AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s there?” Chase asks.
“Apparently there are people stuck down there,” I say.
“Keep your line open!” Wyatt replies.
Chase joins me. “I’m coming with.”
I give him a slight nod before we go deeper into the hellscape, constantly motioning for everyone to keep moving. It is utter chaos but this is what I was trained for. I have danced with the flames so many times before, it’s almost intuitive.
“Stay close,” I tell my twin as we proceed.
It’s getting harder and harder to see. The flames are illuminating everything but the black smoke immediately blots it out. All I can see are the flashes of orange-golden light. It smells of burnt plastic, charred wood, and melting metal. I need to stay laser-focused and not allow my emotions to get involved.
“There it is—storage room four!” Chase shouts over the sound of beams crashing and flames crackling as the fire continues to destroy everything in its path.
We run up the wide corridor as workers continue to flee in the opposite direction.
“Keep moving!” I shout at them. “You’re almost there!”
“I can’t open it,” Chase concludes as he pushes into the door with his shoulder.
“Hold on,” I reply and use my axe.
I smash the doorknob on the third try and open the door, freeing those trapped inside. They come out like birds, flailing and screaming as my brother and I guide them toward the nearest, safest exit. “Head to the emergency exit!” I shout and point to the green light mounted above a set of doors to our right at the far end of a narrow, but clear corridor.
The flames haven’t reached this part of the building yet.
“Let’s keep it this exit open,” Chase replies.
We burst through, securing the doors in a wide open position for others to use. I look around, slightly confused. “Is this still the west side of the warehouse?” I ask but Chase seems just as unclear.
“I can’t see our crew anywhere,” he says.
“It’s one of the supply doors,” one employee gasps as he reaches us. “We use it for trucks and couriers.”
“Go around the building, head toward the western gate,” Chase tells the guy. “Ambulances and paramedics are waiting.”
It’s eerily quiet but for the howling of flames. The fence surrounding the entire property has been torn down, and the street that runs along this side of the building is empty, but for a few abandoned cars. “We need to go back in, make sure everyone’s out,” I tell Chase.
He nods in agreement but something behind me catches his eye.
I turn around to see four men in uniform coming toward us. “What’s Station 20 doing all the way over here?” I hear myself ask.
“Hey!” One of them shouts, pointing at us. “You the Danson brothers?”
“Who’s asking?” Chase replies.
Something feels wrong.
“Chase, they’re not friendly!”
“Yeah, I can see that,” my brother replies.
They come at us fast, fire axes swinging. Suddenly everything changes. Time slows down. My fighter instincts are activated and without hesitation, I dodge one axe and bring mine up to block another.
Chase drives his right into one of their collarbones. I hear the guy screaming in pain.
Whoever they are, they’re not firefighters. They stole these uniforms and they came looking for us. I don’t have a second to think about the why and the how. I can only let my Navy SEAL training take over and fight them with everything I’ve got. In the absence of firearms, I only have a fire axe and a crowbar. Thankfully, even with my heavy equipment, I’m still able to swerve left and right before I deliver another crippling blow.
