Chief divided us, hoping to meet in the middle. He warned us the winds could change at any moment. The first was jumping from tree to tree like a monkey running for its life. Reaching and then igniting, the fire sizzled and roared, the tenor and bass creating a song of destruction that was also the first step to rebirth.

“Cat, you’re on lookout,” Jubal pointed to the top of the first ridge.

Cat nodded and climbed the steep incline to where he’d watch our bags. I made sure Ragnar wasn’t thirsty then ripped the cord, letting his metal teeth gnaw through a large tree. It was a shame that I either had to slit its throat or let it burn to a crisp. The forest was just fuel to most wild land firefighters, but I’d been intimately acquainted with life or death decisions, and most times the only alternative to salvation was to end the misery. Thankfully for me, Brad and Jenn were experts at salvation.

We dug and sawed for an hour before Cat signaled the fire had changed direction. He radioed for us to come to him, but by the time we made it, the fire had already cut off the other half of our crew.

“Just go! Go!” Chief yelled over the radio. “Meet at C-three rendezvous point!”

With tools in hand, the Maddox twins, Fish, Runt, Smitty, Watts, Cat and I set out for the predetermined Plan B. It was never a good feeling to get separated from the group, but it happened from time to time.

Tyler Maddox yelled at us to keep up. “Let’s go, guys! Double time!”

We picked up the pace, everyone looking over their shoulder and hoping the winds would change again. The hills were rocky, but there was still enough fuel to lead the fire right to us. It was growing and picking up speed. The smoke caught up to us, and I could feel the heat nipping at my back.

“Wait!” Tyler yelled. “Wait.” He pulled out his map.

“Whatever you’re doing, do it fast,” Smitty said, looking over his shoulder.

“If that bitch keeps burning this direction, it will eat that facility whole,” Tyler said.

I peered over the tree line, seeing the top of an antenna in the distance. “Let’s get to work.”

“We stay here and we’ll be toast within the hour,” Fish said.

I looked around at my brothers. We were all beat up, dirty, and exhausted, and we were discussing whether or not to stretch ourselves to our physical limit. “There are thousands of people in that facility. This is what we signed up for, isn’t it?”

Fish thought about it then nodded. Everyone else readied their tools, and Tyler barked orders.