Burning Wild

Chapter Four

I woke up early the next morning and found that my body was stiff. I had a kink in my neck from sleeping at such an awkward angle, and my back ached from sitting up all night.

I groaned as I get to my feet, my body protesting the movement. The hospital chair wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, and I quickly regretted my decision to stay the night. But at least I was able to get a few hours of sleep without the terrifying nightmare haunting every moment.

I took one more look at the unconscious man and squeezed his hand gently, before walking to the parking lot to find my car. On my way home, I made a quick trip to Target to buy the essentials and to purchase a new laptop because, with my job, I couldn't last more than a day without one. After I stocked up on microwavable mac and cheese, frozen TV dinners, and dog food, I made my way back to the hotel.

"Hey, boy," I said, wrapping Harley in a warm embrace as he ran to greet me. He responded with a yawn and an enthusiastic lick on my cheek.

After taking Harley on a walk, I ordered a pizza and hunkered down in the hotel to get some work done on my new laptop. Regardless of the unpredictable events over the last twenty-four hours, I had assignments due soon, and my boss wouldn't be thrilled if I got them in late.

I was too distracted to focus, my unrelenting worries nagging me incessantly. My anxiety took center stage, and all I could do was worry about the what-ifs: Was I safe in the hotel, or would the wildfires flare up and come for me again? Would I have to move out of Chico until I could find a new place to live, or would I be better off leaving California altogether? And the biggest worry of all- was Jake doing any better?

Several hours passed, but my computer screen remained as blank as my wandering mind. Before I knew it, the sun was setting, and the day was gone. With a sigh, I closed the laptop and put the news on the TV in a futile attempt to keep myself awake. Unfortunately, all of the stations were covering the fires, something that I didn't want to be reminded of. Though I dreaded what might happen when I closed my eyes, I turned off the TV and laid my head on my pillow anyway.

Harley was out like a light in a matter of minutes, seemingly unfazed by our recent experience, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was overactive, thinking about what terrors the night might bring. When I finally dozed off, the nightmares came, just as I feared that they would.

I was lost, standing alone in a dark room that was encased by fire and filled to the brim with smoke. There was only one exit, and it was consumed by the hot flames. Jake stood in the doorway, a smile on his face and his arm outstretched, reaching for me. He seemed oblivious to the fire lapping at trusses of his suit. I was filled with a sudden fear of losing this man who I had only just met. It consumed me, and all I could think was not him. As the fire closed in, I screamed for Jake to go, to get out of harm's way. In the end, my pleas made no difference; I was already too late.

The request had barely left my mouth when Jake's suit caught fire. He began to burn, his cries of pain reverberating around the fire-filled room. His brown eyes stared at me accusingly. I couldn't force my eyes away as he continued to burn in the scorching fire. He was quickly devoured by the flames as they penetrated his body, melting his skin like wax from a candle. The flames licked against his body until he was little more than a skeleton that had been charred to a crisp, his corpse still starring condemning daggers at me.

When I woke up, I couldn't breathe. I was hyperventilating as though the smoke was still surrounding me, the putrid vapors still cutting off my airways. I needed out of the room, needed to be somewhere, anywhere but there. Without even changing out of my pajamas, I grabbed my car keys and headed back to the hospital. It was the only location where I felt safe, the place that was quickly becoming my sanctuary.