“Bravo team, set up for water from the pond. We need a ground team on the east side of the structure.”
A second tanker truck, from Dobyns, had just arrived. “Dobyns, unit twelve, pull to the front. You’re on the forest fire with Bravo.”
“Ten-four.”
The diesel engine rumbled up the street, and the Dobyns firefighters piled out. Bravo team captain was already on it.
Keep these men safe.
A gust of cold wind kicked up, and sleet pelleted his helmet.
Chapter Nine
A gust of wind blew so hard that Sheila turned her back to stave off the icy blast. She pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head. Sneaking a glance, she saw that Orene and Natalie were huddled together doing the same as they stood across the street from the burning house. Maybe coming to bring food to the fireman wasn’t such a great idea, but Orene was pretty convincing when she had her mind set on something.
Another gust of wind shook her hood, causing it to flap loudly.
The last of the dry, brown leaves swooped through the air to the ground, and tall trees with thick limbs swayed as if they were only twigs.
Creaking branches arched in weird ports de bras like giant unsteady ballerinas in a panic.
Until this moment, Sheila had never actually heard wind howl, and quite honestly she wasn’t sure if it was the wind howling or the fire moaning. Either way, the sound crawled up her skin.
Something snapped, and she swung toward the house just as blinding flames shot through the roof.
Shattered glass lay scattered on the ground around the house, glinting in an eerie orange glow.
It was a brutal realization of the power of nature—wind, smoke, freezing temperatures, and a fire burning so hot that it blanketed the area in a haze.
Her throat burned, and her eyes stung.
Natalie yelled to her. “I’m going to see if I can help them.”
Sheila saw the people being rushed across the street. “You stay with Orene, I’ll check.” She was closest to them anyway, and they almost got to her before she could get to them.
“How can we help?” Sheila asked.
“I’m Doris. I’m with the Chestnut Ridge Fire Department. I need to get them to the fire station to warm up. Can you stay with the Jacobs family while I bring the van closer?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’ll be right back.” Doris race-walked away.
Huddling in blankets, dirty and scared, they looked lost.
“I’m so sorry.” Sheila didn’t know what else to say to the mother and her frightened children. Another woman, probably her mother, stood shivering despite the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
In shock, certainly, they looked like their world was crashing in. And it was. Literally just yards away.
Sheila let out a breath, wishing she had words to comfort the woman, and her children with eyes as wide as saucers. It had to be confusing.
A sharp snap came from the house as something collapsed, shooting glowing embers into the air, spinning and rising as if they might never fall, but they would as they turned to ash.
Firemen called out to one another. Moving quickly, almosteffortlessly, despite the thick hoses and heavy equipment on their backs.
They were doing a lot more than just hosing water on the house fire. Some swung axes into the exterior, wood splintering with each crashing blow, to allow water to get inside and slow down the raging inferno, she supposed.
It was hard to not think they were doing as much damage as the fire.
