As I looked at the flame it danced and flitted, leaving a black trail, which turned grey and then white and then blew away in the wind. It seemed that time must be passing, though I could not register it. The swirls of reds and oranges and yellows popped and crackled as they wove through the air.
There were other lights now, some red, some blue, some white, casting shadows blending with the flaring smoke. Other sounds as well, sirens, shouting, someone was giving orders.
"Are you alright?" breathed a deep voice behind me. I opened my mouth, to respond. Then I closed it again soundlessly. I tried again, but could not form a thought, a sound, a scream. I gazed at the undulating heat before me and took a step, and then another. This I could do, I could join the dance. I walked until it all turned to blackness.
**************
Arriving on scene, Mitch quickly surveyed the situation. The structure was a two story abandoned home, partially engulfed in flames. This would be a containment job, the structure would not be saved. The main goal was to keep the looky loos back, and put the fire out before it could spread. Luckily it had been raining all day and the soaking was helping to prevent any of the neighboring buildings from catching.
As a matter of practice, they would sweep the area, but it was unlikely anyone was inside. The ladder company quickly dispersed into their roles.
They had almost completed our sweep when he caught site of her. She was dressed in dark clothing, with dark hair, the only thing which made her visible was a flash of the pale skin of her face as she looked at the fire. She was too close for safety so he moved in to ask her to go.
As he approached her, she seemed to be enthralled. This type of affect was not uncommon at fire scenes. He called to her several times, yelling, but she did not react.
"Be advised, medic needed, adult female, mid thirties, west side of the structure," He spoke into the microphone relaying the message to his team.
"Copy."
"Miss. Miss. Are you alright?" When she didn't respond, he reached out to touch her shoulder, wary of startling her. But as he reached she moved forward, his hand landed on air as she walked straight into the fire without looking back.
"Fuck." It took him a moment to react to what was happening. She had several steps on him so that he had to run to get ahead of her. "You can't go in there!" he yelled, finally getting his body in front of her. He grabbed her in a full body grip just as she collapsed. He lifted her limp body and headed for the medical team which was rounding the corner, just as the building behind him gave way.