Page 100 of Ignite

“I’d say her ex did more than treat her like shit.”

“And we cut him from the team, the club, and basically the town. He was my best friend. You’re an outsider. Imagine what I’d do to you.”

“I turned up to her place last night. Thought we could start something real.”

“Then Darin turned up?”

“And this morning his car was still there.”

“Well, I’d love to stay and braid hair and shit, but real men fight fires, and pussies can go home alone.”

“Is it gonna be that bad?” As a city boy, I’d only seen bushfires on the news and they never seemed real. My first fire season in town and the message was now sinking in—I needed to do more than help out teens through football to become part of the community. I needed to put my ass on the line.

“If we’re not ready to act on the small shit, when the predicted wind change comes in this afternoon, it can blow up big in a heartbeat. If you haven’t noticed, the only way out of town is on roads through national park.” Reece’s eyes darkened and jaw tightened; all the joviality of training now gone. “Ever wonder what would happen if the national park went up before we got people out? We’d lose the town and everyone in it.”

“But the government would come in and save—“ I stopped when a dozen men burst out in laughter, only they hadn’t found it funny. More that they found it hilarious that I trusted in the government to do jack shit.

“The only people we can trust is ourselves, and the local RFS fire-fighting units. Worst case scenario, people end up trapped on their properties, hiding in their dams, or locals end up on the beach.”

“Shit.”

“Now you get it.”

Reece was the first to punch my arm as the others left. Already, I could sense the adrenaline rush. Shoulders were straightened and even Korbin’s hangover had disappeared under the weight of responsibility.

Perhaps, I could bring myself to sign up and volunteer. I mean, it would be a way to look after Rylee and keep her safe.

Chapter 29

Attention, Attention, Attention

“Theroadsoutoftown are already choked as holiday-makers pack up their caravans and tents to head back to the city. The wind change has reduced visibility. It might be midday, but keep your car lights on, drive safely and …”

Ethan

By midday, I’d been home, done my angry business in the shower thinking of Rylee, gotten changed into a green-gray t-shirt over faded denim shorts, and headed into town at a loss of what to do.

In the hours I’d been home, the sky had turned from bright blue and sunshine to a grey fog tinged with orange glow. It was eerily foreboding and nothing like I’d ever seen before. Is this what they’d all been warning me about?

It seemed as if everyone I knew in town had been caught up in doing whatever the hell volunteer fire fighters did on a day like today. I’d finally gotten my ute back but had no one to visit or show her off to.

Damn it, I felt the walls of the town close in around me, squeezing my chest, ego and pride. This town had opened its arms and had wanted to embrace me, but I’d been too fucking pig-headed to give them a chance.

Even yesterday, people were smiling and willing to stop and chat in the street about almost anything. It had taken me twelve minutes to buy a case of beer because it seemed every male over the age of thirty had decided to drop into the bottle shop and give me their opinion on the starting line-up for a season that was still months away.

Overnight, the world had changed.

I pulled into the carpark outside Old Man Hobbs’ pub and instead of fighting for a space big enough for my truck, I had an unheard-of choice. Despite desperately wanting a counter meal, beer, and blunt advice from Old Man Hobbs, I walked the same sidewalk as I had done yesterday.

It was as if the world had transported me to a foreign town. The same men rushed past me, faces glum and not even a smile. Even my personal fan group of teen girls couldn’t manage a hair twirl as they walked past. The laughter and festive holiday spirit had changed overnight. Everywhere I turned, I caught snippets about impending doom and gloom.

The predicted wind change must have happened because it was the only explanation for the thick smoke decreasing visibility to only a couple of hundred meters with the stench already burning my nostrils. The darkening grey sky had a bright golden haze, and it was impossible to imagine the heat of a thousand campfires only kilometers away.

I’d been such a self-absorbed, pig-headed asshole. Now, when it looked and sounded like Armageddon was about to be unleashed, I wished I’d paid more attention to news reports of previous bushfires, so I’d know what to do or how to help.

Bit late for helping now, asshole. All you needed to do was sign up when Reece asked. Or when Korbin suggested you’d be a good fit for the team. Or when Rylee said it was her dealbreaker.

Everyone seemed to be carrying bags of groceries, so I followed the other sheep to the supermarket. Shit. Two days ago, I was dodging pallets of food and drinks that had been ordered in catering for tourists. But now, each aisle had bare shelves. I couldn’t find a single bottle of water, torch, toilet paper, or even batteries. A plague of locusts couldn’t have stripped the grocers’ any cleaner.

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