fingers and make him better.

  “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come in?” Ryder asks, opening one eye to see me.

  I walk in, shaking my head with a smile. I grab his hand and he squeezes. “How did you know it was me?” I ask.

  “I’m trained to know everything,” he chuckles, but I see him wince, too.

  “Let’s not be so cocky right now,” I say.

  I pull up a chair and sit beside him. Ryder turns to me and smiles and I see the relief flooded in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry this all happened. I’m sorry I made you worry,” Ryder apologies.

  “Please don’t apologize,” I say. “I knew when I starte
d this relationship that you would face dangers and risks. Yes, it scared the hell out of me, but my heart wanted you. Ryder, almost losing you tonight has made me realize that I am madly in love with you. I never thought I would love anyone again after losing Wade, but with you, I just know that you were meant for me.”

  The words flew out of my mouth in a rush. A wave of excitement and worry come over me. I hope I hadn’t just scared him by telling him I loved him.

  Ryder sits there looking at me for a minute. His silence almost kills me before he finally speaks up. “Meghan, I have loved you since the first moment I saw you. I always knew you would be mine, I just knew it would take time. I didn’t realize it would take a near-death experience to show you, but I’ll take it,” he says.

  I gasp and throw myself onto him. I hear Ryder yelp from pain and I go to let go him, but he refuses to release me.

  “I am never letting you go,” he breathes against my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin.

  “Am I hurting you?” I ask.

  “It doesn’t matter. I literally walked through fire tonight to be with you. There is no amount of pain that will keep me from holding you in my arms,” he says, caressing my face.

  I crush my lips to his and at this moment, everything is right. I have a man I love in my arms and the fear of the future is long gone. I am ready to live again and walk down life's path with this brave and stubborn man by my side.

  “I wasn’t going to leave the port tonight unless you were with me,” I say, as our lips part.

  Ryder looks deep into my eyes and I love the way he longingly looks at me. I can feel his love for me radiating from his face. “Marry me,” he says.

  Taken aback, my eyes go wide as I struggle to see if what I just heard was correct.