The Last Bridge Home by Linda Goodnight

Author:Linda Goodnight
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2011-09-07T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Citizens assumed grass fires weren’t all that dangerous. They were wrong. A shift in wind direction, an unexpected brush flare and a firefighters could be trapped with no escape but death.

Today was all right so far, if incredibly hot, the air reeking of ash and cinder. Zak worked a whip line to knock down the tall prairie grass blaze in front of him with Trey Matthews on a high-pressure hose mopping up the hot spots.

The brush pumper tank was running low on water with the nearest hydrant a mile away. With a chuckle Zak wished they could recycle sweat. The stuff rolled off him in sheets.

Trey jostled up beside him, gear clanking, sweat-sheened, too. “Ash, Captain says fall back, let it go. We’ll catch it at the road south. Unit two is coming to assist.”

Zak scanned the horizon, aware his captain had already done the same, making sure no structure was in peril. The thick clouds of gray-and-black smoke obscured his vision and clogged his nostrils. In the near distance, he heard the wail of unit two en route. “Got it.”

Dragging the heavy line and glad for the protective gear even if it was hot, Zak worked his way toward the fire truck parked on the north road. From the corner of his helmet, he glimpsed something shiny in the charred grass. After replacing the now-empty hose onto the back of the truck, he returned to the spot, curious.

Gear weighty against his body, he removed one glove and went down on his haunches to retrieve the small, silver object. The yellow toes of his boots were black with soot.

“What ya got there, Ash?”

Zak held the smoke-covered object out for Trey to see. “Spaceman. Wonder how it got here.”

Trey shrugged. “Kids’ meal toys are everywhere. My kid has a dozen.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Zak pushed to a stand, still holding the toy. Every kid who bought a Friendly Meal received a free Spaceman or one of his buddies. They were a common item. Brandon and Jake had gotten one in last night’s dinner. He bounced the toy in his hand a couple of times, bothered by a formless gut feeling, then pocketed the silver man and jogged to the truck for the ride around the section.

Zak didn’t think about Spaceman again for several days. He simply didn’t have the time. Besides work and worrying about Crystal and her crew, Jilly had disappeared on him. He’d texted her a couple of times and she’d responded, but she didn’t come over. She’d missed his game, too. Jilly never missed a game!

Clearly, she’d been offended the other night when she’d spoken of love bugs and he’d almost kissed her.

Since then, he’d pitched twice, once as a starter and the other in middle relief when Taylor fell apart on the mound and the Lonewolf team was using the starter for easy batting practice. Redemption had lost, but Zak had pitched well, his ERA coming down nicely. He’d even rated an interview for some sports guy’s blog out of Dallas.

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