Page 83 of The London Girls
‘Jack!’ Florence screamed.
‘Stop the vehicle!’ he yelled, leaning past her to press his hand on the horn, frantically beeping it.
Florence froze as she watched the flames engulf them.I’m going to die. I’m going to be burned alive!
‘No one’s coming!’ she cried.
Jack kept beeping, but at that moment Florence sprang back into life, pushing her foot hard on the accelerator. She was not going to let them be burned alive. They had people to save!
‘What the hell are you doing?’
‘Getting someone’s attention!’ she cried, her hands sliding on the steering wheel, slick with sweat.Am I imagining it, or is it getting hot in here?Her hair was stuck to the back of her neck, her pulse racing as she leaned on the horn, not letting anyone ignore them.
She let out a gasp as water suddenly rained down outside the ambulance, the heat hissing as it was tamed, firemen yelling at them. Florence slumped forward, giving herself a second to catch her breath before turning to Jack.
‘We have people to save,’ she murmured. ‘This is not our night to die.’
Jack started to laugh, and she joined him, their humour fast turning to something that felt far more sober as they stared at one another long and hard, before hauling themselves out of the vehicle, thankful to be alive and knowing that someone had been there to help them.
Florence glanced back at Petal, shining her light over the ambulance and taking in the blackened, charred paintwork that was closer in resemblance to an overcooked piece of meat than a shiny flower-delivery vehicle. She was unrecognisable.
‘You’ve done us proud, girl,’ Florence muttered, as she turned and hurried away beside Jack.Even if you never get to deliver flowers again, Petal, you’ve most definitely done us proud.
But she didn’t want to think about the fact they’d almost been burned alive ever, ever again. She’d almost joined her family – likely been minutes or even seconds from death if they hadn’t been hosed down – and for the first time she no longer wished she’d perished alongside them.
For the first few weeks and then months, she’d only wanted to live for her grandmother, to save her from more pain. But now, with her work, with Jack, with her friends, shewantedto live, for herself. And in that moment, she’d thought of Olivia too, of the children she was so focused on helping. She wanted to live for them as well.
They stopped as the smoke became even denser, making her cough even as she pulled up her scarf to cover her mouth and nose, waiting to hear the call that it was safe to enter or that there was a survivor.
As soon as I’m home, I’m apologising to Ava. She doesn’t deserve my anger.
‘We’ve got a woman being pulled out from the rubble!’ Jack yelled, his light shining ahead of them.
Hope filled her heart. This was the moment she lived for, the moment of knowing she’d made a difference, and they stood side by side, eyes burning from the smoke as it persistently curled around them.
‘Tonight’s a good night to save lives,’ Jack said, putting an arm around her and holding her close.
She tipped her head to his shoulder, finding peace in a moment that should have been anything but peaceful.
‘Tonight’s a good night to save lives,’ she whispered back to him.
A sickening crash made her jump, and they both watched, helpless, as one of the houses being hosed down collapsed before them. And just like that, she wondered if they would end up saving anyone at all that night.
Florence had experienced many nights that had felt like they were never going to end. Ones that stretched for so many hours they felt like many evenings merged together instead of just the one. Tonight was one of those nights, and she and Jack had worked tirelessly to transport the wounded. Most importantly, they hadn’t had anyone die on them, which was a miracle in itself.
She was sitting on a patch of grass with Jack, the pair of them leaning back against a tree, too tired to move. There were a handful of firefighters doing the same, except they were lying stretched out on the grass. These nights took a toll on them all, and not just because of the physical work or the hours they had to keep. It was the fear of not being able to save people that hit hardest, that kept adrenaline pulsing through each one of them, night after night. But as soon as it was over, the adrenaline always turned to sheer exhaustion.
This morning though, a mobile canteen had pulled up nearby, serving hot tea and buns to all the night volunteers and workers. She’d never been so grateful in all her life, and from the look of the contented men and women around her, they all felt the same. It had certainly lifted morale.
‘Are you two still working?’
Florence opened her eyes and looked up, seeing a fireman standing over them, still holding his cup. She sat up, nudging Jack.
‘We can be,’ she said. ‘Does someone need an ambulance?’
‘There’s word of a crash about an hour from here. Road’s blocked and we’ve been called to help.’
Florence stood, brushing her trousers. ‘Do you know anything else?’
