You Chose Her in the Fire

Today is my twenty-fifth birthday. Zachary said he wanted to give me a surprise. We agreed to meet at the amusement park downtown. The sunlight was bright, and the Ferris wheel turned slowly beneath the blue sky. I wore the cream-colored dress he gave me, clutching the entrance ticket in my hand. The crowd thrived with the sounds of laughter and joy. Zachary Jackson didn't arrive late; he wore a light gray shirt. He is a physics professor at University A, always gentle and refined. We had been together for eight years, from university campus to the professional world. I always believed we would make it to the end. He took my hand; his fingertips were slightly cold. "What do you want to play?" He asked with a smile. "Carousel." I tilted my head back. While we were in line, he suddenly took a phone call. It was his student, Thea Marley, calling. Thea is a poor student he sponsors; she has a reserved personality. Zachary said her family was struggling, so it was only right to look after her more. I never gave it much thought; I even helped him deliver books to Thea. Thea's voice on the phone was trembling with tears. Zachary's brow gradually furrowed. "Where are you? Don't worry, I'm coming right now." After hanging up, he told me Thea was also at the amusement park and seemed to be lost. "I'll go find her first. You wait here for me, okay?" I nodded, watching his figure rush away. The shadow of the Ferris wheel fell over me, making me feel a bit cold. I waited for half an hour at the carousel entrance. Zachary Jackson still hadn't come back. My mobile phone had no signal either; I didn't know if he had found Thea Marley. Suddenly, a sharp alarm blared from afar. The crowd started to stir. "It's on fire!" someone shouted. Thick smoke billowed from the direction of the roller coaster, carrying a burnt smell. Screams erupted one after another. People ran around in chaos like headless flies. I was pressed in the middle, my steps unsteady, with only one thought in my mind—to find Zachary Jackson. I pulled out my mobile phone and finally caught a faint signal. Just as I was about to call Zachary, a great force pushed me down; my knee struck the concrete, a searing pain. Worse still was my right hand—I didn't know who had stepped on it. I curled up on the ground, tears mixing with sweat as they trickled down. Through blurred vision, I saw Zachary Jackson. He held Thea Marley, cradling her head protectively as he struggled through the crowd. Thea Marley clung tightly to his shirt, her face filled with fear. Zachary Jackson's gaze swept around but never landed on me. He didn't even look back. In that moment, eight years of feelings ignited like flames, burned to ashes. I watched helplessly as they vanished into the evacuating crowd. Later, the firefighters arrived. Someone helped me to my feet. My right hand was horribly swollen, unable to move. The medical staff treated me briefly and sent me to the hospital. The X-rays revealed a fracture in the ulna of my right hand. The doctor put a plaster cast on me, wrapped in thick gauze. I sat alone in the hospital room, watching the sky outside gradually darken. Zachary Jackson didn't come, no calls, no news. At eight in the evening, my mobile phone finally received a notification. It was a post from Thea Marley on her social circle. In the photo, she was leaning on Zachary's arms, tears still on her face. The caption read: "Thank you, Mr. Jackson. I was almost scared to death today; thankfully, you were there." Many people commented below, all comforting her. Zachary replied in the comments: "Don't be afraid. I'm here." My left hand trembled slightly as I held the mobile phone. It turned out he wasn't too busy to contact me. It was just that I wasn't on his priority list. Eight years of companionship couldn't outweigh a "hero rescuing a beauty" in a fire. I smiled, but tears fell despite myself.