The Fire (Jack's Hero)

**Short story from an idea I had recently. 2/3/12

It's so hot. Everything is so --cough-- dark.

My head is hurting.... it feels wet--

No, I shouldn't look... maybe it's blood.

--cough-- It smells so bad... so hard... to... breathe.

Wait.... what happened here? Everything was fine. He was--

"Is there anyone here?! HELLO!"

Who was that? Who's downstairs?

"Is someone here?"

A different voice. Firefighters? "I.... I'm here." That was pathetic.

"Yo, did you hear that?"

I don't recognize that voice... is he here to help me?

"Nah, I didn't hear anything. What was it?"

"It... it sounded like a whimper."

I gotta try again, come on... big voice. "Room!"

"There it is again! It was a grunt or a bark. I'm telling you, someone is still here."

"I can't hear anything man, this fire is roaring. We gotta get out of here."

"Damn it, we can't check the upstairs. Maybe if we get the ladder and go in from outside."

Firefighters. Here. I need to --cough-- get to them. Come on! Move.... move.... Fuckin' come on, get out from under the bed!

It's so smokey I can barely see.

The room was relatively spared for now, but the fire was creeping in. The smoke was everywhere, and the heat unbearable.

There's fire everywhere... I'm-not-gonna-make-it. I-don't-want-to-die-like-this-oh-my. Please-someone-help-me--

"Ugh"

AH! Is that him? "Jack!?"

"Uhhh"

He's across the hall.... in the bathroom.... I can get to him. Just --cough-- run... run through the flames... they're... they're just colorful waves--an illusion. Come on--

No, I can't-...I-can't-I-can't-I-can't. I can't. AHHH! I've-never-been-this-scared. Stop it. He's taken care of me since I ran away from home. Always food on my plate. Warm blanket in my bed. Even these ugly sweaters he gets me. I like it. I need to get him.

The wide hallway to the bathroom was surrounded by flames that reached the ceiling. Half of it was already hanging, crumbling. The stairway to the left was destroyed, only the first two steps at the top still stood strong. The doorway to the bathroom was just one thick curtain of smoke that glowed orange and red.

Run through, run through, run throughhhhhh... OOOWWW. So hot!

Stop. Drop. Roll. Roll. Roll.

An older looking man was pinned under a fallen room. His clothes and skin dark, burned. The fire surrounded him, but it wouldn't be long until he was engulfed.

Shit. He's trapped.

"JACK! Wake up!" Come on. Ugh, his skin looks so burned. I'm afraid to touch him. "Come on! We need to get out!"

"Is....that...you....boy?

"Yes! Let's go!"

"I.... --cough cough-- can't... get up..."

"Yes you can! Come on!" I'll need to push that beam out of his way. Geez, its heavy.

"Oh my God! Everything's --cough cough-- on --cough cough-- fire! I need to get my photos... my... oh my god! How did this happen?!"

"It's too late! We have to get out!" Finally, the beam is off!

"Ugh... smart, boy. My home! OW, damn it! My leg hurts like hell!"

Damn it! "COME ON!" There's a fire!! Do I need to hurt you to get you moving!

"OW! Don't do that, Bruno!"

I'll drag you by the shirt if I have to!

"Ugh... alright alright. Let's get out of-- what was that?!"

Glass shattered from one of the other rooms. One of the firemen poke their head through the broken window.

"HELLO! Is anyone alive!?

"YES! In the bathroom! Alright, Bruno, I'm up. Let's get out of here."

Finally!

There was a loud crack and Jack jumped out of the way, tackling Bruno, as part of the ceiling crashed in over where he was laying on the floor.

"OW"

"Holy shit! I'm sorry... did I hurt you?"Ohhhh.... I'm...... dizzy....

"Oh no! Don't -- cough cough-- dare try to die on me! You got me up! Shit... have you been bleeding this whole time?"

....I'm... sorry....

The two firefighters walked into the hallway.

"Sir, are you okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm okay. But... my dog. I need to get him out of here!"

.... my dog? That... sounds.... nice....

"Franco, carry the dog. Sir, Come with me. We need to hurry, stay low!"

"We got you buddy....God damn, why couldn't it be a chihuaha or something!"

The firefighters ran on either side of Jack as they hurried across the hall back to the first room. It had caught fire and was in danger of collapsing."Let's go through the window. Jack you first."

Ah... fresh....air.... cool... air.....

Jack was greeted by other firefighters and a medic team. They gave him oxygen and wrapped him in a blanket. He looked over at his house as Franco and the other firefighter carried out Bruno and brought him to Jack.

"Hey, boy. How you feeling? You alright? --sigh--"

Better.... I can breathe easier.... head... still hurts.

"How are you, sir?" "I'm... I'm alright... shooken up, but fine. My arm hurts like hell from the fire, and my leg hurts a bit. But... i'm worried about him. He woke me up and got me moving.... Geez, if it wasn't for him, the ceiling would've fallen on me."

"Well, you got yourself a good dog there. We'll get you to a hospital and get him to a vet as soon as we can. I'm sure he'll be okay."

.... I think i just need rest....

They hurried into an amulance and set off for the hospital.