Going through the flames

Normally I wasn’t as excited as I was today. I like it at home a lot, had fun with training at Bright Edge and I did miss mom terribly when I was send away again. But I get it. It is best mom says that it will only do me good to gain some experience and I won’t get it only in the protection of Bright Edge. So Even Hale and I are travelling again, until he stops and nods.

“First time alone. Are you sure you can handle it? I can check in now and then. “

I shake my head with a certain look. “I am sure, thank you for bringing me, bu ti am old enough to manage myself. You and mom trained me well and taught me a lot. I know how to keep myself safe.” Even Hale nods, wishes me good luck and turns around. As if by magic he leaves. Well it is a form of magic, I think. It is a form of shadow travelling, the royal family of the grand city of Amber can do it at will. But some who have learned and trained can do it in a form as well, and of course there is the jeweled road making traveling so much easier. I wave a quick gesture good bye, pick up my bag and head onto the road. Even Hale dropped me off far out of the way of a village or city, which is for the best. A story of being a traveler is so much more believable when I actually do look a bit road weary.

I take my time walking over to the nearest city, it is a small walled city, a lot of farms and land around it which seen plentiful in crops. The streets inside the city are clean and cared for. The people friendly enough. Or at least not immediately hateful towards strangers. Asking around I get the directions to a simple inn if it is not to expensive I might stay there. After some negotiation I can stay there for a discounted price if I take the attic room and help out cleaning after the eating room closes. I don’t mind to work for my stay, I actually prefer it, it saves me money and I never know what comes on my path later. So days pass by and I am looking for another job to do. That is basically what I got told. Look for a meaningful job, one that would teach me things or enrich my person in a way. And no notin the form of money, I never got the feeling money was ever really an issue. Maybe because mom is the caretaker of Bright Edge which is the estate of Princess Deirdre.

So days working. And when not working I’m looking around the city meeting people, learning how things work here. When I reach the river that runs through the city I see a big building that is build over the river in a fashion and with a mill construction buckets of water are filled and emptied somewhere in the building. As my curiosity demands I go take a look and ask what the function is of the building. Though quickly I spot the carts with leverage pumps. The hoses. The thick leather and fibre suits. It is explained to me that this is the firestation, they stock up on water so the dousing of the fire doesn’t have to wait for a waterline to be formed. I can respect that intuitivity and preparation. When I was about to say my goodbyes I saw a sign next to the doorway, with two words. HELP WANTED. I point to the sign and ask what type of help. The man I was talking to and shakes his head. “nothing for you little lass. We need more firemen, strong people. Brave people to run into a fire and pull people out and douse the fires from within. “ A bit awkwardly I stand and look about. “and why couldn’t I do that? I am strong, and I am fast, and fit through a lot of smaller spaces. “ Again the man laughs but this time a bit louder. “alright then, tomorrow we’ll see if you can handle yourself. “

I nod and wave goodbye with a “see you tomorrow then.” And I leave the fire station behind me with a very amused and loudly laughing man.

The next day arrives and I show up nice and early at the fire station. The man, Bill is looking at me surprised I am actually there and he gestures me in. “first get a suit on, if you can’t move in the suit you can’t save anyone. “

With a slight shrug I hoist myself into a suit, it is clungy it is big and uncomfortable, but it feels also sturdy enough to stand between a firey death and a bit scorched life.

Bill points me to the back where men are doing some fysical exercises. “Go run to that flag and back here. If you don’t keel over we’ll see you to the next exercise.”

After a bit of stumbling in my first steps I get the hang of it before I reach the flag and turn around. Now turning is a whole other thing that made me tip over and fall, but scrambling up I kept on going. It was uncomfortable but nothing I couldn’t handle so far. The day went on and I was told to do some simple tasks, challenges at the end of the day I was tired and hurting all over. But Bill was impressed and told me to report for duty tomorrow same time. From there. I was part of the fire brigade. We didn’t have daily fires thank goodness. But my first fire was one I won’t forget. A farmhouse, some haybales had caught fire, and due to the drought in the summer days the farmhouse itself had caught fire quickly. I was told to help with the forming of the waterline, as this was my first fire. And I did as I was told. I can do that very well, doing things I’m told. Anyway, waterline was forming and buckets were handed towards the big tank in which we gathered the water for the pumps. A group went in, that moment was nerve wracking, I’ve heard stories of firefighters going in but not coming out until the fire was out and no one inside was alive. There they were one by one, coming out, I counted them as I was pouring buckets empty into the tank. Except one. Bill I didn’t see Bill.. Looking at the last firefighter out who had brought the father of the farm outside. He said nothing just shook his head as he looked back.

Now I said I am good at following orders. But sometimes, this weird sense of heroism comes over me and I decide to throw everything in the wind and just follow my gut. I put on my helmet and rush inside the farmhouse which was just a blazing whirlwind by now. Pushing my way through the smoldering and burning rubble I spot the boot of Bill. A part of the structure had collapsed and knocked him out it seemed. That is no way to go. It felt as If the suit weighed nothing, and the fire wasn’t even there. With a strength which I can only account to adrenaline I think I pushed the rubble off of Bill and started dragging him by his arms to the outside of the house. Seeing the exit was now blocked I started to kick against a weaked smoldering part of the outside wall until it gave in, and dragged Bill out. Inside his helmet it seemed he was looking at me, But I couldn’t be sure. And who cares. We had to get out.

When the other fire fighters saw me emerge from the now shattered part of the wall they helped me with Bill and brough him to safety. They wanted to drag me along as well but I could very well walk. Although at a point my legs became a bit shaky. Maybe the adrenaline wore out.

The farmhouse was lost, but a lot of animals were saved and the family was all save as well. During one of the days after, we were sitting at the table and the guys were recalling the story again. It is what happened a lot, if there was no fire to put out, we talked about fires. But during that whole talk Bill just stirred his food on his plate and looked at me thoughtfully. It felt really uncomfortable. Eventually that to passed.

To be continued