There are approximately a dozen lives stuck up there. Besides, they’re kids! How could you be so cold-hearted?” The captain replied emotionlessly, “You’re right. I am cold-hearted. That’s why I didn’t allow you to enter the building.” “What do you mean?” the firefighter asked. The captain wore his helmet and answered, “Don’t you get it? I’ve been here all this while and I didn’t enter the building. So if the commander asks, you know what to say. Got it?” The firefighter’s eyes were instantly filled with tears, “Captain, are planning to go on your own?”
“The building’s about to collapse any time and I can’t watch you risk your lives. So, I’ve decided that if death was going to take someone away today, it’d be me. Standby, everyone! I’m going to the toilet!” Then, he rushed into the building as he said those words. On the other hand, Arielle was completely exhausted. She was merely ten meters away from the hall, yet she couldn’t move another inch. Her breathing had become very difficult for she had inhaled too much smoke. Consequently, her vision started to blur. She knew she was at her limit. Then, her feet gave away as she fell forward. However, she instinctively rolled over as she knew she had carried two children in her arms.
Her head was first to come into contact with the ground as she fell. “Miss!” The older children rushed to her side. “I can’t take another step. So, could you please take these kids to their mothers? Just walk another ten meters and you’ll see the door. Your moms are waiting for you there,” Arielle croaked. A few children shook their heads and cried, “No, I want you to go with us…” A child even tried to help her to her feet.
Nonetheless, the child had very little strength to support Arielle’s weight. So, she fell to the ground once more. She shook her head and said weakly, “There’s no time left. You go first and call for help. Alright?” The children nodded, teary-eyed as they grabbed the two babies from Arielle and rushed towards the exit. Arielle exhausted her last bit of energy to watch them run out of the door and sighed in relief. She was relieved that the children were away from danger, but her vision had worsened at the same time. She could not help herself but gave away to darkness as her eyes closed.
Before she lost consciousness, she vaguely saw a man in a fire-fighting suit rushing towards her. “Miss, can you hear me? Wake up!” Arielle did not respond to the captain’s words but he noticed she was still breathing. Hence, he immediately carried Arielle on his back and made their way out.
Running while carrying someone on their backs was an easy task due to their years of training. Thus, both he and Arielle got out of the building in no time. The children had finally reunited with their parents, and the sound of crying was heard. Iris rushed to Arielle’s side and cried, “Ms. Sannie, is she alright? Is she still alive?” “Yes, she’s alive! Water! I need water over here!”
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