Trapped in a Fire, My Son and I Are Reborn

Chapter 2

Principal Lee was still holding me back. Time was slipping away. I clenched my jaw, shoved her aside, and watched as she stumbled to the ground—she didn't have the strength to stop me.

I rushed to the hydrant, quickly hooking up the hose and aiming it at the burning stairs. In my previous life, I'd learned that the fire on the stairs wasn't as bad as it seemed. If we could just put it out, the kids could escape safely.

"Hang in there, son," I muttered, heart pounding. "I'm coming!" I twisted the valve, but... nothing. My stomach dropped. No water.

I sprinted to the next hydrant, grabbed another hose, and hooked it up. Still no water.

"The hydrants are broken!" I yelled, my voice shaking. Principal Lee was still unmoved. "I told you to leave it to the professionals! Stop trying to do everything yourself!"

I dropped the hose in frustration and ran down the stairs, my mind racing for another solution.

In the playground, I spotted one of the firefighters and rushed over. "Jimmy!" I grabbed him by the arm. "Quick, give me some gear! I need to go in and save them!"

Jimmy's eyes widened. "Sister-in-law, what are you doing here? It's too dangerous! Let us handle it!"

"No!" I almost pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "You know I can fight fires too. There has to be backup equipment on the truck. Just give me a set!"

Jimmy hesitated, glancing over at the flames. "Without the captain's orders, I can't just give you gear."

I didn't have time for this. "The kitchen's on the third floor! If we don't get to it now, it's going to explode!"

In my past life, Jimmy was always the one trying to think things through rationally, while Jason Carter was the one acting first. Even if Jimmy couldn't give me the equipment, knowing about the explosion, he'd never just stand by.

Jimmy's expression shifted from hesitation to panic. "What? The principal didn't tell us anything about an explosion!"

I grabbed his shoulders. "There's no time! We need to move now!"

He hesitated, then turned. "I'll go talk to the captain!"

Without waiting for me to respond, Jimmy rushed over to Jason Carter. "Captain, the fire on the third floor is huge. That's where the main blaze is—we need to go there first!"

Jason's response was sharp, full of frustration. "What do you know? The fourth floor is the most dangerous right now! The smoke's suffocating, and those people on the fourth floor are hanging out the window—they could fall at any second!"

I looked up, watching as Emily Lee clung to her daughter on the windowsill. The child's legs dangled over the edge, no ledge, no support. Emily was holding on for dear life, but her daughter was panicking, twisting in her arms.

Jimmy, sweating with anxiety, shouted, "But the kitchen's on the third floor! If the gas ignites, the whole place could blow!"

Jason paused for a beat, his eyes flicking from the third floor to the fourth, but he still snapped, "I know what I'm doing! We're moving now—no time to waste!"

But Jimmy wasn't giving up. "Sister-in-law is going to the third floor too! I remember your son is here..."

Jason's patience finally snapped. "Shut up! I'm in charge here! Who are you listening to, me or yourself? If you don't like it, go back!"

I could see the frustration in Jimmy's face, but I knew I couldn't count on him to change anything.

My son's calls were growing weaker, likely choked by the thickening smoke. Every second felt like an eternity. I pushed through the classroom doors on the first floor, searching for anything that could help.

Finally, in the monitoring room, I spotted them: a pile of fire extinguishers. It wasn't ideal, but it was something. My heart raced as I grabbed the nearest one. Every second counted.