Page 53 of The Firefighter's Fate

27

CONNOR

Another day, another fire.

This time, we get called out to the far end of town. It’s some dingy motel. I’ve been past this place a few times, never stopping outside its dilapidated exterior, always wondering who would stay in such a motel - but here we are. We have a job to do. We pull up alongside the place and can already see the flames from inside the building.

A few people are lingering around on the street as we stop - inquisitive neighbors and patrons of the motel gathering outside the inferno. It seems that the fire started quickly, but there’s apparently no one hurt. There’s no panic from this crowd, unlike that other house fire with the mother, just bored curiosity.

So far, so standard.

I hop out of the engine and make a beeline straight for the motel manager standing on the sidewalk. I can tell who she is from her uniform and name tag. I don’t have to get far - she runs up to me.

“What happened?” I ask her as my colleagues start doing their job behind me. I don’t need to worry about them – they’re operating like clockwork. We can already tell this job is simply about procedure. We’ll kill the fire and make sure no other property is damaged. We’ll make it quick and tidy. I’m sure there’s insurance that’ll cover any destruction here.

“The oven in the kitchen just... exploded,” the woman tells me. “And everything lit up so fast. It was unbelievable.”

I nod, taking it in.

“Fires spread faster than you’d think,” I remark.

The motel manager shakes her head.

“It was nothing like the movies...”

“Fires usually aren’t,” I reply. “You said it started in the kitchen, right?”

“Yes.”

“Anyone hurt?”

“No one that I know of.”

Yep, this job, although risky like any other, will certainly not be as hard as that house the other day. This one should be easier to manage, as long as everyone is okay...

“Is everyone accounted for?” I ask the motel manager. “Are all your guests out of the building?”

The woman shakes her head vigorously. I can tell she’s panicking over losing her business. Hmm, maybe she doesn’t have insurance to cover her ass. A rundown motel like this with tight-ass owners might not have any kind of insurance. A fire will surely bankrupt her if she’s been that reckless.

“I think... I think I’m missing someone,” she says.

I freeze.

“What?”

I wasn’t expecting this.

Someone’s in danger.

“Yeah... room thirty-six,” the manager stutters, glancing around at the other bystanders. “I can’t see her here. She’s some reporter from out of town, I think. Her name is Ember... something... I can’t remember...”

No.

I immediately start running toward the burning motel.

Not her. Anyone but her.

Eric is calling my name behind me. He’s asking me to wait.

---