The firefighter lifted the tiny shoe with shaking fingers.

The boy saw it and broke.

“She was holding Teddy,” he cried. “I couldn’t pull her out.”

The siren started low, then screamed through the station as firefighters jumped into the truck.

The boy tried to climb in after them, but the firefighter caught him gently.

“You stay with me.”

“No!” the boy screamed. “She’s scared of fire!”

The firefighter’s eyes filled with pain, but his voice stayed strong.

“We’re bringing her out.”

The truck tore down the street toward the blue house, smoke already rising above the rooftops.

When they arrived, flames were crawling up the kitchen windows.

The firefighter ran inside through the smoke, shouting the girl’s name.

For a moment, there was only fire.

Then a tiny cough came from behind a locked bedroom door.

He kicked it open.

The little girl was curled under the bed, one sock missing, clutching the other half of the teddy bear string.

Outside, the boy screamed when he saw the firefighter come through the smoke with his sister in his arms.

“She’s breathing!” someone shouted.

The boy ran to her and grabbed her hand, crying into her soot-covered fingers.

The firefighter knelt beside them, holding up the burned teddy bear.

“You didn’t leave her,” he whispered. “You brought us the way back.”