Page 19 of The Firefighter's Fate

“We were just doing our job,” I say.

Jacob nods. He understands me completely. Guys like him and I don’t need medals when we’re simply doing what we have to do.

I turn back to Eric sitting on the ground next to the ambulance.

“He’s going to be fine,” I tell my friend softly, taking a seat beside him in the dirt.

“Fuck, man,” Eric whispers. “I wasn’t expecting to see that today.”

“Neither was I,” I reply, taking in a long breath.

“I’m sorry that I just froze up,” my friend mutters almost incoherently.

I notice his hands are shaking. His wedding ring glimmers.

“You’re a firefighter,” I remark. “You’ve seen a lot of shit over the years, Eric, so why did that trigger you so much? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, man. My head has been a mess lately. You can only take so much. And today, I wasn’t even in uniform. I really wasn’t ready for that.”

“I know,” I reply softly. “Me too.”

“My wife doesn’t understand what we do,” Eric says. “Like, she understands I’m a firefighter and all, but I can’t bring home stories of what I’ve seen. It’ll be too much for her. She’s always scared for me. It’s hard that she cares so much. I really can’t speak to her about all this stuff, otherwise she’ll worry even more. I can’t deal with that.”

I sigh and look out at the dense forest that surrounds this empty road. It’s eerily quiet now, as if there never was a near-fatal crash just here, just today. It’s scary how much the world moves on so quickly from tragedy.

“That’s why I don’t have a girl,” I say. “It would take someone as fucked up as me to cope with this job and its demands.”

Eric shakes his head.

“Don’t say that, man. Surely there’s someone out there for you. Someone who’ll love you.”

I let out a soft, unsure chuckle.

“I seriously doubt it, Eric. I seriously doubt it. She’d have to be as crazy as me.”

8

EMBER

I would never go to Crystal River unless I absolutely have to... or if I were to be forced to by my billionaire media boss...

The place is nothing more than a small town - small enough not to register on anyone’s radar, but big enough to somehow have a university. That doesn’t suit someone like me – I am a city girl at heart, with a love for the hustle and the bustle of downtown. It’s safe to say that Crystal River is simply not my... vibe.

But here I am, regardless.

Yep, forced to be here by my billionaire media boss.

What the hell are you doing in this deadbeat town, Ember?

I arrive at my motel with a serious dose of trepidation. Looks may be deceiving, but this motel certainly doesn’t look like a five-star accommodation on the outside. Its neon sign is barely working as it flickers on and off in the daylight. The paintwork is peeling off the cheap walls. The windows are grimy and stained. The place is a walking fire hazard and is probably in violation of a dozen safety laws.

But I don’t care for luxury. I’ve stayed in some crazy places in my journalistic endeavors around the world, so I’m used to the grime and the dirt. I’m just happy to have a bed and a place to dump my bag that isn’t in the middle of a war zone with bullets whizzing over my head.

Looking at my sketchy accommodation, I stretch my arm and let out a long yawn. I drove all the way here from the city, and it took me longer than I had first thought. Right now, I just want a shower and the chance to freshen up.

As I check-in, it’s obvious the manager of the motel does not give a single shit about anything.

“We’re pretty booked up,” the middle-aged manager tells me from behind a large pair of thick glasses as I query about a room. “It’ll have to be our most expensive room.”

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