Refining Fire (21 page)

He didn't need to. “Will you find the girls? I'm sure they're delayed due to the trolley, but I would rather they be safe at home.”

“I will,” he promised. He made a run for the carriage house, where Mr. Cunningham was still currying one of the horses.

“There's a fire downtown, and Abrianna and Militine haven't returned. I don't like the looks of it.” He took up the rope that Cunningham had used to tie up the horse and jumped on the gelding's bare back.

“I'll come, too,” the older man declared.

“No. Stay here. The ladies here may need you. I'm sure it's not all that bad of a situation, but you know Abrianna. She's probably standing with the bucket brigade to help douse the flames.”

Cunningham laughed. “I'm sure she is.”

But Wade didn't laugh. Instead, he shook his head and urged the horse toward the road. “Oh, Abrianna, where are you and what have you gotten yourself into now?”

O
ut of breath and feeling light-headed from the smoke, Militine found Wade at his shop. At first he didn't seem to notice her. He was busy throwing his tools and belongings into the back of a wagon. And she didn't have enough air to say anything. But if she didn't hurry, what would happen to those girls? And Abrianna?

“Wade!” Her voice pushed through heavy breaths.

He stopped and glanced around. “Where's Abrianna?”

“I'm sorry, but we need your help.”

His shoulders slumped. “I was afraid of that when I couldn't readily find you. What's she done this time?”

“She's trying to rescue a bunch of Chinese girls from the basement of the Madison Building. We don't have time. Please, we need your help.”

“What? That's not far from the fire.” He moved toward her.

She choked back a sob. What would she do without Abrianna? What if some awful person caught her in that basement? And to think she had to bear such news to a man so obviously in love with her friend. “We went there for the costume trunk, but they wouldn't let us in. She went down the coal chute and found these girls locked up.” She took hold of his arm. “We
have to hurry. Even if the fire doesn't cause trouble for her, they could be discovered.”

“Welby ought to be hanged for this.” Wade pushed her toward the wagon. “Come on.”

Wade attempted to maneuver the wagon out from behind his shop and onto the street. The borrowed gelding wanted no part of the chaos that had become Front Street.

“I was supposed to get Thane, too,” she said and then tried to explain further above the noise.

“He's probably at the fire. Look, I don't know if I can get to the Madison Building with this wagon. Let's leave it on the docks and come back for it. Hopefully folks will be too busy to start looting it.” He set the brake and jumped down. He pulled Militine to the ground. “Now, where did you leave them?”

“The alley behind the Madison Building.”

Just then a man broke from the stream of people and joined them. “Thane! Glad to see you.”

Militine rushed to him. “Are you all right?”

“It's a bad one. The whole block is burning.” He put his arm around Militine. “I thought you and Abrianna would already be home by now.”

“Abrianna apparently is on one of her fool crusades,” Wade told him.

“It's not foolish at all. We went to the Madison Building to get that trunk Mrs. Madison wanted, and when they wouldn't let us in”—Militine barely took time to breathe—“Abrianna decided to go down the coal chute.”

Thane rolled his eyes. “Of course she did. Is she stuck?”

“No! Listen to me. Both of you need to come with me. Abrianna and one of her young orphan friends are trying to rescue ten Chinese girls who were locked up in the basement. We don't know why they are there or who put them there.”
Steam whistles from the waterfront began to blast along with the ongoing clang of bells.

“But we can guess it was Welby, since it's his building,” Wade replied sarcastically and in a barely audible voice.

They kept step with Militine, although it was becoming more difficult to work their way against the flow of people. Militine feared for their lives as people, animals, and wagons flooded the streets. It seemed everyone had the same idea—get their possessions to the docks for safekeeping.

“Fire's outta control,” one man yelled as he passed them. “Better not go that way.”

“We pulled the Gould steamer to the wharf,” Thane said, “but it's low tide, so we can't get water to pump. That's going to limit them to the water mains and hydrants, and we already know those don't have the capacity we're going to need to put out this blaze.”

Militine coughed and ducked her face into the top of her blouse. Thane handed her a handkerchief. “Use this. It won't do much but ought to help a bit.”

They rounded the corner where the Madison Building stood. Militine quickly pulled them out of sight. Numerous people were carrying crates out of the front door of the building, and she didn't wish to be questioned. “They may already be on to Abrianna. Hurry.”

They skirted around to the alley and found Abrianna and Matt with the Chinese girls. One by one they were moving them away from the building.

“I'm sure glad to see you,” Abrianna declared. “We're in a pickle here.”

“When
aren't
you in a pickle?” Wade asked. He took hold of the girl Abrianna was trying to move.

“They're really weak from lack of food and being drugged. I think if we each take two, we can get them out of here and down to your place,” Abrianna said, looking to Wade and then Thane.

“That's not going to help,” Thane told her. “The fire is spreading that way.”

Abrianna coughed and wiped her eyes. “Then we can at least get them to the wharf.”

“That's probably all we can do,” Wade admitted. He went to help another girl to her feet and wrapped his arms around two of them. Thane did likewise with two of the larger girls, while Matt took up two that were closer to his size. Militine and Abrianna followed suit. It wasn't going to be easy, but Militine knew that if they didn't try, those girls would die.

“Let's just head down the alley,” Thane suggested. “I don't see any flames, so we ought to be okay.” He stumbled and quickly righted himself. “Smoke alone can kill, though, so keep moving and try to stay low.”

Militine lost sight of Abrianna. They were staying close to the wall, but the smoke worsened, and it was impossible to see much but their own feet.

God, I know I haven't always been faithful, but Thane and I are trying hard to trust in you, and right now we need you more than ever.

Her prayer seemed like such an ineffectual thing, but Militine remembered Abrianna saying that God heard every prayer. She didn't have to have flowery words or know all sorts of Scripture in order to pray.

As they came to the end of the alley, Thane called back to them. “Let's meet at my shop if we get separated. It's a little farther from the immediate path of the fire.”

Militine saw a rush of people moving like a tidal wave toward the docks. Most were carrying possessions and store stock. Some were crying, many were cursing, and others looked stunned out of their wits.

The smoke had risen in this area, and Militine could see a bit better. Down the street the fire brigade was prying up
planks from the sidewalk at the north end of the block. Without warning, flames burst from the open area and drove the firemen backward.

“It's spreading from building to building,” Thane declared, “via the basements. So many are connected by thin wood walls.”

Even as he announced this, flames began to break through the wooden structures and explode out open windows. The warm breeze fanned the blaze.

“We gotta get out of here,” Wade yelled. “I've got the wagon and horse at the dock just outside my place. Provided they're both still there.”

“Sounds good. Let's go.”

The group worked into the flow of people on Front Street. Screams and cries mingled with the smoke and flames. Never had Militine seen such pandemonium. It was like watching the city come apart at the seams. This, along with the cacophony of bells and whistles, made it all so surreal.

Her arms ached from the stress of all but carrying the two small figures. They couldn't have been all that heavy, but Militine struggled nonetheless. Hurrying to keep up, she felt someone or something plow into the back of her. The force sent her and the girls to the ground. She knew she would have to act fast. The ground was the most deadly of places to be in a stampede of panicked people. Without thinking, Militine forced herself upward with a strength she didn't know she possessed. The girls seemed to sense their death was imminent unless they helped, so they, too, fought to regain their feet. Together they stumbled to the other side of the street, where Wade and the others were waiting.

“Are you all right?” Thane asked, leaving his victims long enough to help Militine to safety.

“I am now.” The smoke choked out her breath. “It's getting worse, isn't it?” She met his eyes and could tell it was true without his even needing to answer.

Behind her something exploded, and she couldn't suppress a cry. The girls began to weep. “Come on,” Thane encouraged. “We're almost to the wagon.”

“The opera house is on fire!” someone yelled from behind them.

Militine turned to look down the street, but the smoke had thickened, settling lower than it had earlier. Her eyes burned and teared at the constant barrage of soot that moved through the air. Her lungs ached for clean air, and her throat had grown sore and dry. Would they ever manage to get out of this nightmare?

They finally reached the docks, only to see people chalking out sections where their belongings were to be placed. The few ships in Elliott Bay were taking on goods as fast as they could be moved up the gangplank. Wade's horse and wagon were still there, but the animal, spooked by the commotion, was trying to pull against the brake to escape.

“I need to get back and help with the fire,” Thane said when they finally reached the wagon. He gently lowered the girls to the ground, then went to Militine and helped her with hers. Once free again, he took Militine in his arms. “Stay with Wade and the others and get back to the school. I'll come as soon as I can.”

“Please come back to me, Thane. I can't bear the thought of losing you. There is nothing else left.”

He smiled. “We have God. That's more than we started out with.”

He kissed her firmly but briefly. He tasted of ash, and Militine felt her eyes tear up all the more. He was going to put himself in the thick of it. He might even be killed. She wanted to hold him in place, but he broke her grip and moved away. As he disappeared down the street, Militine had to fight to keep from running after him.

“The wind is picking up,” Wade said. “Let's get everyone loaded in the wagon. Matt, help Abrianna get the girls in.” The boy nodded and did as he was told.

He lifted one of his girls into the wagon to sit atop the other things already gathered there. The horse whinnied and stamped. A man rushed up to Wade and took hold of his coat. “I'll pay you a hundred dollars to come with your wagon and help me load up my merchandise.”

“I'm sorry. I'm transporting these ladies.”

The man shook his head. “They're just a bunch of Chinese. Please help me.”

Wade pushed the man away. “Get out of here.”

Once all the girls were in the wagon, Wade motioned to Abrianna and Militine. “Get up on the seat. Matt, you sit at the back and keep an eye out for anyone who might try to commandeer this wagon. Abrianna, take the reins while I stay down here and try to guide the horse through the crowds.”

She nodded and climbed up to the driver's seat. Militine followed her, turning once she'd claimed her seat to see if there might be a glimpse of Thane. There wasn't.

The horse inched forward. It wouldn't be easy to get him away from the docks and north to safety. Militine held her breath as Wade fought the people to maneuver even a few feet. Curses were hurled at them, as well as a few threats. Even more people begged Wade to come help them. The crowd was getting ugly in fear. Militine took hold of Abrianna's arm for comfort. Her friend turned and gave her a weak smile.

“I'm sure he'll be fine,” she said above the din. Militine wasn't as sure, but she nodded nevertheless.

What little progress they made was soon halted by a collection of firemen who were hustling another pump to the bay. Militine could see the tide was still out. She had no idea if the men could reach water with their hoses or not, but it looked to be an awfully far distance.

“You won't get far this way,” one of the firemen called out to them. “Everything in that direction is on fire.”

Militine looked at Abrianna. “What are we going to do? We're trapped.”