Chapter 6

Work was far more urgent. Even though James wanted to have dinner with Monica, he had no choice but to rush back to Jasper Heights.

The fire, which hadn't been put out, had spread into a raging sea of flames before the other fire crew arrived. The windows exploded from the heat, and the glass shards scattered everywhere, emitting piercing sounds.

All of the furniture and household items had been incinerated in the fire, turning into clouds of smoke and piles of ashes.

The cries from the neighbors, the siren of the fire trucks, and the crackling sound of the flames formed the soundtrack of a tragedy.

Gregory Hanks, the station chief, had rushed over as well and harshly rebuked James for his recent poor performance.

"What on earth has been up with you lately? Many of your colleagues have mentioned that you haven't been giving your full effort! Don't you know how dangerous it is when a fire isn't completely distinguished? This fire even occurred where you live! You better reflect on yourself!"

"Captain Ellis didn't do it on purpose…"

Seeing that the man she liked was being reprimanded, Melody tried to stand up for James.

"Quiet, you! With your response time, you wouldn't even reach the scene before the victims die in the fire! Time is precious. The faster you get there, the higher your chances of saving more people!"

Gregory didn't fall for Monica's act. Already in a foul, agitated mood, he scolded both of them at once.

I let out a bittersweet chuckle as I watched the way Monica hung her head low as she got admonished.

Firefighters who didn't uphold their professional ethics were a scourge to the profession, but they didn't represent the rest of the team who dutifully rushed into the fire to save the victims.

In the end, it was confirmed that one person had died and nine more had been injured in the fire. Everyone fell silent.

Someone hauled my body out after covering it with a white cloth to preserve my dignity.

"By the time we got there, the victim was already burned beyond recognition…"

The firefighter, Derek Anderson, choked out the rest of his account. "She was burned to death. I can't imagine how painful that must've been for her. We might've been able to save her if we'd arrived sooner."

Derek was James' first mentee at work, and he was nicknamed "Derek the Deer". Despite working a dangerous job where lives were often at stake, he remained a sensitive, soft-hearted person.

I'd met Derek a few times when I took food for James. Every single time, he looked pitiful, his eyes red from crying.

Nonetheless, I knew it was a hurdle all firefighters needed to overcome. Only those brave enough to look death in the eye could save people from the clutches of death.

After hearing what Derek said, James glanced indifferently at the covered body. He couldn't see anything, but just then, a ring fell off my charred finger.

It dropped onto the ground, letting out a faint clang before rolling to a stop by James' feet.