Commitments, Changes and a whole lot of Complications

Chapter 12

------------ Chapter 12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a couple minutes of total paralyzing fear, I finally manage to snap out of my panicked state.

I struggle against Haden, who holds me tightly.

               “Let go of me!” I scream.

               “It’s too dangerous Skye! You can’t go in there!”

I thrash around in his vice like grip. “Haden! My family is in there! I can control the fire!”

               “Are you insane?! I can’t control that!” he hisses. “And there are too many people around, Skye! Let the firefighters do their thing!”

               “That’s my family!” I repeat.

               “Skye, I can’t lose you!” Haden whispers, his voice full of anguish. “Not again.”

               “And I can’t lose them!” I scream.

Haden deliberates for a moment. The next thing I know, he’s dragging me backwards to Carter. “Don’t leave her and don’t let her go in,” he instructs.

Before I can protest, he’s maneuvering his way through the crowd. He’s stopped by a firefighter. Suddenly, he’s punching the firefighter. As the firefighter falls, Haden dashes into the building.

               “Carter! He’s going to need my help!” I plead, thrashing around once more.

               “No. He’ll handle it. If he can’t, you sure as hell can’t either,” he says, tightening his hold on me.

               “Summer is in there! How can you just stand here doing nothing?! Every moment you waste arguing with me, is a moment longer she’s in there! She could be dying! Don’t you care at all?!” I scream, breaking down into sobs.

Carter’s eyes glint dangerously and that’s the only warning I get before he slaps me across my face, tightly.

I won’t lie, the shock of it stopped my sobbing. I just stood there, mouth gaping as the sting sets in.

And Carter doesn’t look the least bit apologetic. “How could you say such a thing?! Of course I care! Do you think you’re the only person who has a heart?! Don’t be so damned self-righteous. Unlike you, I’m realistic. I know I can’t control the fire! My dying there isn’t going to help anyone!”

               “At least I’m willing to try!” I snarl.

              “You’re also willing to sacrifice Haden’s life! You’re ungrateful, that’s what you are!” he hisses.

I blink the tears that form at his words.

              “I’m not willing to sacrifice him! He’s always making the choices! I just want to save my family! Is that so wrong?!” I demand.

               “I know, Skye! I understand, but you have to understand that there’s nothing you can do! Let Haden try. If any one of the three of us can do anything, it’s him.”

You know how sometimes it takes some time for you to realize just how big a mistake you’ve made? That’s kind of what I feel. My family is trapped in there and I’ll surely be in a comatose state if something happens to them. But what did I do? I sent in the one person I literally cannot live without!