Firefighter's Sour (Escape! 4)

Firefighter's Sour (Escape!)
Second Edition
Tuesday Morrigan
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Copyright ©2024 Tuesday Morrigan

Niccolo was hot as hell and there was no relief in sight. His hands clenched on the axe he held as he strode through the stifling hall. The burning heat made his skin itch and sweat. He blinked away the sticky moisture dripping into his eyes. He loved his job, but there were several aspects of it he did not like.

He did not like the sweat. He did not like the heart pounding wait to find if the fire had taken another life. He did not like the sense of helplessness that consumed him when he strode into a burning building.

Niccolo stopped short. His extraordinary hearing caught the muffled sound of a low cry. He followed the shuffling sound to the back corner of the small building.

The flames licked the aged wood panels, consuming the wall, devouring the building. He didn't have much time. Any second now the building would fall under the pressure of the demanding fire. He had to get the stranded human out of the house.

He thrust the heavy axe at the burning wood wall. The curling wood gave under the sharp point of the axe. He kept hacking at the wood, using all the strength in his muscular arms to bring down the wall. When it fell, he strode through the hole and entered the burning room. The flames were so high, the room so hot, that for one second he feared he was too late. He couldn't conceive of a human surviving the stifling heat.

Then he heard her cry.

She was in the right corner of the room. The fire had yet to reach her. It was a circle that surrounded her crouched body. Niccolo made his way to her as quickly as he could under the weight of his gear. He squatted low and wrapped his arms around her small body.

When he turned and attempted to leave the room, he found his path had been consumed by the fire. There was no way out. He had a choice to make. He could let the fire suffocate the girl. Or he could stop guarding his secret long enough to make sure she survived the burning building.

There was no choice, really. Niccolo could not let the woman die, even if the cost was one he could not truly afford. He took a deep breath and fought the pain. It was always excruciating. It left him feeling as if his spine was splitting. But it was just his body.

Transforming was painful, but death lasted forever.

His lengthened limbs ripped through the tough flame retardant material of his suit, allowing his golden wings the chance to spread. He flapped his wings twice to stretch the limbs.

The woman looked up with wide, shocked eyes.

"It's okay. I won't let you be harmed."

Her eyes slowly fluttered closed. The toxic fumes from the fire were too much for her lungs to handle. Then again she might have passed out from the sight of a giant winged man. He grimaced when he thought of that. The look in her eyes had been more shock than fear.

Winged man it is…