It felt like it took an hour to traverse the corridor, but I knew it had been only a few minutes. I finally came to the end, only to find my way blocked by a flaming wooded beam that had fallen from the ceiling, cutting off the end of the corridor. Rolls of flames curled and lapped at what remained of the corridor above me. My lungs burned and ached, and my inner wolf grew more frantic. It’s not worth risking your own life. They’re all dead anyway. Turn back! Just when I thought the need for fresh air was going to force me to retreat, I saw something move behind the fiery barricade.
I willed my power into my eyes, and through the smoke and flickering flames I saw him. He was collapsed against the wall at the end of the corridor, just on the other side of the barrier—with what looked like my unconscious father in his arms!
I lowered my jacket just long enough to scream his name, “Talbot!”
“Grace,” he choked out. “Help me.”
My muscles surged with adrenaline. I forced power into my good leg. Don’t! the wolf shrieked as I sent a kick into the burning wood beam, flames licking at my pant leg. It cracked, splintering from the impact of my foot. One more kick broke it completely, sending cinders swirling around me. Run away! Get out of here! I used my jacket as a shield as I passed through the opening in the barrier in order to get to Talbot. I pulled my father from his arms.
“The smoke … too much.” Talbot coughed. His head lolled back.
“Stay with me! I can’t carry both of you.”
I pulled Talbot against my side. He clutched at my arm for support, and I tried to concentrate all my supernatural strength into my muscles as I hitched my large father up in my arms. But the lack of oxygen must have been getting to me, because he felt like a giant, limp rag doll—his dead weight almost crushing me.
Dead weight … No. I didn’t know that. He’s just unconscious, I tried to tell myself.
I took three lumbering steps, carrying my father and practically dragging Talbot at my side. I could barely see anything with the smoke stinging my eyes, but I could hear Talbot gagging and wheezing next to me.
“Marcos?” I asked, with the realization that he was missing. “Where’s Marcos?”
Talbot shook his head.
At first I was confused, but then I knew what he meant without his saying it out loud.
Marcos was dead.
I didn’t have time to react to this revelation. A loud cracking noise above my head warned me that another portion of the corridor ceiling was about to fall—and it would come down right on top of us. I pushed all my emotions into my powers and made a run for the exit with my father in my arms and Talbot trailing behind me. My left ankle throbbed, threatening to break for a third time in a week, and just when I didn’t think I could go any farther, Brent, Ryan, and Zach appeared at the end of the corridor. I blinked at them through my smoke-stung eyes, wondering if this was a miracle or a mirage.
“Help,” I gasped.
The boys approached slowly at first, like their own inner wolves were physically trying to hold them back from the fire. Then, with what looked like a burst of unified courage, Ryan and Brent grabbed Talbot, and Zach took Dad from my arms. Together we pulled them from the corridor, just as the ceiling caved in behind us.
LATER
Four cop cars and three large fire trucks cordoned off the street outside the burning building. Their red-and-white flashing lights mixed with the yellow-and-orange flames, creating a garish portrait in front of me as I watched through the open doors from the back of an ambulance. My breath fogged inside an oxygen mask that sent clean air down my burning throat and into my aching lungs.
Dad was in the next ambulance over. I couldn’t stand not being able to see what they were doing to him. Why hadn’t they left for the ER already? I suddenly remembered seeing in a TV show once that paramedics can’t move the ambulance if they’re using a defibrillator. oh, no! I clawed at the mask and pulled it from my face. I’d started to climb out of the vehicle when the paramedic who had looked me over grabbed my arm.
“You can’t go yet, miss.”
Without thinking, I pushed him away—harder than I’d meant to—and he stumbled into the gurney I’d just left. “I need to be with my father,” I said, and staggered out of the truck.
“No, miss”—a fireman tried to stop me—“go back.”
“He’s my father!” I pushed past him toward the other ambulance.