Gally Imagines

=FORTY-THREE= A Kindling Fire

Gally sat bolt upright in a cold sweat. Something was wrong.

Very wrong! 

Flinging the covers aside, he threw his boots on and jerked opened the door to his hut, feeling the refreshing cool breeze blow across his damp skin. He stood still, shoulders heaving, eyes scanning the Glade quickly for any sign of alarm, but he saw nothing. His shirt clung to his wet back as he stood in the doorway, trying to find even the smallest hint of distress, but everything seemed fine. However, the pounding in his heart and the dryness in his mouth told him otherwise.

He walked out into the clear, starlit night, turning his head, searching, then he stopped. A flicker of yellow had caught his attention and he stared at the spot, wondering if it had been an illusion in the moonlight. No, it hadn't. There it was again, and it was growing rapidly. Suddenly, Gally knew what it was.

He dug his feet into the ground, racing towards the flickering light as fast as he could. He tore across the grass, now close enough to hear the crackling of the flames that ate their way up the walls of the dry hut.

"Y/N!" he yelled as he reached the fire, then jumped back quickly as a branch fell from the roof almost sideswiping him, burning the grass where he had been standing. "Y/N!"

He searched the walls frantically and was just able to make out the door through the flames. Leaning back, he struck out with his boot, feeling it collide with the wooden door causing it to crack, splinter, and give way. Gally plunged into the burning building without thinking twice. Raising his arm up above his head to shield his eyes, he scanned the raging flames, looking for any sign of movement.

"Y/N!" he yelled again, coughing this time as smoke began to invade his lungs.

__________

"Help!" You coughed repeatedly, trying your best not to breathe in the thick, grey, smothering smoke. "Help me!"

You were sitting your bed where you had woken moments before, trying to avoid falling pieces of burning fragments. The sound of wood blazing all around you filled your ears, making it almost impossible to hear anything. The intense, searing heat from the flames burned your skin, and you rubbed your arms, coughing repeatedly. You knew that you had to get out of there, but part of the roof had fallen down in a raging torrent of flames standing between you and the door, and you weren't sure how far it was to the other side.

Just for an instant you thought you heard your name and remained still, straining your ears to hear past the ceaseless roar of the fire.

"Gally?!" you called out, trying to raise your voice loud enough to be heard.

Suddenly a tall, broad, darkened figure dove out of the flames, dropping into an expert dive roll on the floor by your bed.

"Gally!" you gasped, in awe and shock that he was there, literally saving your life at risk of his own.

"Are you okay?!" he shouted above the noise of the fire, leaning down to your level.

You nodded, coughing. A second later you felt his arms beneath you, gripping you bridal style as he lifted you up, holding you firmly against him. Then he turned, and before you had the chance to think, Gally had jumped through the flames guarding the door and landed safely on the other side. He hesitated a moment glancing upwards. Suddenly the sound of crackling wood exploded overhead, and you were jolted as Gally leapt again, this time through the door, just as the entire roof collapsed in on itself sending up a tremendous cloud of blazing sparks and billowing smoke. He landed hard, almost dropping you, but he continued to keep a tight hold until he regained his balance. Then he carefully set you down.