Just A Farm Gal

Chapter Twenty-Two

A loud banging noise woke us both up a couple of hours later. A quick look at my alarm clock told me it was almost 3am.

Noah shot up in bed, "What the hell?" he muttered groggily.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and turned to me, confused, as the banging continued. I shot up in bed too.

"Who could that be?" I asked, sleepily.

"HALLIE! NOAH!" A voice shouted from outside.

It was Lucas.

"That sounds like Lucas!" I was wide awake now.

"He's probably just drunk and messing around." Noah spat, but he got up out of bed anyway and shoved a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on.

I got up too and did the same, "What if somethin' has happened though? Mama!" I raced down the stairs as fast as I could with Noah following hot on my heels.

I ran through the living-room and kitchen, before unlocking the porch door and swinging it open, "Luc –."

But he interrupted me before I could even finish his name, "There's a fire at my dad's place! I ran all the way here! I tried to get into the house, Hallie, I swear to god!"

"Oh my god!" I pushed past Lucas and ran to Noah's truck with Noah and Lucas following behind me. I didn't even have shoes on and neither did Noah.

Noah unlocked the truck quickly and we all climbed in. I didn't bother with my seat belt as Noah sped out of the driveway quickly. As we approached the church and David's house, I saw the smoke and flames and dread filled my gut. I felt sick.

Before Noah came to a complete stop in the church carpark, I jumped out of the truck and raced towards the house. Most of the town folk were outside the house and I could hear the fire trucks in the distance.

"MAMA!" I screamed, running towards the door.

I felt two strong hands grab around the middle of my stomach and I jolted to a stop with an oomph.

Noah wrapped his arms around me, "You are NOT running into a burning building, Hallie!"

"My Mama is in there! Get your hands off me!" I shouted.

Noah shook his head and held me close. All the sudden, Lucas ran towards the house and after a few seconds, he managed to crash through the front door with his boot.

"Lucas! Don't be an idiot!" I shouted after him.

Noah let me go and took a few steps towards the house, before turning back to me, "I love you, Hallie Hughes."

"Noah, don't." I shook my head.

But Noah ran towards the house.

"NOAH!" I screamed and ran after him, but another pair of strong arms held me back. This time, it was Rosie's husband, Ron. Rosie came up to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder muttering, "They will all be ok."

I sank to my knees, "I can't lose her. I can't..."

Rosie grabbed my shoulders and knelt down with me, "You won't, Hallie."

I breathed a sigh of relief as two fire engines, from the next town, pulled up onto the car park.

I jumped up and ran to them, "It's Reverend David's house. My Mama is in there! David's son ran in and so did my husband, please get them out!" I grabbed at the fireman's collar.

"We will do everything we can, Miss." He told me, grabbing the hose from the truck and running over to the house with several other firemen.