Spotter

The Black Mountain Valley region rolled across a long swath of both forest and dry desert. It was large, tough landscape to monitor, seasonal fires common in the hot summer months.

November had come around on Raymond Lee almost as an afterthought. He slowly climbed the ladder to his observation station, clocking in at the usual 6am time. Then, he made his initial scans of the surrounding ridges, sending in his first weather report with the vital stats.

It wasn't a job for everyone. Weeks away from home. It was perfect, he thought, since he and his wife never wanted children. Her nursing job was always demanding, shifts changing. His solitary role suited him, as did his whole life.

Decades ago, after the Army, he trained for his Wildland Firefighter certification. Working for the Forestry Service twenty-four years, Lee never imagined another job. Just made by the Almighty to spot fires, he believed.

When his wife left him three month ago, he simply went to his job as he always had, and sat in his exact same chair. He figured he was okay- though not feeling well, and she hadn't called Lee yet, but he was hopeful and calm.

This certain November morning was the same, except Lee was feeling nauseous, and having some weird auditory symptoms like his ears were plugged. A low-volume siren whine echoed thru his thoughts, almost like a headache and heart pound with sound effects. He paid no attention, got to work, but somehow still felt mentally disoriented, and strangely anxious.

Scanning the ridges again in the afternoon, that's when his binoculars spotted the first plume. Fire. Or was it? Lee had to be sure what he saw wasn't a water-dog- a wispy cloud that looks like smoke curling up from the deep creases between the ridges. Then, he spotted a second plume, then a third.

What was happening, he thought, this is November! Lee, thinking crazy things, suddenly felt very dizzy, but began calling in what he was seeing, also logging the pinpoint locations of the plumes, as the sightings increased all around him. Was it a rash of lightning strikes? A terrorist attack? 

Lee couldn't think. A gloom of panic whooshed thru his body like a long, hot shudder of smoldering doom, but he had to keep reporting in to the station, and local fire teams. He was seeing smoke all around like dense fog, he squinted in vain, eyes tearing up.

Phone in hand, breathing heavy and drenched in sweat, Lee soon saw the police car lights pull up down below. He then saw his supervisor and several others from an ambulance- that was odd, Lee thought. But his head was spinning like an old '45, as he just layed upon the deck of his station, curled up tight, silent, confused.

They got Lee safely down, and off to the hospital. His station supervisor wasn't surprised, but sad. Everyone knew Lee was just holding it all in about his wife. So, this certain November day, when his frantic reports came in, they knew.

Since they also knew- same as the last fifty-four days straight- thankfully, no fires were reported anywhere in the Black Mountains Valley region.