“We need to move away from the plane,” Tuck said. I walked with him, supporting the pilot’s legs. I wasn’t even sure how I managed it, except that Tuck was instructing me. If he thought I was capable, then I guess I was. When we got about fifty feet from the plane, we laid the man down on the grass. Tuck supported his head, setting it gently on the earth before placing two fingers on his throat.

“Is he…okay?” Charlie asked, coming up next to me and wiping his mouth with a shaking hand.

Tuck’s fingers fell away from the pilot’s neck, and he hung his head for a moment before standing. “No,” he said, turning away from us. “He’s gone.” He shifted his head so I could only see his profile. “But he saved our lives, and he deserves our gratitude.”

Gone. Oh God. Oh no. He was dead. I couldn’t even remember his name. I’d barely paid attention to him, and he’d saved my life. Our lives. Another sob rose in my throat, and I brought my hand to my mouth so it wouldn’t escape. I turned away from the dead pilot and closed my eyes. He’d given his life and we were standing here, banged up, but alive.

Tuck was striding back toward the plane. I could now see the fire and smoke Tuck had smelled. It was small, but if it was near the fuel tank—which I really had no idea if it was—then we needed to stay far away. “What are you doing?” I yelled to Tuck.

“Gathering what I can,” he called back. I started to follow him, but Charlie stopped me with a hand to my arm.

“There’s no reason for all three of us to put ourselves in danger,” he said. “Grab our phones!” he called to Tuck. “And some water!” He lowered his hand. “I’m thirsty as hell.” Tuck either didn’t hear him, or ignored him, hopping back up through the open door and disappearing into the cabin. A minute later, a suitcase came flying out, landing on the ground with a thud. I debated joining him and helping to grab whatever we could but hesitated. Charlie was probably right. Tuck was obviously willing to take this risk. If something happened to him, we’d be available to help. We had a good visual of the fire and could shout at him if it started to spread.

I jogged forward and picked up the suitcase and then delivered it several feet away, under a small, bare tree. Tuck continued to toss things out of the door, Charlie and I “rescuing” them and putting them in the pile we’d made at a distance I’d deemed safe.

“You’re shivering,” Charlie said as we stood waiting for Tuck to toss something else from the door or emerge to join us. “And your teeth are chattering.”