"No!" The word cracked through Josh's teeth like a whip and echoed athwart the property. He turned, his eyes wide with shock. Flames licked at the cold night air, rising up from the debris that use to be the Nichols' home. Jeremy and Steven stood beside him, just as shocked as he was. Josh shook his head and raced into his fallen home. He quivered as he threw wood and brick aside, calling out in fear.
"Rachel! Rachel!" He repeated over and over again, lifting up parts of the roof from the ground to look below them. The others joined in, doing the same. Steven leaped over piles of rubble, of brick and wood that use to be Josh and Rachel's third floor abode. He noticed something protruding from the debris—a hand. He frantically began digging through the wreckage, tossing aside parts of the living room chandelier. Josh's words echoed across the ruins as he wept.
"Rachel went to the store after dropping James off at Christina's. I know she did! I know she did—I could have sworn she did!" Josh fell to his knees, looking around.
Steven grunted as he removed the rest of the debris, and then gasped. The body before him looked butchered and bloody. He bent down and wiped Rachel's knee-length brown hair away from her cheek. He turned to Josh and Jeremy. "You guys, come here!"
Seconds after they rushed over to the pile of broken glass, Josh plopped down again, his arms wrapping around Rachel's crippled body. Blood soaked his lips as he kissed hers and then kissed her forehead. "Rachel! Rachel, honey, look at me!" He screamed out, sobbing against her chest and kissing her grazed hands.
Suddenly, Rachel twitched and weakly opened her green eyes. Josh started sobbing even louder and kissed her face. She felt Josh lift her up and prop her body against his torso. She gasped at the pain—and she felt strangely peaceful. Her vision was already blurring and she knew she wasn't going to make it. She nimbly placed her arm upon his shoulder and pressed her cheek to his neck.
"J-Joshua…? J-J-Josh…" She coughed up blood and nearly choked. Her husband patted her back, forcing her to spit, which really didn't work. Blood rolled down the corners of her mouth and dripped to her shirt.
"Yes? Rachel!" He cried. Jeremy and Steven dropped to his side and looked at the both of them. Her hands trembling, she searched for her husband's face.
"Where are you?" She searched and searched until Josh grabbed her hand and pulled it to his cheek. She sighed with a smile. "Joshua…I-I can't see your face."
"I'm right here, baby." He said sobbingly.
"I'm…dying, aren't I?" Rachel murmured.
Josh rubbed her shoulders and caressed her reassuringly. He forced a grin on his face, tears still streaming fiercely down his pale cheeks. "Hey, hey, don't talk like that, sweetheart. You're going to make it. We'll take you to the hospital and they'll fix you up and make you feel better and then you'll be able to play with Jam—"
And then there was a scream. Rachel was screaming. "James! My baby, he was in there! My baby! Where is my baby! He was in the fire, the collapsing building! Josh, James is gone!"
Josh immediately pointed Jeremy and Steven to search more and then lifted Rachel off the ground. After laying her in back seat of the car, he bolted towards the rubble. Throwing brick and debris, he began his search for their son.
"James, its Daddy! Where are you, son!" Josh shouted hysterically.
"James, where are you?" Steven yelled wildly.
"James, say something!" Jeremy bellowed frantically.
Josh ran this way and that, searching under rock and debris that was high along the property. He was on the brink of snapping. He was about to lose everything close to him, everything he held near and dear to his heart.
"Daddy!" A shrill voice screeched.
Josh flew around, facing the way the voice had come. Jeremy and Steven looked at each other and ran to Josh's side. Josh, eyes pouring wet sloppy tears, searched for the voice.
"James!" Josh yelled.
"Daddy," the voice cried. "Daddy!"
"It's okay. Stay calm. Daddy's coming. Just stay put." Josh said, trying to calm his son down.
"Daddy, it's getting hot."
Josh, removing the last piece of wood away from one of the piles, saw his son's face. It was bloodied, scratched, and bruised. He reached in and pulled James out of the rubble, and as soon as he was completely out, he smashed James to his chest and sobbed hysterically. The six-year-old sobbed and pressed his face into Josh's neck. "Daddy…"
"James, little buddy, you're okay." Josh cried.
Steven and Jeremy's relief soon became strong worry when both of their wives pulled up with their children in the car.
Josh gathered James into his arms and headed toward the approaching ambulances and police cars. It seemed an eternity had passed after that.
Where am I? My eyes had opened to a bright light above and about four people surrounding me. Doctors. I couldn't remember what had happened first, but as soon as they had mentioned my son's name, those horrifying images flashed through my mind. The only thing I could remember exactly was the roof collapsing and James screaming for his mommy.
One of the doctors probed me as I sat forward, ripping the mask off my face. The man looked quite intelligent. He had prematurely gray hair with flecks of silver within it, a pale face, and a brilliant smile. He smiled while smoothing the top of my hair down.
"Hello, my name is Dr. Caldwell. How are you feeling?" He asked.
I swallowed hard as I looked around. All I could think about was my baby. I frowned at the man. "Where is my son?"
Dr. Caldwell smiled again. "See for yourself."
I looked to the neighboring bed and saw my little boy sleeping heavily amongst the piles of blankets. His arms were bandaged and taped, as was his right cheek. Also, he was bruised harshly along his left eye.
"He'll be fine, Mrs. Nichols." The doctor assured after seeing my pained expression. Laughing, he said, "Your son will be in top condition in a month or so. He's running a fever, but not to worry. It's gone down quite a bit."
"And my husband?" I asked, propping a sore eyebrow.
He smiled again. "Outside, waiting. I'll send him in." He left, the rest of the doctors following him out.
I needed something to drink. On the nightstand beside me, a glass of cool water sat, nice, crisp, a beautiful sight. I grabbed it and immediately chugged it down. It felt wonderful going down my dry, raspy throat. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and sat the glass back down. Suddenly, I was nervous to see Josh. I could only imagine what was going to happen when he saw me. He'd probably say something like 'I told you to be careful, but NO' or 'this is your own fault'.
"Rachel…" A soft voice whispered from the door.
I looked up, startled. It was my husband, as Dr. Caldwell had sent for him, but he wasn't in the angry state I thought he'd be in. His eyes were red, meaning he must have been crying. Josh! CRYING of all things! But that wasn't it. He looked exhausted. His arms dangled loosely at his sides and his muscles looked tensed as if he were trying, forcing himself to stay up.
"Josh?" I said and he threw himself at me. I felt the sudden strength of a tourniquet constricting around me. Josh's arms were wrapped around my entire frame. And then the quivering began and my heart shattered. The room was filled with wracking sobs from my husband. I embraced him back and shushed him.
He kissed me all over, tender and sweet, and then he sobbed, "I love you."
I started to cry, tears squeezing out of my tightly closed lids. I pulled him over, forcing him to sit on the bed as we kissed and caressed and hugged and loved. His entire frame shook as he sobbed and wept into my neck. "It's okay. I'm here, I'm here – I love you, Josh."
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left. I should've stayed with you and James. I love you. I love you. I love you and James so much, and I-I-I-" He stuttered.
I shushed him and assured him over and over again. "No, no, it's not your fault. It's no ones fault, baby. It was an accident. Josh, baby, I love you."
He kissed me hard. "I love you, too. I promise I'll never leave you again."
I frowned. "You never did, sweetheart. You went to enjoy yourself –"
"And I paid the price!" He cried.
I stared at him, feeling so much pain, both physical and emotional. My husband was crying, blaming himself for what had happened. I pulled him closer to me and snuggled him.
"Dearest, stop blaming yourself." I soothed him. "None of this was your fault. And James and I still love you to death. We would never blame you for anything of such."
He looked at me with teary eyes and I couldn't believe he was crying. My husband never cried. He was a solid rock on the outside and hardly ever let anyone see the side of him that was soft and compassionate. He considered it being weak, I remember him saying once. Softly, I kissed him long and hard. His tongue trailed along my bottom lip and then met with mine within my mouth. We battled over dominance, our tongues dancing with one another. I pulled him atop the hospital bed with me, my arms wrapping around his waist and my legs fitting into the bends of his. We fitted like a jigsaw puzzle.
He smiled as quivering smile and laid his head back and looked at the ceiling. I kissed his forehead.
"Promise me something, dear." I said.
"Anything." He said simply.
"Never blame yourself, love."
He smiled again, this time it was a small, sad smile. "I promise."
We stared out the starlit window and listened to the beeping of both my and James's monitors. The silence was an everlasting bliss with him here. I didn't care, as long as he never left my side.
He looked up at me and smiled the smile I loved. "I love you."
Those were the words that made my heart pound harder and my stomach flutter. I kissed him again. "I love you too."
To be continued…