The Serpent and the Crow

Book 1: Chapter Eighteen

Wade spotted smoke at Doug's ranch. The closer Wade got, the better he saw the house was on fire. Wade's heart sank. He was never the praying type because he never believed in it, but he didn't know what else he could do.

The Ford Raptor came to a complete halt as it skidded in front of the gate. A trail of desert dust blew around.

Wade vaulted the flatbed truck Douglas stole from the Dead Men, which acted as a roadblock. Douglas had crashed into an old stump.

The heat hit him in waves as he came closer. He ran past Riggs, who lay dead in a puddle of vomit. The blaze grew, and time was passing since he left the Owl Creek Ridge. He clutched his Colt. Whoever did this was unlikely to greet him any less friendly as he did Riggs.

The fire engulfed most of the house.

"Rosa! Halonie!" Shouted Douglas.

Wade pulled down a shirt from the clothesline which was doused in black soot. He ripped down the cleanest shirt. He dunked it into the fountain outside and tied it as a mask.

"Rosa!"

Wade heard his partner inside. Fiery debris fell in his path. He grabbed a chair and swung it into the window, clearing the shards.

Wade proceeded with his weapon drawn, coughing uncontrollably as the black smoke billowed across the ceiling. The heat felt like it singed his arm's hair. He hunched under the black smoke. He bumped into Douglas in the hallway.

"Halonie!"

"We got to get out, Douglas. This place is going to collapse."

"I can't leave them. Rosa! Halonie!" Douglas coughed as the black smoke charged through the rooms as licks of the flame whipped at the ceiling that bubbled from the heat.

Wade led Douglas out through the dining room. He saw Rosa lying unconscious on the couch. Douglas picked up Rosa.

Wade pushed the dining table through the glass doors, which were just frames now. It crashed through. He led Douglas out, with Rosa upon his shoulders. They descended the porch steps only as an explosion sends them toppling over each other. Douglas was dazed.

Wade picked up Rosa's lifeless body. He saw in the distance a caravan of four-wheel drives, hurtling down the dirt highway, sirens blaring in the distance.

Wade turned to shoulder Douglas, who was coming too. He placed him next to Rosa as Wade performed CPR immediately.

"Douglas, listen to me. I need you to help with compressions."

"Halonie!"

He shook off his dizziness. Wade punched him in the shoulder, and Douglas looked at him as tears streamed from his eyes. Douglas performed compressions as Wade alternated with two breaths down her airway. No response. Douglas hammered her chest. She's dead.

"I can't lose another one," Douglas shouted as he hammered at her chest. He gives up and realized that she was gone. Douglas stood and yelled at the blaze, repeatedly. Rosa!

Wade doesn't give up and continues with compressions and breathes. He was breathing hellfire, and he was exhausted, but he can't lose another kid either. Rosa coughed.

Wade sat her up so she can cough out all that soot. Douglas rushed to her and held her in his massive arms.

Douglas told him, "You have to get Halonie."

The house collapsed in on itself and erupted in a ball of flame and black smoke.

Police vehicles arrived, and Hank, Jador, and Cortez hopped out even before the car stopped. The Chief rushed to them while the women move forward with weapons drawn to secure the scene. Ambulance and Fire Engines screamed down the road from a distance.

Hank said, "Ambulance is on its way. The helicopter will be here soon."

Everyone hit the deck as an enormous explosion sent debris hurtling into the night sky. Douglas watched as years of memories turned to ash. He has lost another child. He gripped his only child tightly. Shaking. Exhausted.

Wade could see that he would never recover from this. No parent could recover, and he knew from experience. Things had changed for Douglas.

A helicopter reaped through the night sky as the dust cleared, and paramedics rushed to Rosa. The paramedics quickly attached an oxygen mask to the kid. Douglas and Wade mounted the helicopter as it took off. They witnessed the extent of the fire.

Wade said, "It's going to be alright."

But they could hear nothing except the chopper blades whirling around. Wade knew nothing was alright.

Douglas put a hand on Rosa's forehead as he cried. Wade put an arm around his friend, like the friend he never had when he lost his wife and kid. It was the only thing Wade could think of doing, and Douglas was glad he wasn't alone.

END OF BOOK 1