Page 147 of Here With Me

“We’ll do our best, miss. Stay back.”

They’re so calm, and I’m bursting into tears. The firefighters actively work on controlling the fire, but it looks like the flames are coming from the loft where extra hay is stored.

Finally, Landen appears through the smoke, dragging a body out.

“Oh my God,” I shriek, grabbing everyone’s attention.

Landen collapses to his knees, coughing. My parents rush over, and I go as fast as my crutches allow.

“Who is that?” I ask.

Landen shakes his head. “Can’t tell.”

“Craig?” Magnolia squeals as she takes a closer look. “His face is covered in blood, but it’s definitely him.”

She looks at me in horror, and given his condition, it doesn’t look good.

“Is he breathing?” I ask.

Magnolia puts her ear above his mouth. “Barely.”

I tell Tripp to get the medic’s attention, and they follow with their supplies.

“What the hell happened?” I ask Landen as they examine Craig.

“I dunno.” He coughs some more. “I went in to let out the horses, but when I saw a body lyin’ on the ground unconscious, I dragged him out.”

“Did you see Fisher in there? His truck is here,” I ask, not even caring how suspect that sounds.

He frowns. “No, but I didn’t go in all the way.”

Momma tells one of the medics to check Landon, and even though he claims to be fine, they do anyway and put an oxygen mask on his face.

“Is he gonna be okay?” I ask one of the medics working on Craig. He has an oxygen mask over his mouth as they work on controlling the bleeding.

“His pulse is weak, but we still have him. We’ll get him stabilized, then do a full examination and CT scan.”

Even though he was an asshole and probably trying to kill my horses, I wouldn’t wish death on him like this.

A moment later, horses barrel out of the barn through a cloud of smoke, bucking and squealing. Wilder and Waylon go after them, then lead them to one of the other pastures away from the flames. I count them as they run around, and my stomach knots when I don’t see mine.

“We’re missin’ one. I don’t see Donut!” I watch the barn doors, but he doesn’t come out.

“I’m sure they’re gonna get him, honey,” Momma says, squeezing my shoulders.

Tears prick the corner of my eyes as I think about how scared he must be. I can’t lose him, too.

“If Landen didn’t get them out, how’d they get loose?” I ask.

“Maybe one of the firefighters managed to,” Tripp suggests.

One of them comes over, and I grab his attention. “There’s a horse missin’. Please, can you go back in and find him?”

“We didn’t let them out, miss. It’s too dangerous to go inside. We’re fightin’ the flames from the top because the beams become weak with that level of heat. I’m afraid they’ll collapse soon.”

I’m not surprised. Barns never survive fires. All that wood is a feeding ground. The best they can do is prevent it from spreading to other buildings.

“Then how...”