Page 12 of For Cowgirls and Kings
“In here.” The words float towards me, weaker but closer, and my body vibrates with the need to run in after him. But Mateo’s voice filters through my consciousness, making me freeze, my hands fisting painfully at my sides.
Seconds or minutes or hours pass even, as I wait, the roar of the fire louder than the pounding of blood in my ears,
“Gus!” The smoke curls up the sides of the building, and my eyes burn. “Gus!”
Gus bursts from the flames, his face black and glistening, Stetson’s limp body in his arms. I don’t hear the sirens rushing toward us as I run for him. He stumbles forward another few steps, tears streaking through the soot on his face, and my heart shatters.
I reach out to help him, and notice the blisters littering his skin. I look down at Stetson in his arms, her face peppered in similar blisters, bits of her hair burned and lips cracked and bleeding.
“Help her,” he cries and then crumples, his body giving out. Paramedics rush past me, gently pushing me behind their bodies, but I scramble back toward him.
“Oh my god, Gus. You’re okay, you got her out. Gus, youhave to let her go so they can help her, so they can help you.” He continues to cling to her even as I say the words. He’s lost to the fear, and I can’t even tell if he can see me.
“Help her!” he screams, his voice bleeding with panic. I feel my heart tearing from my chest—even though this is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen, it may be the most beautiful too.How can so much darkness bring out so much light, so much pain bring out so much love?
“Hey, relax buddy, you’re out, she’s out.” Two paramedics kneel before Gus, gently pulling a still limp Stetson from his burnt arms. He grips tighter to her, so I push closer to him, hoping to help comfort some of the anguish on his face.
“Gus, it’s Dale. You’re out. You got Stetson out. You have to let go of her so they can help her. Please, let me help her.”
“Help her, Dale,” he begs.
I nod, and the paramedics quickly but kindly, peel her from his seared arms. He sags, as if completely spent. Another paramedic reaches for him, pulling him up, and he thrashes against them. “Stetson, help Stetson.”
I don’t have a chance to help him anymore. They rush him away, and I race towards an unconscious Stetson who lies, strapped onto the stretcher. If Gus comes out of this alive, and Stetson doesn’t, he’ll never forgive me.
Not that I would forgive myself either.
“Miss, are you coming?”
I nod, and scramble into the ambulance. I pull her frail hand into my lap, and for the first time in years, I bow my head and pray.
FIVE
MATEO
July 21st, 2024
I rushinto the hospital waiting room, my heart pounding against my rib cage. I spot Dale, and as she turns to face me, I’m hit with twin bolts of panic, and rage.
She’s covered in ashes and soot.
“Dale,” I bark her name, and multiple people in the waiting room jump. But not Dale, she only narrows her eyes and crosses her arms. Fucking hell.
This woman’s going to be the death of me.
“Are you hurt?” I really don’t mean for there to be so much bite in my words, but I can’t contain the fear racing through me. She raises a hand between us, as if to halt my movement any closer.
Unfortunately for her, if she thinks that’ll stop me, she has another thing coming. I grab her extended hand, gently turning it over in my own, looking for any burns or cuts. She hisses, as if I’m the thing burning her, and yanks her hand back.
“I’m fine, Mateo. What’re you doing here?”
I stare at her.She can’t be serious.“I wanted to check on Stetson and Gus.” Her eyes narrow, and after a few moreseconds of intense scrutiny, she finally slumps, her shoulders sagging.
“You didn’t have to come. I could have called you.”
“You called me and I said I was on my way. Remember?” I’m getting more pissed by the second, which isn’t something I typically feel.
Why is she pushing me away? Why does she always feel like she has to stand alone?
