The Village of Gerard's Cliff

by Carol Anne Vick

  Chapter XIX

  Allie paced nervously around the small living room, as Ben watched her from his recliner, the rifle still in his hand. It had been way too long, she thought. He should be back by now. Were the two men still at her inn? Her mind was dizzy with worry for Connor. She kept her arms crossed tightly to her chest. She jerked her head up as she heard what she thought was a gunshot. She whirled around to Ben in a panic.

  "Ben, was that a gunshot?" She was desperate. "We've got to do something."

  "I'm not sure if we could hear gunshots from your place." He tried to reassure her. "He's okay. He looks like he can take care of himself."

  Allie thought sure she heard another gunshot. Before she could turn to Ben, the wails of multiple sirens split the still night air.

  Without a thought for safety, Allie rushed to the front door, and swung it open. The strong, stinging smell of smoke filled her nostrils, and her stomach twisted in knots at the distant sight of flames and black smoke spiraling high above the wall of trees.

  "Ben, it's on fire...the inn. We have to go." Allie thought she was going to be sick. She stood, watching in horror, as he came to stand beside her.

  "Let me get some coats. I'll take you." He knew she would run back through the woods if he didn't take her himself. He quickly grabbed two coats, and, still carrying his rifle, hurried out to his truck with Allie.

  She didn't utter a word on their short ride to the inn. With Ben's thick, plaid coat around her shoulders, she watched in silence as the extent of the fire became apparent to them. Ben stopped the truck a safe distance away from the inn, which was now totally engulfed in flames. She got out, the coat dropping off of her shoulders, as she walked a little ways toward the inn. Allie could see the skeletal frame of The Colborne Inn through the flames, and knew that it would collapse at any time. The sheer power of the massive fire sent chills down her spine, even as she felt its heat. She realized that the firemen were trying to keep the fire from spreading to the trees that surrounded her property, although she could see a few hoses aimed futilely at the top of the structure. Huge cinders were flying in all direction, whipped by the breeze from the ocean. She scanned the crowd of police and firemen for Connor.

  "Connor!" she screamed. Tears started to stream down her face as she realized that he could be in that fire. She didn't know what had happened after he left her. He could have been shot, left for dead, and now burning to death. She knew there had been gunshots. She couldn't bear the thought of him in pain. "Connor!" She started to run toward the group of officers and firemen closest to the burning inn. She heard a voice calling Allie somewhere near her, but she couldn't find where the voice was coming from. It sounded so weak. She stopped, looking around her at the chaos.

  "Over here ma'am..." A young officer walked up to her, and took her arm. He led her to an ambulance a few vehicles down from where she had been searching.

  "Connor!" Allie almost collapsed with relief, at the sight of him. He stood up slowly when he saw her, and Allie could see that his face and clothes were smeared with ash, and his lower right arm was bandaged. She ran to him, put her arms around his chest, and held him tightly, no longer able to hold back her tears of joy. He bent and kissed the top of her head, wrapping his good arm around her. They held each other for a few moments, until her sobbing had subsided. She pulled a little away from him and looked up into his eyes.

  He held out his bandaged arm. "I tried to save some of your paintings." She saw his eyes moisten. "Allie, I'm so sorry. I couldn't save your inn. I tried. When I got here, they were pouring gasoline inside. I was too late."

  "There it goes! Move back!" Someone shouted. Connor and Allie turned their heads to see the entire structure collapse upon itself, spewing out flames and embers in all directions. The firemen backed off for a moment, then raced back toward the flattened structure, continuing their efforts to contain the spread of the fire.

  Allie nestled her head onto his broad chest, refusing to let him go, her face and clothes now covered with the ash as well. She clung to him with one arm, reaching out the other to lightly touch his bandaged hand. "Are you hurt badly?"

  "No, just some minor burns...smoke inhalation...nothing to worry about." Connor managed a slight smile. "I'll live."

  They held each other in front of the ambulance, watching the flames die down, until her inn was nothing but a few charred, steaming beams and a pile of soggy rubble.

  Allie was only vaguely aware of Connor wrapping the bulky plaid coat around her shoulders, as she stood, in shocked silence, watching the fire crews pack up their gear. Now that she knew that Connor was safe, Allie allowed herself to feel the full brunt of what she saw before her. The Colborne Inn was no more. Her home, destroyed within minutes. The enormity of her situation began sinking into her brain, as the firetrucks loudly dispersed. Until, finally, there were only she, and Connor, and Ben. Allie wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing. What was there to do, she thought. It's all gone...everything.....nothing left.

  She felt like she weighed a ton, and would sink into the ground. Her eyelids kept trying to close, and she fought to keep them open. Allie couldn't stop looking at the ruin that had been her inn. There were no more tears. She was spent. She was aware of the haze-like film of their breathing in the frigid night air. It was getting late. What would she do? Where would she go?

  Allie heard Ben say something to Connor. Dear, sweet Connor. His arms were wrapped around her trying to keep her warm, as she leaned her back against his chest. But in Allie's mind...if he let go, she would sink down to the ground. She tried to blink away the fog in her brain.

  "She's exhausted." Was that Ben's voice?

  "Thanks, I think we'll take you up on that offer." Now Connor's voice. But he was right here, and that sounded so far away. It was all too much...too much....

  "Whoa..." was the last thing she heard, as she felt herself slipping...like her inn.... into nothingness.