The Fire by Nancy Jackson

Author:Nancy Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wild Ideas Press

Lainey wasn’t sure just how long she had been out. Whether it had been the pain or sheer exhaustion, she didn’t know, but she had passed out. She was cold to the bone and shivering. It was the pain that had woken her. As she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a white sky and large flakes of falling snow. They stuck to her lashes and stung her eyes.

What am I going to do? She no longer felt panic. Despair had replaced it. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. The quiet of the snow was peaceful and she let it envelope her.

Lainey drifted in and out for what seemed like hours. This time when she woke, she was blanketed in a layer of snow about an inch deep. A very faint sound had woke her, and she remained with her eyes closed as she tried to determine what the noise was. It could be help, or an animal.

She heard footsteps; quiet footsteps crunching the snow. Looking up, she saw a man towering above her dressed in a long wool coat and a wide brimmed felt hat that had seen better days. His hair was long and straggly. Was he friend or foe, Lainey wondered.

“Hello. Can you help me? My leg is broken and I don’t know what else is wrong. I can’t walk,” Lainey pleaded with the man. He did not speak, only stood looking down at her. Then without a word, he turned and walked away.

“Wait, don’t go. Please come back.” Even raising her voice to call after the man sent shock waves of pain through her body. “Please don’t go.”

The man quickly returned with long straight branches about nine feet long. He removed an old blanket which had been rolled up on top of the pack on his back. He laid the branches about two foot apart on the ground and worked to fasten the blanket to them. He worked quickly, quietly, and with skill.

“Thank you for coming back,” said Lainey. But the man only worked and never spoke or acknowledged that Lainey had spoken to him. Maybe he’s deaf, thought Lainey. Or, maybe he can’t speak.

Abruptly, Lainey felt pain once again shoot through her body as she was being drug backwards. Large strong hands had gripped her underneath her armpits and pulled. The pain was excruciating, but necessary to get her to safety.

Once on the blanket, the man gently laid her down. He took off his wool coat and laid it on top of Lainey. She thought he had several layers of flannel shirts and thermals on. She hoped it would be enough to keep him warm.

The makeshift gurney started with a jerk as the man lifted the ends and began walking. Facing behind, Lainey couldn’t see where they were going, but she hoped it would be a short journey. She wouldn’t know though, because she had soon once again passed out again from the pain.

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