Page 72 of The Firefighter's Fate

“Yeah,” I say, “you really are a journalist, aren’t you?”

We continue on and on down the dirt track.

I can’t help but notice Ember staring at me as I drive. Her pretty eyes are locked on me as I grip the steering wheel. I try to keep my focus on the bumpy path and not get distracted by her attention, but it’s proving really hard.

She seems to calm down. She’s placing her trust in me.

“Can I take your photo, Connor?” she asks after a while of silent driving.

“A photo? Of me?”

“Yeah, for the article. It’ll be better than forcing you into doing a photoshoot.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Plus, you look more natural this way,” Ember says. “You seem in your own element driving.”

I shrug.

“Okay, sure. Take my photo.”

As I keep driving, Ember digs inside her bag for a camera. She pulls it out and snaps a photo of me. I feel deeply uncomfortable with the lens trained on my face, but I did say she could do it. I can’t complain now. I don’t usually have my photo taken.

It’s another first for me.

God, I hope I’m doing the right thing...

I’m bringing her to my most special place. I told myself I would never bring anyone here, and yet I am. Ember has got me hooked in ways I’m scared of.

Satisfied with her photo, she puts the camera away and we continue down the path silently for a while until I finally turn to her.

And I smile.

This is it. No turning back now. I’ve brought her to my secret place. I’m not holding back any part of me anymore.

“Ember,” I whisper. “We’re here.”

36

EMBER

We turn around a corner, and that’s when I see it for the first time.

“Ember, we’re here.”

It’s a cabin. In the middle of the woods. Right at the end of the dirt path in the middle of nowhere.

It takes a moment to see the whole thing clearly – the cabin is made out of wood and logs that help blend it into the surrounding forest. It looks just as you imagine a cabin in the woods would look like. There’s even a small porch accompanied with deck chairs and everything.

“Really?” I ask Connor as we come to a stop outside the building. “This is what you wanted to show me?”

The man turns to me in his seat.

“Yeah,” he whispers. “What do you think?”

He seems genuinely interested in my answer.

“I think it’s beautiful,” I reply. “How did it all happen?”

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