‘Over there!’ I said and pointed towards the end of the village, past The Fish House restaurant. Thick smoke salsa-danced with the wind – that meant the woods were on fire; that anyone coming from the villas, along the dusty road, wouldn’t be able to cut through the trees, into Taxos.
‘Let me check on my parents and Grandma,’ said Niko and he dashed into the taverna. Irrational yes, but I understood – far or near, a fire was a fearsome thing. People stood in the street in pyjamas, some shaking their heads, others shouting at neighbours to get up.
Niko soon reappeared. ‘It’s okay. Everyone is all right. Leila, she went straight home?’
I nodded. Fortunately she lived in a house near the shore, well away from the wooded area at the entrance to the village.
Grandma came into view, hair uncombed, in a rumpled skirt and untucked blouse.
‘Go back inside,’ said Niko. ‘Everything is all right.’
‘Don’t baby me, boy,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen fires like this before you were born. Now do as I say…. Wake up everyone in the village and get them onto the beach. Georgios is ringing the fire station, in case no one else has.’ Grandma walked into the street and lifted her head, squinting into the distance. ‘If that fire takes hold the village will be cut off. If this wind helps it spread…’ she sucked in her lips, ‘…the fire crew will not be able to get through.’
‘Henrik… He’s staying at the Vesteros’ hotel, right by the woods – do you think he’ll be all right?’ I bit my lip.
Grandma and Niko looked at each other. ‘He should be…’ she said. ‘They will have smelt it first – although its restaurant is made from log and also has a wooded outside dining area… that could feed the flames.’
Grandma sniffed the air. I sniffed too – a pungent smoky cedar wood smell wafted our way. ‘It is strange…’ said Grandma, ‘… we haven’t had rain for a long time, so yes the woods will be dry, but…’ She shrugged. ‘Forest fires starting at night is unusual.’
We all looked at each other. Surely no one would do this on purpose?
‘Someone must have been careless with a cigarette,’ I said.
Grandma nodded. ‘We need to control the spread.’
‘And I know just how,’ said Georgios, coming outside. ‘I’ve rung Mr Dellis – his fireman brother still hasn’t picked up the drip torches used to burn down some of his land to build those animal pens. He also left the protective clothes… I think we should try to burn a strip of land, closest to the village, to stop the fire heading down here.’
‘But that’s dangerous!’ said Pandora, who’d just appeared, in her dressing gown, her usually slick short hair sticking out in all directions.
We all fell silent for a moment. No one knew more than Pandora that loved ones could be lost, fighting fire. ‘We’re no experts and embers can fly through the air.’
‘But it’s a chance – better than doing nothing… A bit like our fight against ThinkBig,’ said an out-of-breath Demetrios who’d just turned up, minus his signature cravat. It was as if Taxos Taverna was now the village hub to deal with any emergency.
‘Let’s start by getting everyone to the beach,’ said Grandma. ‘We need the fittest to run and knock on the doors of those closest to the woods.’
‘I’ll head off to Mr Dellis’ house,’ said Georgios. ‘Find out how specialised this equipment is. He’ll know if it’s too dangerous for us civilians to use.’
‘I need to check on Leila,’ said Niko and turned to Demetrios. ‘I’ll meet you at the Vesteros’ place, yes?’
‘I’ll go with you,’ I said to Demetrios. We may not have been dating any more, but I still cared about Henrik and needed to know he was all right. A couple of young men in their twenties, the Angelis brothers, ran with me and the potter. Chests heaving, about ten minutes later, we reached the edge of the woods. The Vesteros’ hotel was to the right as you entered the village, just in front of a row of houses which led down the road to the pottery shop and church.
Wow. We reached the building to see a path of thick smoke run from the woods to its front door. I couldn’t see flames but heard crackling and the air felt scorching hot, as if someone had just thrown water on the rocks in a sauna. With a cough I took several steps back.
‘Henrik!’ I shouted and squinting, saw low flames lick the doorway. A random gust of wind thinned the smoke for a second and I surveyed crumbling remains of the outdoor cedar wood restaurant. ‘Henrik! Are you in there?’ Eyes wide, I stared at Demetrios. With handkerchiefs over their mouths, like two cowboys, the Angelis brothers ran around the back of the hotel. A noise from behind made me turn. Who was that guy creeping away in a black balaclava? He was very thin, had ash all over his clothes and… I swallowed and strode after him. Sticking out the back of the woollen hat was a ponytail.
‘It was you!’ I stuttered and pointed a finger. ‘You did this for Stavros – but why?’
He started running away and I was just about to follow when one of the Angelis brothers shouted. I span around. He beckoned for us to follow him to the back of the hotel. Holding our breath past the thickest of the smoke, Demetrios and I sprinted, turned the corner of the building and… oh my. Several hotel guests knelt on the ground coughing, as more smoke billowed out of the hotel’s back door, like the dirty exhaust of a giant car. I crouched down and rubbed the back of a teenage girl, as she was sick. Mrs Vesteros passed me tissues and a bottle of water. The girl nodded her thanks and wiped her mouth, before heading over to a woman – no doubt her mum – who’d managed to stand up and stop coughing.
‘Your boyfriend… he’s a hero after all,’ said Mrs Vesteros, eyes streaming, nose red, hair flapping violently in the wind. ‘He rescued these guests and has just gone in again. We were all asleep – flames spread from outside to the indoor restaurant.’ Her face crumpled. ‘The smoke alarm downstairs no work. I’ve been meaning to change it for days, but what with the plans to reinvent the village, my thoughts were elsewhere.’
‘Where is Henrik, now?’ I said, stomach lurching. ‘And your husband?’
‘They’ve gone in to look for Stavros. He must be heavy sleeper and hasn’t heard anything. I told them not to…’ A sob escaped her lips. ‘Ceiling beams have already fallen – it is too dangerous.’
Out of breath, Niko appeared at my side.
‘Leila’s fine. People are evacuating the village and congregating on the beach. Mr Dellis and Papa are driving the drip torches to the edge of the woodland – they will try to burn ground and contain the fire, so–’
He stopped talking and we listened for a second. Thank God – the siren of a fire engine. They must have made it through the woods. Suddenly a head appeared out of a top window. Stavros?
‘Where is Henrik!’ I hollered.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Help – my room is full of smoke.’
‘This is your fault!’ I screamed.
Everyone looked at me and I took a deep breath. Now was not the time to confront Stavros. We had to get the mayor out before anything else.
‘No worry, Stavros,’ shouted up Niko. ‘We’ll help you down.’ He added on something in Greek, probably more comforting words.
Then Demetrios hollered up at him in Greek – according to Niko the potter told Stavros to block the bottom of his bedroom door with bedding, to stop the smoke getting in.
‘But don’t jump, whatever you do,’ I called. ‘The fire engine is on its way. You’ve got time on your side.’
Stavros’ terrified face nodded.
‘There is a ladder around the other side of the building,’ said Mrs Vesteros, in between coughs.
Niko and Demetrios nodded and within minutes had it leant up against the back of the hotel, to underneath Stavros’ window. I rubbed my cheek as a searing heat radiated from the woodland – the smoke was still too thick to see whether the trees right near us were on fire. I couldn’t hear loud crackling, just the whoosh of the wind and sirens. All the cicadas and night birds must have fled.
Niko shouted at the mayor, beckoning for him to come down. But Stavros froze, didn’t reply and then closed his eyes.
Coughing and spluttering, several figures ran out of the back door of the hotel.
‘Thank God,’ I murmured and heart pounding, ran towards Henrik, with a bottle of water that Mrs Vesteros had thrust into my hand.
‘Take this,’ I shouted above the now very loud sirens. Eyes and nose streaming, he gratefully drank it down.
‘Pips – you all right?’ With a white handkerchief, he tidied up his face.
I nodded and we gave each other a quick smile. I looked up again at Stavros. Then Cosmo appeared on a bike. He stopped, got off and threw the cycle to the floor. Quickly we told him the problem. Without warning he started to climb the ladder, whilst Niko held it steady. He reached the top, just as a big engine revved nearby and the deafening sirens stop. Cosmo and Stavros chatted briefly and the mayor shook his head. Smoke coming out of the building was even thicker now and the woods surrounding us gave out even stronger heat. Firemen helped spluttering guests around to the front and told those of us standing to leave and head for the beach.
However, Demetrios and I stood still, watching Cosmo and Stavros. Finally the mayor lifted one leg over the windowsill and lowered it onto the ladder. He wore a vest top and boxer shorts. Then the other leg came over, all whilst Cosmo chatted and patted him on the back. Slowly the two men came down. As they neared I heard Cosmo mutter comforting words in Greek. Finally he reached the ground and then a fireman helped a shaky Stavros manage the last few steps.
Demetrios passed the mayor a bottle of water. His eyes were bloodshot and voice trembly as we took him around to an ambulance. Now wasn’t the time to confront him about the cause of the fire. Instead I slipped an arm around his massive shoulders and squeezed him tight. He looked at me, but no words came out.
The paramedic took over and sat him down in the back of his yellow and orange van. Fireman directed the rest of us away and a pair headed to the edge of the woodland, carrying drip torches and wearing different outfits to the rest of the crew. I looked up at Henrik who’d appeared at my side, just as I walked past a big red and silver fire truck.
‘You should get yourself checked over,’ I said and nausea backed up my throat as I noticed the hem of his shirt was singed. ‘If anything… I mean, I know we’re not together any more but… I’m so glad you’re all right.’
‘Maybe I’ll just get this hand checked out,’ he said and showed me a slight burn. ‘You go ahead. Go on. See if Grandma is okay.’
I felt Niko watch us as we hugged and Henrik went back to the ambulance.
‘You’re not staying with him?’ said Niko, without looking me in the eye.
‘No. The villagers – let’s get back. We could probably do with handing out drinks and…’
Niko half-smiled. ‘Don’t tell me – any leftover scones.’
Quickly we headed down the high street, past the taverna and onto the crowded beach. Families stood in their pyjamas, holding torches, whilst – I should have known – Sophia and Grandma were already dealing with the refreshments. Pandora had also fetched a basket of cakes. Plus a farmer filled numerous takeaway granita cups with his strong homemade wine. Niko went straight to Leila, who was sitting the sand, telling a story to a group of children. He pulled her up and held her tight. She kissed him on the cheek and a stab of pain pierced my chest. Silly really. I’d be gone soon. Niko and exotic Leila belonged together – perhaps he’d go travelling with her.
With a shake, I walked through the crowd, trying to block out the stink of smoke from my clothes, and told those with good English what had happened at the Vesteros’ hotel – how the fire had spread; how Henrik had been a hero. After what seemed like hours, the chief fireman turned up at the beach, along with a police officer who spoke for several minutes in Greek.
‘What did he say?’ I asked as mouths downturned and people started to leave.
‘The police have set up temporary beds in the town hall, for those of you who cannot return to their houses tonight,’ said Niko, in quiet tones.
‘The fire officers have contained the flames – the smoke was worse than the fire, apparently,’ said Leila, voice flat. ‘The Vesteros’ hotel bore the brunt of the damage.’
‘But the worst thing, now…’ Pandora’s voice broke. ‘An investigation into the fire and clear up of fallen trees means that tourists will not be allowed near Taxos for several days.’
‘Our bookings..?’ said Demetrios.
Pandora nodded.
‘Our efforts to turn this village around without ThinkBig…? Sophia collecting signatures for the petition from other villages…?’ I mumbled. I stared at the others. They stared back.
‘With emergency services tape everywhere and certain areas cordoned off, it will be almost impossible to offer a lot of services advertised in our tourist leaflet, whilst the police and emergency services carry out their duties,’ said Sophia.
Cosmo sighed. ‘Then we have lost. Thanks to Mother Earth, Stavros has won.’