chapter8


    Thenhungupbeforehecouldrespond.


    Themorewetalked,themoreentangledwebecame.Ourfiveyearstogetherfeltlikeadream.


    NowthatIwasawake,therewasnothingleft.


    “Wasitbecauseofhimthatyoudidn’twanttolive?”


    Ianaskedwithaknowingsmile.


    Thedayofthefire,Ihadmissedthebestchancetoescapewhiletryingtosavearing.Whenthefirebecameuncontroble,IcalledthefiredepartmentandthenYannis.


    ButallIgotwashisscolding.


    Feelinghopeless,Isatinacorner,waitingtodie.


    Thensomeonekickeddown thedoorandcarriedme outlikeagodsend.


    Throughthegasmask,Isawhisdeepeyes.


    “Thisrescueistoorisky.Youshouldn’thavetakenthechance,”Isaid.


    “Doyouwanttodie?”


    “Yes.”


    Ihadrepliedwithouthesitation.


    Hedidn’tsayanythingmore,andIpassedout.


    BeforeIlostconsciousness,Iheardhimsay,“Iwon’tletyoudie.”


    “Mydearrose.”


    Ithoughtitwasahallucination.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ButnowIrealizeditwasn’t.


    Hehadreallysaidthat.


    Hesawmeashisrose.


    Theskybegantodrizzle,andIan’sfurrowedbrowremainedtense.


    Istaredathis chiseledprofile,ponderingforamomentbeforedecidingtoask,“Havewemetbefore?”


    Heseemednottohear,soIwasabouttorepeatthequestionwhenhefinallyspoke.


    “Mountain TrainingBase.”


    Hesaid,turningontheblinkerandpullingthecarover.


    “Threemonths,butyouforgotme.”


    MountainTrainingBasewaswherewealltrainedbeforestartingourjobs,butthatwassixyearsago.


    Istudiedhisface,searchingmymemories,andfinallyrecalledavaguefigure.


    “Areyou…Eagle?”Iasked.


    Eaglewastheinstructor inchargeofourfieldemergencytraining,whohadput usthroughhellforthosethreemonths.


    Buthehadnevershownhisface,alwaysappearingasamysteriousfigure.


    Onlyonce,whenIfellintoatrapwhiletryingtosaveateammateduringmountaintraining.


    Theenigmatic“Eagle”rescuedme.


    Inmypain–inducedhaze,Icaughtaglimpseofaprofile,butIpassedoutbeforeIcouldmemorizehisfeatures.Thatrememberedprofilenowoveppedwiththefacebefore me.


    Ifinallyunderstoodthesourceofthisfamiliarfeeling.


    Itturnsouthehadsavedmebothsixyearsagoandnow.


    Wehadknowneachotherforsolongwithoutrealizingit.


    “Lastyear,whenthe provincewasrecruiting,yourteamhadalreadyrmendedyou,butIheardyougaveitup.”Iansaidwithasmile,easilyguessingwhyIhaddoneso.


    Ifeltashamed,buthelookedatmedirectly.


    “I’mdyoufinallywokeup.”


    Indeed.Awakening,thougte,hae.