Chapter 2

Blackness and strange noises rang through the gloom. What was this? I floated through it, as though I didn’t have a body, couldn’t feel any sensations. I was pretty sure I’d died, but heaven was black and smoky. Or had I gone to hell?

Then, there were voices, strange tones which skipped and repeated.

“Miss?” A gravelly voice, deep and comforting pierced the despotic darkness. “Can you hear me?”

Strong arms enveloped me, lifting me from the floor. I cracked an eyelid and slammed it shut again immediately. The smoke remained thick and the burning was so bad I couldn’t see through the moisture pooling in my eyes, the flood of tears protecting them. The crackle of fire returned in a rush and my body turned rigid in response.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured, and folded me closer to his hard chest. Safe. I felt safe in his arms. He took measured steps. “Is there anyone else in here? Anyone who needs help.”

I shook my head as a bout of coughing took over any ability to speak. Shouts rang out, men rushed by, disturbing the smoke, creating a whirlwind of warm air which brushed the sweaty strands of hair clinging to my forehead. It felt like a film of smoke and perspiration had encased my entire body.

“Codsworth,” I choked.

“What?” he asked. He had to be a fireman. Fresh air now. Or, was it him? He had the most amazing smell. I couldn’t open my eyes, could hardly breathe, but the scent of some woodsy cologne — Gucci? — permeated my nostrils through the haze of soot that lingered there.

“Codsworth,” I repeated. “My cat. He’s upstairs.” I clutched his arm with all my remaining strength. “Please …”

“Don’t worry,” he replied. “I’ll get him for you.” He quickened his pace and I clung to him with arms like noodles, resting my head against the fire retardant suit. He was as hard as a rock and for some reason, I felt like everything would be okay as he took charge.

The air grew clearer; there was a rush of wind and sound. Sirens blared, people chattered.

“Oh my God, can you believe it,” a woman said nearby.

“It doesn’t look too bad.” That was a man’s voice. Spectators probably, but my eyes were too scratchy to open yet and I didn’t even want to try.

“Here, take her,” the firefighter carrying me said, his deep voice raspier with the smoke. Then he placed me on a bed, a stretcher. Fingers brushed my ear, and the heat of his breath penetrated. “I’ll come back after I’ve found Codsworth. You’re safe now,” he promised, all calm confidence.

My skin erupted in tingles as gooseflesh spread across my skin. I forced my eyes open, staring through the blur of tears, but he was already gone.

“Who—?”

“You’re fine now, just relax.” A woman in a paramedic outfit appeared beside me and placed an oxygen mask on my face.

I frowned at her, my eyes had cleared pretty fast, though my chest still felt croaky. My limbs were floppy too. None of it mattered compared to losing the bakery. Or Codsworth.

I tried to pull the mask off, but she stopped me.

“No, you rest now. There’ll be enough time for talking later.” The medic lifted a flashlight and checked one eye then the other. “Looks okay there.”

I let her carry on with her protocol, but I felt stronger by the minute. I’d inhaled a bit of smoke. I’d not been burned to a crisp. The blessed oxygen flooded my lungs, clearing my mind and body. But still, I was exhausted. To the bone.

I closed my eyes for a second and let a sense of calm wash over me. It was the calm before the storm. This was how I dealt with problems. I let them wait for a moment, lose some steam while I gathered myself. A trick I learned as a child.

“Miss?”

I opened my eyes, heart pounding against my ribcage. Was it him? Was it the firefighter?

No, it was a cop. I inhaled sharply and glanced past him, searching for Matthew. Thank God, he wasn’t here. Maybe he didn’t have a shift tonight.

“Miss, can you hear me?”

“We’re about to take her to the hospital,” the medic reappeared. The name tag on her uniform read Deepa. She placed a hand on my arm. “Can’t you talk to her there?”

The officer pursed his lips.

I finally ripped the oxygen mask off and sat up. “I’m fine. I don’t need to go to the hospital.”

Deepa narrowed her eyes. “You need to get checked out, miss.”

“My name is Allegra Wilson.”

“Miss Wilson, do you own this establishment?” The officer asked, whipping out a pen and notepad. There wasn’t a smudge of soot on him.

“I do,” I replied, swinging my legs over the side of the stretcher and lowering my heels to the ground. I was still a little shaky, but I’d manage. Maybe not. I almost passed out so I sank back down but remained in a sitting position. Much better for my wounded dignity. Tough as nails. I always had been and always would be and a little fire wasn’t going to get the better of me. But where was my knight in shining… flame retardant armor? I wanted to thank him. And see if he found my cat.

“Good, I just wanted to get your statement on what happened here.”

“I went upstairs to go to bed, smelled smoke and found the fire burning my bakery down. That about sums it up,” I retorted as I glanced past him. Definitely wasn’t in the mood for officer no-name. What if Codsworth was hurt?

“Any idea what might’ve started the fire?”

“Yes, I had a couple second hand electric ovens installed. Maybe something shorted. I don’t know.” I paused and chewed my bottom lip. “Have you seen my cat?”

“No, Miss Wilson, but I’m sure he’s fine.”

I looked at the bakery and held my breath. “How bad is it?”

“What, the fire?” The officer, slightly overweight, looked back at the sign over the glass front doorway to my bakery. It read Temptations. “I can’t say yet. We’ll have to hear from those guys first.”

I looked at the firefighters rushing in and out of the building. I couldn’t tell one from the other, not that I would’ve recognized the mystery man even if he stood a foot away. I hadn’t seen his face. “Miss Wilson,” Deepa said, her raspy voice stern. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“I’m really fine,” I replied, my soot stained hands leaving a trail of black in their wake. They hooked on the square shape of my cell in my pocket. I drew it out and checked that it was okay, that it hadn’t melted. “I need to call my—”

“Ally? Oh my God, thank God you’re okay.” Kelly rushed towards me, carrying a soot-covered lump.

“Codsworth?” I stared at the cat. He meowed from the safety of Kelly’s arms and I enveloped them both in a huge hug. The pressure of the embrace caused another fit of hacking that I couldn’t control and the heaving racked my chest.

“I’m afraid Miss Wilson has to go to the hospital now,” Deepa insisted, the impulsion flinging me backwards in to a prone position again. She rolled the stretcher towards the back of the ambulance.

“I’ll call you!” Kelly yelled. Pat appeared beside her and took Codsworth from her arms.

“Where did you find him?” I yelled, hoping she could understand my choked words.

“Some fireman gave him to me,” Kelly screamed as she waved.

Then they loaded me into the back of the ambulance. The doors slammed shut and all hope of finding my mystery savior disappeared.