Page 99 of This Feeling

“Oh my God,” Cadie whispered. “It’s the preschool next to the elementary school.”

Firetrucks and police cars were surrounding the area. Declan, Gavin, and James were somewhere over there.

“Oh no,” I said, taking off running again.

“Harper! What are you doing?” Cadie shouted from behind me.

When I got to the edge of the sidewalk in front of the preschool, I was met by people blocking the way.

“Declan!” I cried.

“Ma’am, do you have a child in the preschool?” a woman asked. Turning to look at her, confused, I was taken aback by how kind her soft brown eyes were. She was calm, and in turn, that instantly calmed me.

“Um, no, I’m sorry. My boyfriend is a police officer. He, um, he ran this way when they saw the smoke.”

Her understanding smile put me at ease. “I can’t let anyone over by the barricades, but let me ask my boss about you looking for your guy. Stay here.”

I reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you!”

“Of course.”

Watching her walk away, I felt Cadie come up on my left and Aurora on my right.

“You don’t think they’d go in there?” Aurora asked. “I mean, they’re cops, not firefighters.”

My hand was rubbing at my chest, and I had an uneasy feeling. “I don’tthinkthey would.”

I didn’t honestly believe my words, but I couldn’t think about Declan running into a burning building. The woman walked back over. “Are you Harper Browning?”

“Yes! That’s me!” Had Declan seen me and asked for them to let me in? An instant wave of relief swept over me. “I’m Harper Browning.”

She lifted the tape that was stretched across the road. “Your father is over there talking to Chief Watson. He said to head over that way.”

Reaching for Cadie and Aurora’s hands, I tugged them under the tape, and the three of us walked as calmly as we could toward my father. Once I was there, I could feel the heat coming from the fire. It was a three-story building and the third floor was on fire.

My hand flew up to my mouth. “Holy shit.”

“What happened?” Cadie asked.

“We’re not sure yet,” my father said. “But they’re trying to get some kids out who are still in the building. The top floor was being used for a summer school camp, and the fire started up there. Not sure how, though.”

I spun around. “Who? The firefighters?”

My father reached for my hand and squeezed it gently. “Declan, Gavin, and James were first on the scene. All three of them ran in and have been bringing kids out. Once the firefighters arrived, they ordered them out of the building. Gavin and James came out but…they lost Declan and ran back in to find him.”

I felt my stomach lurch. “Are they still in there?”

Cadie grabbed my other hand while Aurora put her arm around my waist.

“Yes.”

“But they don’t have gear like the firefighters have, Dad! Make them come out! Chief, you have to demand that they come out!”

Chief Watson put a hand on my shoulder. “Ididgive the order for them to come out, Harper. Just stay calm; they’ll be out any second now.”

Turning back to the building, I watched the doors as the seconds ticked by. Firefighters ran in and out…but I saw no sign of Declan, James, or Gavin.

“Don’t worry, Harp, they’ll be fine.”

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