Daring to Fall

by T. J. Kline

  Ben’s heart completely stopped in his chest as the dispatch relayed the information. Emma!

  He had to focus on his job, on what he could do to not only save her ranch but to rescue her. The dispatch recited the information about current weather conditions: seventy-eight degrees, sixteen percent humidity and winds variable, gusting northwest at ten to fifteen miles per hour. It was taking the fire away from the mountains, directly toward Emma’s house, the barns and his parents’ house before heading toward town. With the drought conditions they’d had for the past six years, this was devastation just waiting to happen if they didn’t get this under control before it hit the trees along the highway corridor. He knew his job, knew how much was at stake, but could only focus on the one thought circling his mind. Even as the sirens pierced his ears, Ben only heard two words in his mind, choking out every other sound—Save Emma.

  “Emma.”

  Spinning, she saw Jake running toward her. He was the last person she wanted to see and rage flooded her chest. “You son of a bitch! Ben was right? You are the one doing this, aren’t you?”

  “What?”

  Emma threw herself at him, ready to tear him to shreds with her bare hands. “How dare you come here? Don’t you realize what you’ve done?”

  “What? No!” Jake shook his head, reaching for her wrists to keep her from killing him.

  “Are you seriously trying to tell me you haven’t been behind all of this? The spray paint, the animals that just keep showing up?” She twisted her arms away from his grasp and shoved against his chest, knocking him backward. “You’ve been out to get me from day one.”

  She ran for the front door. She didn’t have time for vengeance; she had to get the animals safely into their enclosures and sedate the most dangerous in hopes that transportation would arrive. Trailers should be arriving any moment for several of the larger, harmless animals like the two white-tailed deer she’d planned on releasing in the coming weeks. But, with animals like Wally or Buster, she had to tranquilize them and pray their specialized transportation arrived before it was too late.

  “Emma, wait for me. I’ll help.”

  “I don’t want your kind of help. You’ve done more than enough,” she yelled back, over her shoulder.

  She didn’t want to hear his voice. What she wanted to hear were the sirens from the fire trucks, indicating their proximity. Instead, she only heard the eerie pop of the trees heating from the embers landing within the dry tinder and igniting.

  “The sprinklers. Turn on the sprinklers around the enclosures,” Jake yelled, his voice nearly drowned out as he choked on the smoke the wind was now carrying into the facility.

  She skittered to a stop and Jake, on her heels, nearly ran into the back of her. “The sprinklers,” she repeated, dumbly.

  “Yeah, your dad installed them last year, because of the drought. The main is in the barn office.” Without waiting for her, he ran toward the barn. Emma followed, sprinting to catch up. “No,” he yelled back. “You go take care of the animals. I’ll do this.”

  She looked back where the smoke now billowed from the field, creeping closer to the house. Turning on the irrigation system had helped keep the fire at bay but only until it had moved to areas the water hadn’t reached yet. It was too hot, too big and, without enough water pouring on the ground, it simply turned any water to steam before consuming everything in its path. She had limited time and even fewer hands to help. She had no choice but to trust Jake, the very same man she believed had caused this.

  As if reading her mind, Jake shook his head. “Damn it! It wasn’t me, Emma. I wanted to run this place with you, not destroy it. Now go, or there’ll be nothing left for either of us.”

  Against the voice of reason, the logic that said Jake was to blame, she placed her trust in him. Turning away, she bolted for the nursery, intent on saving the littlest, most vulnerable creatures first. As she reached the brick building, water rained down on her from sprinklers set high in the trees, plastering her shirt to her skin within minutes, just as she heard the sirens from the road.

  The gate! It was shut, sealing out the people who needed in. “Jake!” she called as he came running out from inside the barn.

  “Already on it!” He slid into the driver’s seat of the golf cart parked outside and headed for the front gate.

  Emma ran into the nursery, glad she hadn’t yet found time to change the code, and found Monique already inside, placing animals into various travel crates and carriers.

  “Are you okay?” Emma asked, her heart swelling for her volunteers who were willing to stay, putting themselves in danger to help.

  “I’m fine. We’re good here,” Sadie said as she and Monique slid two orphaned opossums into one carrier and latched the door.

  “We have quite a few of the cardboard carriers, but take a few to the aviary and get the birds out before it goes up, Emma.” Monique shoved two empty carriers at her.

  She was right. The aviary was closer to the trees that were catching and filled with plenty of foliage that would light like a torch. Scooping up several more carriers, Emma ran to the building, heading for Winger’s cage first. Her heart was heavy but she knew the female could take care of herself, at least for a short time. Sliding her hand into the gauntlet, she carried Winger outside, releasing her into the sky to find a safe place to land until the threat of the fire was gone. She watched for a moment as Winger took flight, circling the facility before rising over the air currents and letting them carry her toward the foothills.

  A tear slid silently down Emma’s cheek as she prayed the hawk would return, however, she couldn’t keep her here and risk her being burned alive. Running back inside, Emma headed for Mama Hoot and the owlet she’d become a surrogate to. She’d barely reached for the latch on the door when something jerked her backward, slamming her against the wall and knocking the wind out of her.

  “You should have left when you had the chance. I tried, Emma. I really tried to not let it come down to this.”

  Emma reached a hand to the back of her head and squeezed her eyes shut at the pain. Stars danced in her vision and she couldn’t quite focus, but she knew that voice. “Brandon?”

  “You shouldn’t have come back, Emma. You’re not ready for this place. Jake was supposed to take over. It’s what your dad wanted.”

  “No,” she groaned, bracing her back against the wall and forcing her body to stand. Sirens blared outside and she could hear them getting closer. “This is my home, my future. It always was.”

  She squinted, seeing the blurry image of Brandon coming into focus slowly. She shook her head again. “You did all of this?”

  “You just couldn’t see the vision of this place. Jake did. I did. Your father knew that. I’m just making sure his last wishes are fulfilled.”

  “You did all of this so Jake could take over?”

  “I had to get you to give up, to leave or be forced out.” He shook his head. “I like you Emma but you just didn’t know when to quit. Even with the entire town rallying against you. Not even when you almost got drugged trying to catch Buster.”

  “You did that. You tried to shoot me, not Ben.” Pieces suddenly began to fall into place. “You were in the barn. You were watching. That dart came from your gun.”

  “So? You’re a danger. To the animals, to this town and to yourself.”

  “So all of this was to get me to quit? To try to make me run away with my tail between my legs?” Hot rage started to boil up within her.

  Brandon closed the distance between them, his eyes reflecting the hatred he had to feel to cause this much turmoil. “I did this for my brother. I did this to help him realize his vision for what this place should be, not the amusement park you want to turn it into.”

  Emma could hear the commotion outside as trucks parked and sirens blared. She could hear the voices of people barking orders, yelling as they tried to move frightened animals quickly. The thick acrid smoke was closing in which meant the fire was c
lose, too close for people to remain on the premises and still be safe. She shook her head, defeat steamrolling her. In spite of the dying light of sunset, the inside of the aviary practically glowed as the fire surrounded the building. The heat making the enclosure nearly unbearable.

  “You’re insane. You’ve put your ideals before the lives of these animals, or the people of this town. How many lives are you risking just to make a point?” She tried to shove her way past him but Brandon caught her by her upper arm and shoved her back against the wall, pressing her shoulder against the brick.

  “No, I’m getting the job done. That’s what you always told me to do, remember Emma? When Jake or I would suggest something to make this place better? You’d tell us that doing it your way would get the job done. Now, I’m doing things my way. I’m putting Sierra Tracks first.”

  Her fingers curled into the front of his shirt as she shoved him away. “By burning it to the ground, you son of a bitch?” He stumbled backward, his foot catching on the carriers. Emma took the opportunity to run to Mama Hoot and the owlet, forcing the panicky animals into the carrier.

  The wooden door of the aviary jerked open as a firefighter ran inside with the nozzle of a hose, followed closely by another.

  “Get out!” the firefighter yelled. “The fire is just behind the building.”

  “No.” Emma wasn’t leaving without getting the rest of the birds out. The fireman reached for her arm as she saw Brandon bolt for the door. “He caused this.”

  One of the other men grabbed Brandon by the arm. “Sir?”

  Emma barely caught a glimpse of the firefighter dragging a flailing Brandon out the door. She didn’t have time to worry about him. The other man approached her.

  “Ma’am, you need to get out.”

  “I’m not going.” She could see the flames licking at one of the far walls, near where Winger had been housed. The entire air around her shimmered with heat, plumes of smoke beginning to fill the aviary. She rushed into one small room and scooped up a quail and her brood, dropping them inside. The only birds left were the two mallards that had adopted the sanctuary as their nesting place. She dropped both into the last carrier.

  “Here,” she said, shoving the carrier at the fireman who’d just run in. “Take them to the truck outside.” She ran after him, wondering where Ben might be since all of the firemen looked the same in their turnout gear. “McQuaid, where is he?”

  Several more firefighters ran along the outside of the building, illuminated by eerie orange, flickering light. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest; the fire had reached her sanctuary. While the animals were safe, this was the end of her father’s legacy and there was nothing she could do to save it now.

  “Near those bigger cages,” the fireman said, waving toward the large animal enclosures where Buster and Cana were housed. “He’s fine. You need to get that truck out or, at the very least, closer to the main gate in case we can’t get this fire turned.”

  Emma wouldn’t leave, not without Ben. And not when he was putting his life at risk. She couldn’t lose anyone else because of her career again.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ben saw Jake directing the rescue efforts, urging volunteers to load the various animals in trailers, trucks and even a few in carriers into cars. Monique and Sadie had been rushing back and forth from various buildings with animals. But, throughout it all, he had yet to see Emma.

  The second engine arrived right behind them and they’d managed to redirect the fire back toward the area soaked by the irrigation pipes, leaving one hose on it in case it turned again. However, the problem now was keeping the fire from the house and other structures. The sprinklers Conrad installed had been a brilliant idea and had kept the fire off the roofs of the structures; however, it hadn’t stopped it from leaping through the trees and lighting various shrubbery and trees in the enclosures. Since they weren’t able to get inside, they were fighting a losing battle, trying to keep the fire contained while animals cowered, frantic and wide-eyed, as far from the danger as possible.

  Ben reached out and grasped Jake as he ran past, directing the volunteers who’d come to evacuate the large animals. “Where’s Emma?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t have time to keep tabs on her.” Jake jerked himself free and grabbed his radio. “Monique, where’s Emma?”

  “Aviary,” came the staticky reply.

  “There,” Jake said, his tone rushed as he pointed at the building, flames creeping closer, as one of the firemen dragged a thrashing man from within. “Shit, that’s Brandon,” he muttered.

  “Your brother?” Before he could get a reply, Ben saw the flash of red from Emma’s hair, reflected from the glow of the flames. She carried two cardboard carriers to the truck parked just a few feet from the entrance to the aviary and ran back inside.

  “Look, I have to go,” Jake said. “We have more cats to get out and that enclosure is ready to go up.” He pointed at the large enclosure behind Ben. Cana’s pen.

  “Ben,” his partner called. “I need you to circle around the far side of this enclosure. I can’t get to it from this side and it’s spreading fast.”

  Jake was gone and Ben caught a glimpse of Emma just as she ran back inside the aviary. He needed to convince her to leave, to head for safety. He wanted to remind her that her life was worth more than any animal. But Ben knew she wouldn’t leave even one behind. He had to trust her to keep herself safe. The best thing he could do for her was to help her save the animals.

  “Watch yourself, Mike,” Ben warned, turning back toward Cana’s enclosure and jerking his chin toward the end of the enclosure where the wolf cowered behind a concrete slab made to look like a rock, teeth bared, snarling and snapping at the fire that hissed and spit back at him. The other firefighter had no way of knowing this enclosure belonged to an abused wolf-dog.

  If he didn’t get in there and stop this fire from spreading, it was going to kill Cana and he couldn’t let Emma face that, in addition to the damage the fire had already caused. He could hear sirens, this time from the ambulance and police, responding to the call. Cana had begun to tolerate him; Emma had said so herself, although, in his gear, the wolf wouldn’t know it was him. Plus Mike would have his back if the need arose. He jerked the cutters from his belt.

  “Watch that wolf for me. I’m going inside to smother this. We need it out before it sparks something else.”

  Mike eyed the wolf for a moment. “Go. I’ll get the fire from this side as best as I can.”

  Ben clipped the chain link, breaking off the pieces until he’d cut away a chunk large enough for him to peel back and get inside, tugging the hose behind him. He glanced at Cana, who went wild. The hair on his back stood on end, making him look twice as large as normal, which was pretty enormous to begin with. His white teeth gleamed yellow from the light of the fire and Ben cursed the fact that the wolf was smoky gray, making him almost invisible through the thick smoke and dimming light.

  “Watch him,” he warned Mike again before turning his back on the animal to attack what he knew was the bigger threat.

  The heat was unbearable but he was able to soak the ground ahead of him, pushing back the fire line as he lifted the hose to saturate the trees. The hiss of the steam and dying fire drowned out any other sounds and he focused on getting the job done as quickly as he possibly could. Sweat poured down his arms and chest from the sheer effort as he controlled the two hundred pounds of force working against him but it was worth it as he saw the foliage darken from glowing orange to charred black. When smoke around him began to evaporate, changing from cloying thickness to a billowing cloud of white, Ben began to relax slightly. He gave the trees a final wash, trying to douse any last sparks and embers.

  “Ben, watch out!”

  Emma’s voice barely reached his ears as he craned his neck to see her only seconds before he was knocked, face-first, to the ground. The force of the blow knocked the hose from his hands and, luckily, off to one side. He couldn�
�t breathe, feeling like a boulder was on his back, until he felt the crushing pain as Cana bit into his shoulder, viciously shaking him.

  “Back,” Emma yelled, running into the enclosure. “Get back, Cana!”

  Ben couldn’t see anything through the mask that had sucked in, toward his face due to the lack of oxygen, suffocating him. When the wolf bit him, it must have gone through one of the airlines of his breathing apparatus. The SCBA was no longer blowing oxygen into his mask and he forced the face piece off, leaving him with his face in the charred earth. At least he could breathe. Sort of. The pain in his shoulder was excruciating and he could feel blood soaking into his clothing and the jacket.

  “Cana, back. Get down.” The sound of growling was still close but the weight moved off him, making it slightly easier to breathe. “Get away!” Emma’s voice rose above the snarls of the wolf and he could see her, putting herself between him and the animal. Cana lunged slightly as she yelled back, reaching for the hose he’d dropped, ready to use it as a weapon if needed.

  “Emma don’t,” he tried to warn her. “The water pressure will kill him if you turn it on.”

  Water misted over them both and he could only assume Mike had turned the hose onto the animal in an effort to save them.

  “Come on.” Emma pulled on his right arm, tugging him up and back toward the opening he’d cut, where Mike held a second hose, spraying toward the back of the enclosure where Cana had once been hiding, keeping the animal away from them as they escaped. “You have to get out of here.”

  She coughed as she dragged him through the smoke, still rising from the scorched earth. Ben shoved her through the opening first, following behind her and ripping the helmet from his head, tossing it aside to look at her. He’d never seen a more welcome, glorious sight than her face at this moment. The thought of her running into a fire, not to mention into the middle of a wolf attack, risking her life, infuriated him.