Page 15 of Corrupted Lies

October 14th

3:59 P.M.

The flames are everywhere, Jake. Surrounding me. I … I don’t think I can get through them.

Alannah’s words were playing in a loop in his mind as he jumped out of the car the second it stopped and started sprinting to the location where Alannah was trapped.

“Almost there, sunshine, just hold on a little longer for me,” he said into the phone, mustering the most soothing tone he could manage under the circumstances.

Unwilling to leave Alannah alone in case the worst happened, he’d remained on the line with her. After finding out she was running one of her favorite loops at a local park, he and a couple of his brothers jumped into a vehicle and drove to her location. Firefighters were enroute, and Prey had given him Alannah’s exact location.

All he had to do was get to her.

In time.

The flames are everywhere, Jake. Surrounding me. I … I don’t think I can get through them.

Those words continued to taunt him. She was trapped in a fire for the second time in as many days, only this time, he wasn't there with her. She was all alone, and he was so very aware that the flames could easily claim her before he could get to her.

He could lose her.

“The flames are getting closer,” Alannah said on a whimper.

“I know, honey, but I'm almost there. Hold on, Alannah.” An order, not a request. He wasn't going to lose her. Not now and certainly not like this.

“I am, I don’t want to die, but, Jake, if I do, I don’t want you to think it’s your fault.” She broke off into a coughing fit, the smoke from this fire no doubt aggravating her already damaged throat and lungs from all the smoke she’d inhaled the day before.

Honestly, she shouldn’t even be out running.

Doctors had told them both to take it easy. Even though their smoke inhalation was mild, they should avoid physical activity for at least the next couple of days.

What the hell had she been thinking?

Why was she out running instead of safely at her friend’s house?

And how could she think he wouldn't blame himself if she died because of him?

“I'm sorry, sunshine,” he whispered, nearing her location but still not close enough for his liking.

“Not your fault, grumpy,” she said. “Jake, in case I don’t … you don’t … if I—” her words broke off, and he heard a scream fall from her lips. She must have dropped her phone because he heard a thump and then … nothing.

The call must have disconnected when she dropped the phone because there wasn't a single sound coming through.

“Alannah!” he screamed anyway, insisting she answer him.

Had the flames gotten to her?

Was he too late?

“She’s gone,” he told Jax and Cole in a panic as he lowered his cell phone from his ear and saw that the call had indeed been disconnected.

Gone could mean only one thing.

That he was too late.

“Hold on, bro, we’re almost there,” Jax told him as all three of them picked up their pace, and a minute later, the glow of the flames came into view.

They were every bit as bright and ferocious as the ones that haunted what little sleep he’d gotten the night before, and knowing Alannah was trapped between them was a whole different kind of nightmare.

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