Texan's Baby

“This can’t be related to us, can it? How would anyone know we were here?” she asked.

“I thought we’d be safe all the way out here. Whoever set the fire might’ve located your car in the parking lot.” Dawson disappeared into the bathroom and she heard water running. Melanie found a phone and called 9-1-1.

It took two minutes in total to report the fire.

Dawson returned a few seconds later and placed the towels at the base of the door, sealing off the room. “We’re not getting out that way, so that means we have to use our other option.”

Melanie glanced around the room as Dawson disappeared into the bedroom. She had no idea what options he was talking about.

“I’m going to close this door so I don’t scare the baby when I break the window,” he said as he appeared in the doorway.

“Okay. I’ll gather up supplies.” She let Mason stand by himself at the coffee table. He was a good walker but could get ahead of himself and end up on his back side.

Melanie spent the next five minutes packing the diaper bag.

A crash sounded as the sirens blared in the distance.

Dawson appeared in the room a moment later. “We can’t leave until the firemen get here. There’s no way to get him down safely. This whole scenario makes me think someone’s trying to flush us out.”

“I hear the sirens.” Smoke was creeping in through the vents causing Melanie to cough.

Dawson picked up Mason and held him tight to his chest. “Let’s bring him in the other room where the air is clear.”

The little boy angled his body toward the floor, started wiggling and winding up to cry.

“He wants down. What should I do?” The big strong Dawson looked at a loss for the first time since this ordeal had started last night.

Melanie held out her hands, trying to see if her son would come to her. Mason let out a whimper and shook his head.

“Come on, baby.”

His answer was still no.

She located her keys in the diaper bag and jingled them. He took the bait this time and angled his body toward her.

Dawson jumped into action the second they hit the next room. He wet towels and stuffed them under the door to prevent smoke from filling the bedroom. And then he paced.

The next ten minutes waiting for the firemen to arrive were excruciating.

Dawson was signaling the firefighters in the lot as they roared up to the building.

Once they were discovered, it didn’t take but a few more seconds for a safety ladder to be placed against the wall and a fireman to climb the rungs.