Page 35 of Falling for the Hotshot

“Kerry is in Maple Haven,” I said sternly.

Don sighed. “Oh, that’s right. Let me see what I can do here. Oh—” Don put the phone down and was hollering orders. “Blaze, I’m sorry—I can’t leave these guys. Has Tower Two gone back home? George is an old military operator. Maybe he could hike up there and make sure she gets out.” The thought had crossed my mind, but George went home a week ago. It was now almost the end of September. People had been dismissed, especially since the fire was eliminating lookout jobs left and right.

“I’ll figure it out,” I said to Don, with a tone in my voice that he recognized instantly.

“Blaze…” I shook my head.

“Don, I can do it.”

“Please be careful, Son. I love you like my own, and you are not fully healed yet. Your leg is important…” He trailed off, but he knew that my mind was made up. I was going to go get Autumn from the tower. All I had to do was drive her and maybe walk up a short hill. It would be fine.

Chapter 28

The Long Climb

Autumn

“Autumn?” The radio chirped, bringing me from the cushioned seat where I had been reading my devotional Bible and watching the smoke. The smoke that everyone told me was coming from the fire nearby, and it was normal. The smoke that Blaze and Kerry had also mentioned may be evacuating me sooner than later. Just in case, I had gathered my things up.

“Blaze,” I said, no sense of keeping the formality when he didn’t start that way.

“We need to evacuate you immediately.” The tone in his voice wasn’t playful, it was dead serious, and it scared me. “The fire has jumped again. We should have taken you out yesterday, and I’m so sorry for not—” I cut him off.

“Okay, I’ll go. I’m ready to go right now.” I looked outside again, and the smoke was getting closer and closer with every second. I turned away, saying a prayer for my safety.

“I’m leaving right now. My truck frequency is two-nine-one dot six-two-two. Take the satellite phone. Get what you need—the tower is metal, and it won’t burn, so don’t worry about everything. I’ll be at the base in thirty minutes.” He ended the call, and I did as he said, taking the satellite phone, and I gathered up a few items in my backpack, including the phone, my toiletries, Bible, and my cell phone. My suitcase stayed behind with most of my clothes. I wouldn’t need to trade these for my life if I was evacuating this quickly due to the fire threat. No, I’d follow Blaze’s lead and come back for the rest.

By the time I was done gathering up my items, it seemed impossible, but the wind was howling even more than it had been. The smoke was now at my windows, and I couldn’t see out. I couldn’t see through the smoke. Small bits of light were shining through, and it looked like dirt in the air. I panicked. “God, help me.”

Turning my radio to Blaze’s frequency, with fear in my voice, I called him. “Blaze, the smoke—I can’t see through the windows.” There was a crackle and a pause, followed by the comfort of his handsome tone.

“Autumn, you will be okay. We are going to get you out.”

“Blaze, I’m really scared right now.”

“Will you pray with me?” His question took me by surprise, and I choked up with tears.

“Yes.”

“Dear Lord, it says in the Bible 365 times to ‘Fear Not.’ But Lord, we are afraid. Please be with Autumn as she makes her way down the tower in the smoke. Please be with me as I drive to the base. Lord, please protect us from the flames that are moving far too fast.”

“Amen,” I croaked, feeling a second wind of adrenaline hit me. I opened the hatch that led to the stairs of the tower. Smoke started rising quickly. The tears in my eyes actually helped moisten them so they didn’t get dried out. I prayed as I stepped onto the staircase. All I could see were the stairs, as smoke swirled around me. Several minutes had passed before I worked up the nerve to start going down them. I had the radio clipped to my backpack strap. I had the satellite phone clipped to my pants. I had God above, guiding my steps. By all accounts, I wasn’t alone. And I would never be alone with God as my guide.

For a second, as I made it down the first handful of steps, the smoke cleared. I saw a view of the horizon, God’s mountainous creation, and I thought of a Bible verse that I had highlighted last week.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1-2

The smoke swirled again, blocking the view as quickly as it appeared. I took another handful of steps down, the smoke irritating my breathing. My tears had dried from the extreme heat of it. I covered my mouth with a bandana that I had been wearing around my neck. I thought it looked cute and “campy” this morning, and now it was my greatest tool. I heard hollering from the base. It was Blaze.

“Autumn! Can you hear me!?” My heart skipped a hundred beats. My body went frigid. Blaze was here. He was going to get me out of here.

“Blaze, I’m still trying to get down. I don’t know why this is so scary. I’ve taken these steps a hundred times by now,” the shrill in my voice as I called over the radio to his truck. I wasn’t sure if the call would make it through, but a moment later, he answered me.

“Autumn—” He was breathless. “I’m coming up. I’m going to come get you. Just try and make it down as many steps as you can, but I’m going to come get you.” The call ended.

“Blaze, you can’t—your leg!” But there was no reply on the other end of the radio.

I wiped my face with the bandana. I knew I needed to make it. I needed to prevent Blaze from coming up here as best as I could. I took more steps. And then more. Before I knew it, I was halfway down, but then the stairs creaked in the way that it does when two people are on them at the same time.