The first thing everyone saw wasn’t the flames. It was the man lying flat across the front door of a burning house, arms spread wide, refusing to move while smoke rolled over him — and the strangest part was that he looked like he was protecting the fire instead of escaping it.

“Move!” Captain Reyes barked, already advancing with the hose team. “You’re blocking the only entry point!”

The man didn’t answer.

Didn’t try to crawl away.

Instead, he shifted his weight and pressed himself harder against the door like he was holding it shut from the outside.

That was when I got a clear look at him.