Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Nick coughed loudly. All around there was blazing fire, heating the air. He felt like he was in an oven and could barely see through the thick layers of black smoke. Yet he forced himself on to the second floor.
"Help! Help! Someone! Anyone?" a desperate voice screamed above the roar of the flames. Nick glanced in the direction of the voice and saw a black hand waving frantically. Nick ran over to it and saw a door half off it's hinges blocking him. Nick grabbed it and pulled it out of the way.
"Go!" Nick told him and was surprised at how loud he had to speak above the roaring flames.
"I can't," the man choked, "my ankle, I twisted it when the building collapsed. Please help me, son." he pleaded. Nick looked carefully at him. He was quite old with short grey hair and a lined but kind face. His pale pleading eyes stood out on his dark skin. Nick bent down and helped him up noticing he wore a janitor's uniform. Nick had not gone three paces when he heard another cry for help.
"Help!" a child's voice yelled from behind.
"Wait here," Nick told the man, putting him down. Nick spun and peered through the mass of smoke. Then he realized it was not just smoke but a large gap where the floor had been driven apart, most likely by the crashed plane, and on the other side was a little boy, no older than eight. Wishing he was anywhere but here he ran at the gap and leaped across barely preventing himself from falling backwards to his death.
"Nick?"
Nick finished steadying himself and looked up at Jake. Kate would be relieved he thought- if they made it out, with Jake were some 5 other kids all choking on the smoke he had to get them out of here, but they couldn't jump across such a gap, the youngest looked only three and the oldest about 11.
"Is there anyone else up there?" Nick asked, amazed at how calm he sounded. His mind was panic stricken and kept bombarding him with questions. Was he going to die? Was he ever going to see his family again? Should he have just waited for paramedics. It was a painful struggle to breath. Should he just save himself? What about those kids and Jake or Laurie? He had to save them but had no desire to lose his life. Or did he? He shushed that thought as Jake spoke
"Laurie, she's alive just trapped behind a beam, I don't know how long she can last or if anyone else is there."
Nick nodded but secretly felt angered. He bet Jake hadn't even attempted to help her.
"I'll jump across," he paused to breath, "then you throw the kids to me, then jump yourself." Jake nodded and Nick noticed how terrified he looked. Did he look like that? Shaking his head of thoughts he leaped back across, finding the jump easier the second time.
"Okay, you kid," he pointed to the eight year old (who was nearest to the gap), " Jake will throw you across and I'll catch you, Okay?" he tried to sound as calm as possible to sooth the child's fear-filled eyes and it must have worked for the boy nodded and allowed Jake to half-throw him across. Nick caught him easily,
"steady now, stand beside that man over there and as soon as the others are across we'll all get out of here."
"My name's Bill, come to old Uncle Bill," the janitor called behind me, catching on.
They repeated the process with the other five. He went to help Bill up while Jake crossed the gap.
"Now everyone, we're gonna play follow the leader. Jake will lead and me and Bill will go behind to make sure you are following," he said gently. They still looked frightened and were coughing much more frequently but they nodded and followed Jake down the stairs and outside the building into the bright sunshine. Nick felt like he'd entered a whole other world, surely this couldn't be the same place as the dark smoke filled oven he'd just left?
"Oh Jakey!" he heard distantly. His suddenly saw his Dad running towards him.
"Nick! I'm so glad you're okay," his Dad smiled with relief. Nick began handing Bill to him, who was leaning on Nick for support.
"I have to go back in for Laurie, before its too late," Nick gasped, sucking in the fresh air and ran back inside before his Dad changed his mind. He ran back up the stairs to the gap and didn't pause before leaping across it and ran up the corridor. Where Jake had indicated Laurie was. What would his mother think? That thought stopped Nick in his tracks. His mother. He still hadn't really gotten over it. If he died would his kids get over it? Or his Dad or even Lulu?
His thoughts were interrupted by a burning beam from the roof falling on him...
