You don’t think when you’re running into a fire. You just go. Smoke in your throat, heat on your back, adrenaline louder than your own heartbeat. We were called in just after 2 a.m.—small house, heavy flames, neighbors yelling something about a kid still inside.
Found her in the back bedroom, curled under a desk. Covered in soot but breathing. I scooped her up and told her she was safe now, just hold on, we were almost there.
