Chapter 7
Marion stood outside the barn, staring at the opening where Josiah had disappeared. She feared the worst as the barn begin to explode with fire as the efforts of the responders were too little for the fire. She waited for Josiah to reappear with Jed but over the past few minutes no sound had come from the hay loft.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivered in the night air but refused the neighbors pleas to go back to the house. She would only go when Josiah had brought Jed safely out of the inferno in front of her.
"Oh Holy Mother, please save my husband and grandson. Please." Silent prayers made their way towards heaven even as the inferno spread and began to engulf the entire barn. It wouldn't be long before the whole structure would be covered with the orange fingers as the fire thrived on the gasoline stored in the barn as well as the fresh hay.
She continued to wait and pray. "Oh, Holy Mother, please let them be okay."
As hope was beginning to fade she heard one of the men yell. "There they are," as he pointed to the opening. "Get him some help."
Marion's eyes quickly focused on the larger figure struggling to hold a smaller figure in his arms.
"Help me, Paul," Josiah struggled to say. Paul sprinted to the top of the ladder and took the limp form of the boy from Josiah's arms and quickly made his way down to the ground. Josiah turned, stepped on the ladder rungs and made his way to the ground as well.
"Put him over there," Luke yelled. Paul made his way to a spot about a hundred yards from the now fully engulfed barn and gently laid the unconscious boy on the grass. Marion ran to her grandson's side even as Josiah dropped beside her, coughing and trying to clear his lungs of the acidic smoke.
"How is cough cough is he?" as Josiah tried to take in gulps of the fresh night air.
Marion quickly bent over and placed her ear on Jed's chest. Hearing a faint heartbeat, she raised her head and gave a faint smile. "He's alive." She quickly checked Jed over, noting the burns on his face and his hands but thankful he was at least alive.
"He's got some burns but they don't seem so bad. Josiah, where did you find him?"
"Over by the trap door. The fire was licking all around him but I hoped I got to him in time." cough cough
Paul had backed away a little bit but now came back into the tight family circle. "You both need to go to the hospital in Manchester. The barn's a loss so there's no need for me to stay. Come on. Load Jed in the back and Josiah, you stay with him. Come on Marion. Sit up front with me."
By this time Luke had come up to see if he could offer assistance. "Anything I can do?"
"Yes," Marion replied. "Go to the house and have the operator call the doctor and tell him we're on our way. Tell him what's wrong and that we'll be there in about fifteen minutes."
"Sure will, Miss Marion. I hope the boy will be okay."
"Thanks. I do too."
Marion watched as Paul effortlessly picked up Jed and made his way to the truck still parked on the driveway, where it had been left when he first arrived.
She helped her husband to stand and make his way toward the truck. Only when she got to the truck did she realize that she was still dressed in her robe and slippers. "I can't go like this," as Paul laid Jed in the back and Josiah climbed in beside him.
"Ma'am," Paul replied. "You look fine. We need to go now. Get in."
Reluctantly, Marion agreed and got in the front seat of the truck. As soon as her door closed Paul gunned the engine, made a u-turn, and sped down the bumpy driveway, knowing that time was critical for both the boy and his friend.