Chapter Thirteen
Eric
“We headed to Charlie’s after work?” Corey asked around the table as we ate our breakfasts. The usual series of grunts and “hell yeahs” sounded off as the guys agreed to our after-shift destination.
“Count me in. I saw this one filly there last week. Had legs like a stallion. I’m hoping she’ll be there again tonight.”
“See,” Carter pointed his fork accusingly at Don, “that’s why you have so many problems with women. You refer to them as fillies.’”
Don frowned, his forehead wrinkled. “Who said I got problems with women?”
“Me.”
“I do.”
“I’ve seen it.”
Myself, Carter, and Corey answered.
Corey tapped me on the chest with the back of his hand. “Harvard, remember that one call we went on? We get to the fire. A mother and her twenty-something daughter are outside the house, distraught… until they see Don. A fight broke out as soon as both women ran to him for comfort thinking he was their boyfriend.” The table broke out into laughter as Corey finished recounting that story.
“He had a mother and daughter who just lost their home fighting each other in the street over his ass,” Corey said, fist to his mouth, laughing hysterically.
“Oh no. Remember when that girl…what was her name?” Carter tapped the table with his fingers, trying to recall.
“Samantha,” I provided, already remembering this story.
“Samantha. That’s it!” Carter pointed at me, excited. “Samantha. Yeah, she lasted what? All of two months before she was down here at the station scratching the word ‘liar’ into your car with her car key. We had to call the police on that one when she tried to throw a brick through the windshield of the rig.”
“Fuck all of you!” Don yelled over the laughter at the table. “See if I offer to pay for another round of beers for you assholes.”
“It’s okay. You’re gonna need that money to repaint or fix your car soon, probably!” Corey added, and another round of laughter ensued. The taunting probably went on for the next ten minutes. I added a funny story or two of Don’s escapades with the ladies. It was all in good fun, and I’ve been in great spirits lately. It’s been a month since we had brunch at the diner together, and I confronted Marshall. He followed through and rescinded his gym membership, claiming he had some medical emergency and couldn’t use the remaining four months to get a partial refund. Angela told me about it after an employee, who knew the two dated a few times, told her. As long as he steered clear of her, I didn’t give a shit what he did. In the meantime, Angela made good on her word and did her best to help me study for the lieutenant's exam, which was now just under two months away. And while I was perfectly capable of handling studying on my own, I was more than happy to let her help. I especially appreciated the way she rewarded me after getting a decent score on one of the practice exams. That was a good night.
“The hell are you smiling about over there?” Carter’s voice broke through my thoughts.
The entire table was staring at me. Laughter danced in Carter’s eyes, and I could tell he had a suspicion of where my thoughts had gone.
“None of your damn business.” I pushed away from the table and stood, ignoring the snickers of the fellas. I placed my empty plate in the sink.
“It’s the rookie’s day to do dishes, right?”
“Rookie one or rookie two?” Don asked.
I didn’t give a shit which one as long as they got done. But instead of saying that I stated, “Rookie two, I think.” Rookie two was the rookie we left at the station a few months back after he took the keys out of the rig.
“No can do, Harvard. Rookie two called out according to the captain.”
I turned back to the table. “Called out?” My incredulous expression likely mirrored the rest of the guys at the table. Firefighters rarely called out of work, but especially not while you were still in rookie status.
“Yup,” Don simply answered.
“I’m not sure about that one,” Corey added, stating aloud what we were all thinking.
“Rookie one’s out back cleaning off the equipment. We can have him do the dishes.”
I shook my head at that suggestion. “Nah, he’s got enough on his plate.” Rookie one, unlike the other rookie, was shaping up to look and perform like a real firefighter. He may even be awarded the privilege of being called by his actual name soon enough. “Leave him be. I’ll do ’em later.”
Three pairs of eyebrows lifted and I sighed internally.
“You’re doing dishes now?”
I snorted. “Angela’s got me in the habit. She does all of the cooking, so…” I shrugged, giving just a small bit of insight into our relationship. I’ve gotten a little more open with these guys about Angela since we all dined together. So far, they all kept what I did share just between us, which I appreciated.
“Well shit, if she always cooks as good as that cake you brought in for us, I’d probably be doing dishes, too,” Corey added. Angela insisted on making one of her chocolate lava cakes for the station. I felt like a sissy bringing in a cake for a bunch of men, but as soon as they tasted it, any shit-talking that might have ensued flew out the window.
“Yeah, well don’t count on―” My retort was silenced when the station’s alarm sounded. All of us began moving at a frenzied pace as the operator’s monotone voice spoke of a four-alarm fire over at the apartment buildings on one of the city’s main streets. “Shit!” I cursed to myself, as I pulled up my suspenders, preparing to grab my helmet. I knew this blaze wouldn’t be an easy one. Four alarms meant it was a doozy and the apartment building itself was at least ten stories.
“Let’s go,” Captain Waverly yelled as he got into the passenger seat of the rig.
I didn’t need to hear anything else. I hit the gas, and the alarm from the truck sounded off, alerting those in earshot to get the hell out of the way. I heard the captain responding to the operator through his walkie-talkie. I was able to make out bits and pieces, while still keeping my focus on the road ahead of me. From what I could make out, only one truck had arrived so far, firefighters had entered and were able to pull out two people who passed out from smoke inhalation.
“Fucking move!” I yelled at the car in front of me hesitated or outright refused to pull over to let the rig pass.
“The fuck is wrong with people today?” Captain grumbled. “Run ’em over if you have to!” he yelled in my direction.
I was prepared to do just that if this one Honda didn’t move from blocking my ability to turn onto the street where the apartment building stood. At the last second, they swerved left, freeing my ability to turn clearly. Turning onto the street, billows of smoke appeared. The captain and I got eerily quiet. I took that moment to assess the situation from what I could see―a group of people standing across the street, likely onlookers and residents of the building; one fire truck had its ladder up against the building.
We pulled up and jumped out of the rig, heading straight to the captain of the other rig to get an assessment. Once that was done, Captain Waverly began giving out orders.
“Harvard, Corey, and Don, you three take the second and third floors. Rookie, you stay on my ass. Got it?”
We didn’t bother giving a response, we just picked up our gear and got moving. I was the third one in, behind the captain and rookie. When they turned left, I went right toward the door that read “Stairs” in black letters. I felt on the handle to see how hot it was. When it felt normal, I figured fire hadn’t made it into the stairwell. Lowering my mask over my face, I pulled the door open to a stairwell that was almost black with smoke. I heard Corey and Don’s footsteps behind me as we ran up the steps as fast as we could in all our gear.
“Cover your faces!” I yelled at a few of the apartment residents who were running down the steps, trying to get free of the thick smoke. We moved aside to let them pass, then headed up to the third floor first.
“Ah, shit!” I called when I touched the door handle that led to the third floor and could feel the heat of the metal even through my gloves.
“Is it hot?” Don yelled.
“Yeah,” I returned.
“Too hot?” Corey asked.
Too hot meant that fire had burned through the third floor, and made it impossible or too dangerous for us to make our way through.
“Fuck!” I yelled. “Yeah, too hot. Second floor!” I ordered, and we turned in the direction of the second floor. Stopping again to feel the knob, I found it felt warm, but not too hot. I pushed through the door and saw flames at the far end of the hallway.
“Fire department!” Corey, Don, and I began calling out, banging on doors with the handles of the hatchets we held. I pushed my way through one door that was opened, calling out to see if anyone was still in here.
“Rescue Four copy!” I heard come through my walkie-talkie.
“Rescue Four. Harvard copy!” I yelled back still searching the apartment.
“Woman says her baby is still inside. I repeat, woman is frantic saying her baby was left inside.”
“Shit! What apartment number?”
“Apartment 211.”
I recalled that the apartment I’d just entered was 209. Knowing Corey and Don had gone in the opposite direction, I figured I was closest, so I made the call.
“Harvard going to check it out. Don and Corey, copy?”
“Copy. All clear down here,” Don returned.
“Copy. I got a man down here!” Corey returned. “Bringing him out now.”
Don returned that he was on his way to Corey to assist him in getting the man out. I headed out of the apartment I was in and moved down the hall to 211. I noticed how much closer the flames were.
“Corey and Don, you two get outta here!” I yelled into my walkie.
“Harvard, you bring your ass out here, too!”
“Copy, just as soon as I check 211!” I assured Don on the other end.
I shouldered my way through the locked door of the apartment and went straight to the first window I saw. I sighed in relief when I saw the fire truck ladder balanced against the apartment’s side. I’d need that for my escape. I could feel the fire growing closer to the apartment. I left the window open and went to search the rest of the apartment for the baby. I pushed open doors, searching what I surmised was the master bedroom, but paused when I heard loud banging. I looked toward the roof and saw the white paint of the ceiling begin bubbling. The fire was melting through the beams and the second floor would soon be consumed.
“Shit!” I yelled. I searched the bed, under the bed, and when I was satisfied there was no baby in the bedroom, I moved farther down the hall. The next door I pushed open was to a nursery.
“Fire department!” I called out, knowing a baby wouldn’t answer me, but maybe someone like a babysitter was inside, hiding with the infant. I ran over to the crib and pulled the blanket back to see an empty mattress. “Fuck!” I searched around the nursery, double checking the crib and under it. I even searched the closet, but nothing and no one was there. I wondered where else the baby could’ve been. I retraced my steps, this time searching the bathroom and the bathtub, knowing sometimes people get in or put their young children in the tub thinking that’ll insulate them from the fire. Still nothing.
“Harvard, get the hell out of there. The second floor is about totally consumed!” Captain Waverly yelled through the walkie. At the same time, I heard the telltale signs of wood cracking from the front door. The flames were eating away at the door. Out the front entrance was no longer an option. Although my heartbeat quickened, I didn’t panic, knowing I still had another out. I moved toward the window I went to when I first entered the apartment. I was going to take the ladder, except when I stuck my head out this time the ladder was gone.
“Shit!” I grumbled.
“Harvard to Rescue Four come in!” I yelled into the walkie.
I waited for a heartbeat before calling again. All I got in return was a bunch of static. I heard a loud BOOM sound and turned toward the front door. It was only a matter of seconds before the fire completely penetrated the door and would consume the entire apartment. Looking back to the ground and still not seeing a ladder, I had a decision to make. I could remain there and get burned alive, or I could take my chances and jump from this second story window. It wasn’t extremely high, but with the extra hundred pounds of my gear weighing me down, the chances of serious injury or even death grew immensely. At that moment an image of Angela’s smiling face as she danced behind the bar, staring at me, came to mind. Fuck it, I thought. If that was the last image I ever saw, I could go out peacefully.
I opened my eyes, said a Hail Mary, and stepped on the window sill, squeezing my body and gear through the window, and took a leap of faith. I held onto the image of a smiling Angela as I fell, right before everything went black.
****
“Wake the fuck up!”
I heard the anger in Don’s voice, but behind it was a twinge of fear. I could feel him hovering over me. I peeled my eyelids open to see Don, Corey, Carter, and the captain’s faces looking down at me in worry.
“Move back!” I heard an unfamiliar voice demand. “We can’t help him if we can’t get to him!”
I squinted. “Who’s that?” I asked, staring at Don.
“Goddamn medic. How many fingers am I holding up?”
I looked down to see him holding up two fingers.
“This can’t be the afterlife. ’Cause fuck all if the first thing I see is your ugly mug,” I grumbled, feeling pain shooting through my back. My air tank was poking me directly in the back, my full body weight against it as I lay sprawled on the sidewalk … or the middle of the street. I wasn’t too sure where I landed.
“He’s good,” Don chuckled, standing up straighter. “You can look him over, sweetheart.”
I hear the paramedic suck her teeth. “I’m not your damn sweetheart.” Her voice grew closer and then her face came into view. “Don’t move. Do you hurt anywhere?” she questioned shining her pin light into my eyes.
I cursed, squeezing my eyes shut against the brightness of the light.
“Don’t sit up!” she yelled, but I ignored her. I’d already taken the liberty of assessing my body. I could wiggle my hands and toes, moved my legs, and I still had my helmet and all my gear on. My back was sore as all hell, but that was to be expected, considering it was my tank that likely broke my fall.
“I’m good,” I said, sitting up. “Wow.” I held my hand out as the world spun. I blinked a few times.
“Did you inhale any smoke?” the medic asked as she helped me remove my jacket and gear.
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s good. We’d like to place you on a gurney and take you to the hospital to check you out.”
I waved her off before she could even finish talking. “I’m okay,” I insisted. “I just needed a little help standing up. Are they still working on putting the fire out?” I had no idea how long I was out or if I even passed out really. I got my bearings and then stood with the assistance of the paramedic and Don.
“Nah, fire’s still burning. We’re moving a hose in now. All the guys have gotten out,” Corey informed me.
I nodded in his direction. “All right, let’s go.”
“I still need to check you out!” the paramedic insisted.
“I’m fine,” I yelled over my shoulder, following behind the rest of the guys as we ran back over to the rig.
“Cap, there was no baby in that apartment. I searched everywhere,” I told the captain once I got back to the rig.
He frowned. “I’m sorry, Harvard. The baby wasn’t in there. In her panic, the mother thought her baby was left behind, but she placed the baby in a neighbor’s arms while she grabbed her three-year-old. Both kids are with her now. Safe and sound.” The captain jutted his head toward a woman who stood in the front of the crowd, cradling a baby in her arms, a young child hugging her leg.
I risked my life for a baby that was already safe. I felt no anger, however. This was my job, and people often made such errors in their panic. I was just glad the baby was safe, and I thanked God I made it out of there. I tilted my head up and saw flames shooting out from the windows of the second-floor apartments. It was now totally consumed. I didn’t dwell, though. We still needed to tackle this fire to prevent it from spreading to any of the surrounding buildings.