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first step.
    I looked closely at the guy who was risking his life. He could’ve kept going, but he’d decided to stop to help us. The smoke made my vision blurry, and it was like I knew him, but I didn’t know him. I was thankful he cared enough to help.
    â€œIs this Teddi?” he asked as he looked at her face.
    â€œYes,” I confirmed as we both tried to lift her. “You know her?”
    â€œOh, I gotta help her out of here. They will think I threw the election on purpose,” he uttered as he nodded.
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    As we got Teddi off the ground, his last comment made me know where I knew him from ... the posters! This was Covin Randall. He was Teddi’s opponent.
    When his eyes met mine, I buckled a little. “I can’t lift her. She’s too heavy.”
    â€œYou’re weak now. And you need to save your strength to get out of here. I got her. You go ahead,” he said to me, and I headed down.
    The fire was spreading. It was rumbling, almost talking. Safety was just one flight down, but it felt endless.
    As soon as I got outside, a fireman met me. “Miss, are you the last one?”
    â€œNo, I know there are two people left. My roommate passed out. Somebody’s bringing her. Please go help them.”
    He called out to another firefighter, and I was swooped into someone’s arms and taken to safety.
    As the fresh air from outside hit me, I felt like my lungs were screaming for joy. My uncle rushed to my aid, and the firefighter placed me in his arms and gave him instructions to take me to the ambulance for evaluation.
    He hugged me tight, repeatedly saying, “I thought you were gone. I thought you couldn’t get out. My sister would never have forgiven me if something had happened to you on my watch. I thank God.”
    â€œSir, we need to check her out and give her some oxygen,” one of the EMS workers said when he would not let me go.
    I kept watching the door. I spotted Cassidy and Jake. Thankfully, they were all right. Then I squinted my eyes as I honed in on Cassidy clutching her hands together like life was not grand. Covin and Teddi hadn’t come out yet. I refused treatment and ran closer to the door. As the tears rolled down my face, I wondered what was happening inside. I prayed, Lord, You helped me out. Please, though, please help them out, too .
    Finally, a firefighter had Teddi in his arms. I was relieved. Then the next second, when I didn’t see Covin, I was terrified again. He’d saved us, so he had to be saved. Why was he nowhere in sight?
    â€œWhere is the guy? I’m certain there was someone else in there!” I screamed, trying to go back myself.
    Jake yelled, “She’s right! My boy Covin is in there!”
    â€œYes, he told me to get out of there. You have to get him!” Cassidy cried out, finally breaking down because of the grave circumstances she knew Covin was facing.
    I darted to the blazing door.
    â€œAnother firefighter is on his way in to get him—the smoke was too much. Covin was behind me when I took the girl, but then he tripped over the debris,” the firefighter said, holding me back from going in. “It’s okay, miss. We’re gonna get him out.”
    The EMS worker with Teddi yelled for assistance. “I need help over here—she’s unresponsive!”
    My uncle rushed over to her. My heart felt like it should be in the Olympics, as fast as it was racing. I had been so happy to see Teddi, I’d forgotten she’d been out of it for at least ten minutes before she was pulled from the building. And as I turned back to the dorm, more of it was in flames, and Covin was not out.
    â€œOh, my gosh, this is horrible. This is bad. They have to be okay,” I said between my own coughs.
    Another EMS worker came over to me, practically forcing the mask on my face, and said, “I got to be blunt. Breathe into this before you fall over, and we have to cart you away.