Sunshine Valley

Instead of answering the daily prompt with personal stuff; I’m gonna work the prompt into my story. Hope you enjoy.

Fire!

     Evie couldn’t sleep. She rolled over to see 4:00 am stairing back at her. “Just get up.” She scolded herself. It was still cold. But at least it wasn’t -5. Maybe a walk or a run. Regardless, this pent up anxiety had to go. Dillon didn’t like it when she went out at night alone. He offered to buy her any exercise equipment she wanted. Even though they didn’t have a clear idea who was harassing her, she wouldn’t live in total fear. She had spent too much of her time in the dark.

     The road toward town was where she normally went. She decided to walk to Dillon’s and exercise Teka. A text to Dillon to tell him she stole their horse. “Your horse.”

     “Why not ours? Because you think she hates you.”

     “I know she does.”

     Evie smiled remembering this conversation as she and Teka strolled through the morning. They walked to the main highway. Which was about 45 minutes from Evie’s little house. 

     At the intersection, where they turned, Evie paused for a minute. When she was little no one lived here. Now, there were about 10 houses scattered around. She wondered what they were doing? Was someone cookin’ breakfast? A family setting ‘round the table gettin’ ready to face another day? Perhaps someone overslept and they were busting their butts to get out of the door on time. Or was someone just gettin’ to lay down who worked the graveyard shift. Whatever was happening behind closed doors, she prayed it was full of love. 

     On the way back, Evie started smelling smoke. Which wasn’t unusual. Folks were getting up. Building fires. Gettin’ ready to face another day. The closer she got to her house, the stronger the smell became. Her heart sank at the wild notion that her house might be on fire. It wasn’t her house. 

     However, smoke was boiling from the Ledbetter’s. She called 911 while approaching the house. She pounded on the door. Circled the house twice, banging on every window. Shouting as loud as she could. Nothing. “Where’s a rock when you need one?” 

     Something crashed from inside the house. A glass breaking kinda noise. She had to do something and do it quickly.  With her flat hand, she smacked the window pane, “Teka kick. Teka kick.” She commanded. The horse turned, kicking the window with both hind legs. The window shattered. Smoke bellowed out of the open hole. 

     Rebecca was difficult to move in her own right. Simon was almost impossible. Evie screamed at him. Shook him. Nothing. 

     She rushed to the window for a fresh breath of air. Rebecca was now coughing. Teka caught her eye. “Teka, come here girl.” She hooked the reins to Simon’s feet. Coughing and gagging as she worked. “Teka, walk.” The horse drug Simon across the room to the open hole. She figured a few scrapes from the window frame would be preferable to death. 

     At that moment, big strong hands lifted Simon out of the window into the arms of waiting EMS. Then those hands reached for her. She had never felt more like a sack of potatoes in her life. The smoke was all consuming. Her vision was blurry and her lungs hurt. 

     EMS propped her up in the passenger side of the sheriff’s suv with an oxygen mask. “Breathe normally, dear. You’re gonna be just fine.” The paramedic smiled. 

     “This is your fault!” Rebecca screamed lunging from the back of an ambulance. “Your fault!” She flung her arms wildly in the air, “go back to where you came from! My husband could have gotten killed. You set our house on fire so you could play hero!”

     Dillon just glared at her. Then he glanced sympathetically at Evie. Everyone just stood frozen. She took the oxygen mask off, took Teka by the reins, and walked her toward Dillon’s.

     “That’s not a good idea,” the paramedic pleaded.

Sunshine Valley