Ashes to Ashes (Book Two of The Kazuya Series) (✔️)

十五 (Fifteen)

(Koan's POV)

Two hours.

That's how long we spent watching them pull people out. That's how long I spent feeling useless and helpless. That's how long I spent feeling anxiety, sadness, and other emotions I couldn't name build up inside me. My lighter was working overtime as I flicked it open and closed and on and off.

Colten stayed by my side the whole time. He had tried calling Eleanor a few times, but she didn't answer. He assumed she was busy making something or with his grandparents. He just didn't want her to see what was happening on the news and start to panic. I was doing enough panicking for everyone.

It was at the almost three hour mark when things started to...shift.

A gurney was wheeled out with a woman on it. A woman I recognized. She...she didn't look good at all.

"Colten," I said, nudging him as he looked at his phone.

"Yeah?"

I pointed towards the woman about to be put into an ambulance to be transported to another hospital.

From the look on Colten's face I knew he recognized her too.

"Mom?!" He exclaimed before taking off.

He ducked under the yellow tape and ran up to the stretcher. The medics and a police officer tried to stop him and started yelling that he wasn't allowed past the yellow. He kept explaining that she was his mother and he needed to be with her.

I walked up to the yellow tape and whistled loud enough to gain their attention.

The officer and the medics looked at me wide eyes to which I nodded. I knew they recognized me because they are...good friends with my father. They didn't argue with Colten anymore and allowed him on the ambulance, but not before he told me to keep him updated about Elle.

Once they left, the officer came walking over.

"Mr. Kazuya,"

"Officer."

"What brings you here?"

"Someone inside."

"Family?" He asked, a look of worry appearing on his face.

I nodded.

"They're not even halfway done with clearing the building or...rescuing people. Those unaffected were escorted out one of the back entrances."

"Would've called." I said knowing Elle. She would've have called as soon as she was safe. She would've found a way to call or find me.

He let out a sigh and looked around with his hands on his hips.

"I don't know what I can do for you. Your father would skin me alive if I let you in there."

I nodded.

"Show me a picture and I'll keep a look out."

I showed him a picture of Elle that I had taken on her birthday.

She wore a pair of leggings and one of my t-shirts as she sat in front of the couch with two chocolate pies on the coffee table. She didn't want to do anything special that day. She didn't want a party or presents. Her only request was that we spend it together and have some chocolate pie. She said she didn't want any presents, but obviously I didn't listen. I also didn't know what to get her until I saw that her Amazon cart had over 50 items in it. I didn't buy all 50 items. I only bought...45 because the others had gone out of of stock. Most of the items were hardback books and I knew we were going to run out of room, so I also bought another bookcase.