Between Flames and Promises

when people needed him most, rescuing those trapped in peril and giving them a second chan

irst time I met Lorenz

s asked during family gatherings. The casual "What do you do for

ecretly signed me up on a bunch of matchmaking websites. Clueless about their antics, I was bombarded w

ntless pressure any longer, I caved and ag

shop. I arrived early and took a seat by the window, watch

tner's hand tightly with the other. They strolled leisurely through the rain, his shoulder half-drenched while hers

a felt less like a cold drizzle and more like a quiet

wonder, "Where is

re a crisp white shirt and a pair of casual jeans. His short haircut fra

nzo, my date

way toward me. We'd exchanged photos beforeh

e my parents, I couldn't deny a touch of nervo

throughout, fidgeting with his coffee cup as if it were a lifeline. In his attempt to hide

as he left made it look like he was fleeing the scene. Watching his retreating figure, I co

ht, at 2 a.m., I received a t

pread across my face as I burrowed deeper into my blanket. What I didn't tell hi

r second encounter

ded by a crowd. Two bright red fire trucks were parked at the entrance, their

The firefighters had already rescued the residents, but the flames

rom the building. I stood at a distance, watching as a firefighter eme

ent intent on consuming him. Yet, he didn't stop. Step by step, he ran to

against the pavement, extinguishing the flames on his ba

s and unleashed a torrent of foam on the gas cylinde

pewing from the upper floors, my eyes stayed glued to the fig

th his helmet, something about his

lmet he had been wearing. His face was flushed and slick with sweat, and he bent over

e fire with that gas cylinder on his shoulder. The image haunted me, an

use of fear, but because of worry for Lorenzo. At the ti

each other better, but our relationship remained stri

loudless blue. But the sky Lorenzo faced w

d across the screen, "A major fire has broken out at a large gasification plant in Cloudha

enzo's number. It rang endlessly with no answer.

plosions from the gas tanks. Everyone else was retreating, but the firefighte

growing sense of dread. Was

else. I anxiously followed every update on

hly flammable and explosive materials, and every moment spent fighting the blaze carried the risk o

stretched endlessly, my heart pounding with worry.

Lorenzo being at the gasification plant fire. All I could do was repeat to myself ove

phone finally ran