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Something had happened, and I was in danger, and my adrenaline immediately spiked. I didn’t think twice about throwing my legs over the side of my bed, grabbing my glasses and phone from the bedside table, and dropping to the ground.
The heat from the fire ebbed like a pulse, but I didn’t see any flames in my bedroom as I army crawled across the floor. Though the smoke made it hard as hell to see, and my lungs hurt to breathe, I knew I had to keep going if I wanted to make it out of there alive.
Every ounce of my being focused on finding my way to the door.
When I finally did, I fought to push it open, and made my way out into the hall, my vision still blurry from the smoke. But what I could see was tenants evacuating, firemen running into doors, and the sound of the blaring alarms made it hard to concentrate. I tried to stand, stumbling as I clutched the wall and tried to clear my vision.
Just a few more steps...
“Nolan!” a familiar voice cut through the confusion as I tried to focus my eyesight on where it was coming from. I coughed so hard my stomach twisted.
“Fuck, Nolan, it’s okay, you’re okay...” Steady, strong arms pulled me in, giving me the support I needed to stand. Through my smoke-clouded vision I could make out Dawson’s perfect face, his copper eyes full of concern.
“Dawson... What...”
“Come on, champ, let’s get you somewhere safe,” he said, his voice stern and commanding.
I tried to move, but my legs felt like deadweight and I stumbled as I tried to follow his lead. “I can’t... I...” My words were choked and labored, and I could barely process what had happened.
I felt my body being swept up off the ground like I was nothing more than a ragdoll. My head fell against a soft, damp shirt that smelled like cedar and spice, the fabric warm to my cheek, and like a confused, dazed idiot, I burrowed into it seeking its warmth and safety.
“It’s okay, I got you. You’re gonna be okay, I promise.” Dawson’s voice faltered only a moment, but it soothed me nonetheless.
Then darkness came, and took with it the smell of smoke, the heat of fire, and all the things I’d thought mattered, but in this moment knew they were miniscule.
I could feel my body being moved as I clutched my phone to my chest. The warmth and safety of Dawson’s arms left me, and I hated it. I wanted to crawl into his hold and never leave.
“The paramedics need to check you out, okay? I’ll be back, I promise,” he said calmly, brushing my hair back from my face.
My eyelids fluttered as he came into my vision, the chill air kissing my skin. He was truly the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, soot all over his face, standing there in a damp, white shirt, against the glow of a fire and smoke.
My hero.
I reached for him, to tell him I was sorry. I was wrong. For what, I wasn’t sure, but the need to apologize was overwhelming.
Dawson only took my hand for a moment, nodding at me. “Promise,” he said before he let me go, and I watched my hero disappear into the smoke without a moment’s hesitation.
My heart ached as I watched him boldly do what it was he did every day.
The paramedics put an oxygen mask on me, taking my pulse, checking me over. Someone mentioned something or other about my rapid heartbeat, about my vitals, but it was all white noise in comparison to the realization that I was alive, and I was okay, and that Dawson had saved my life.
And I prayed to whatever God would listen to me that he would come back to me, because in that moment, I’d never seen anything clearer.
I was falling in love with Dawson Richards, and the thought of losing him—to a fire, or even to my own selfish, self-sabotaging behavior—terrified me.
I watched in silent horror as the firemen evacuated the second floor, and the first, where apparently the fire had started, according to the chatter of the paramedics.
And when the fire had been cleansed, when the threat had been diminished, I waited for what felt like an eternity as my vision returned, my breathing evened out.
“Can I make a phone call?” I asked, once I was free of my oxygen mask, my breathing stable. The paramedic shrugged.
“Probably a good idea to call someone you can stay with for awhile until this mess is sorted.”
His words settled on me, and I realized he was right. There was no way I was getting back in my apartment tonight, given there would need to be an official claim for the building, not to mention individual tenant’s claims about the damages incurred... including my own.
But I didn’t really know anyone in Jasper Springs, and Allie wasn’t close by. Still, I felt I should call her and let her know what happened. Maybe I could take up residence in the Paradise Hotel for a little while.
I checked the time; it was around two in the morning. I hated to wake her but...
