The Silent Leader

Flashback

I run through the area's that haven't caught fire yet, desperately running around trying to find another exit. "Come on Rocky, think!" I yelp as I dodge a falling piece of board. After I had gotten the people out, a wall collapsed again before I could jump out, leaving me in the danger zone.  The 12th street warehouse was huge, three stories tall and full stone walls, until you got inside. At the time of it's construction it was the proudest building in Adventure bay, now 150 years later it had been drying up and rotting away, a powder keg waiting to blow. With wood so dry it was a miracle it hadn't caught fire sooner. Eventually though, the inevitable came to be.

And I'm in it!! I think as I run across a large platform. I've got to make it out, I've got to make it out... I scream in my head as I bust through the conjoining door. Much to my downfall, that door was the only thing keeping the last ceiling beam from collapsing to the floor. To which it did, right on top of me.

I nearly black out from the searing pain that lights up my world, the 8x6 beam landing square across my back. I howl in pain and try to lift it off me, but I'm dazed and don't have any energy left from my sprint from one end of the building to the other. This is it, this is how I'm going to die. I think pitifully as I watch the fire come closer, along with the choking smoke that's already made its way to me. The oxygen mask from my pup suit can only filter so much through.

As my vision fades, I see something run through the flames and smoke. It's tall, broad, tail violently swishing as it's ears twitch quickly, hunting for a particular sound. I whimper as the black shade-like creature puts its nose to the ground, as if tracking a scent through the fire.

"Have you come to take me away? I thought I was a good pup, that an angel would be sent for me." I weakly whisper as it's head snaps toward the sound of my voice. As it runs at me I can start noticing other features about my apparition.

His paws are rather large for his body size, as if he was still growing into them. Due to its size I had just assumed  it was a he. He had rather intimidating fangs, seemingly the only bright thing on his body besides his eyes. When I stared at them, all I saw was fire, the burning red and orange making his eyes look like miniature movies of hellfire.

I tried in vain to muster enough strength to lift the beam off my back, surprisingly having not caught fire just yet. He watched me try this, shaking his head, as if already condemning me to my fate. So I closed my eyes and waited, my ears deafened by the roar of the crackling wildfire.

Without warning I could feel the weight being lifted off me, smokey air filling the empty spaces of my lungs. I open my eyes just a little to see him above me, lifting the beam with stronger forepaws than mine. His mouth moves a couple times before I hear it's contents. "GET YOUR A$$ IN GEAR ROCKY! GO! THE FLOORS NOT GONNA HOLD MUCH LONGER!" he howls as a liquidy substance starts leaking from above, the smell of petroleum radiating off of it as it catches fire, oil.

Still frozen in both fear and pain, I don't respond. Cursing words I haven't heard used together, he howls and throws the beam into the air a foot before grabbing me by my collar and forcefully yanking me out of the way. As the beam lands where I was, the floor gives way beneath it, falling through the story below and farther into a basement I didn't know this place had. I would have followed it if not for this stranger, but how'd he know my name? I think as I remain locked in the angry pup's jaw.

He drags me away from the hole before lifting me to my paws. "Thank you" I say hoarsely, my throat having been ravaged by smoke from my mask opening before I fix it. He turns back to look at me, his eyes still blazing with heat. "I've been searching all over this f*ckin place! And you were beneath the oil room?? Can you walk or am I going to have to carry you out?" He snarls, a hint of worry in his raspy voice, it reminds me of a pup from the paw patrol but... his voice is so damaged I wouldn't be able to place it without hearing him without the smoke.