Staring Hell in The Face

The fire trucks horn and sirens screeched together as the truck zoomed through town in the middle of the night. Meanwhile I was adjusting my SBCA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) while my heart raced and thumped like a war drum, I have experienced car accidents, small fires, an elderly man falling downstairs, and whatnot but this is my first real fire. "Hey Nick, ready for your first fire" my buddy Santos said, "Yeah... no" my voice was clearly nervous, and anxiety filled. "Hey, listen as long as you stick with me, you'll be okay" he said stretching a fist out for a fist bump, I smiled, and fist bumped him. "Alright were arriving" our captain said and looking out the window I laid eyes on a large two-story house completely engulfed in flames, every window had flames roaring out and smoke made the night smoke even darker.

The fire truck stopped in the street and the truck hissed, instantly I opened the door and jumped out putting my helmet on and opening one of the compartments on the truck pulling out a fire axe. "Nick, Santos, and Logan get a hose in that house, GO!" captain ordered us, and Logan went off to take care of the hose. While me and Santos would put on our SBCA masks on, pulling our hoods over our heads and then the oxygen mask and finally our helmets. Then I froze, I stared at the house and was mesmerized by the flames that danced around the house. The wood crackled loudly, and it felt like the fire was looking at me, I couldn't feel anything it felt like it I was floating in an abyss.

A hand nudged my shoulder, and it broke me from that feeling, "Come on Nick, its show time" Santos said pulling the hose now connected to a hydrant. Quickly but carefully, we jogged to the front door of the blazing house and Santos and Logan stood beside the door. "Alright breach it" Santos said, and I placed the axe head on the door and with a thrust I busted the weakened wooden door open. Taking cover beside the door myself flames lunged out from the door and quickly faded away, "Logan help me with the hose" Santos said, and Logan picked up the hose and together we all went inside the inferno. Inside was nothing but flames not a inch of this of house wasn't on fire, "Here comes the H20!" Logan exclaimed opening the hose and water jetted out, the water punched the fire in the face and was doing a good damn job.

"HELP!" a voice made me jump, I am tripping? "HELP ME!" the voice of a distressed little girl entered the ears clear as day. "Santos I-I hear someone!" I shouted and he looked at me confused, "I didn't hear anyone" he claimed but I know for a fact I heard someone, "I heard it, I need to look for them" I stated, and Santos hesitated but nodded. "Okay... but be safe damnit" he said and continued with hosing down the fire.

With each step I took in my boots the wooden floor creaked slightly, "HELLO FIRE DEPARMENT CALL OUT!" I yelled walking down a long hallway with flames oddly hugging the wall like they were creating a path for me. "FIRE DEPARMENT CALL OUT!" I yelled again, at this point my heart was racing and my gloved hands gripped the axe tightly. "HELP, I'M IN HERE" the voice yelled but this time was louder actually right next to me, I looked to my right and saw a door with butterfly stickers on it. "GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR!" I yelled and readied the axe, before I could swing at the door the terrifying and menacing sound of the floor below me cracking made my heart stop.

Then suddenly the floor below gave out and I fell through, flames engulfing me for a moment then I hit the ground below. I groaned in pain and opened my eyes to be staring right up at the area I fell through, I sat up my body aching and hurt.

Looking around I found myself in a mancave I think. Reaching for my PASS (Personal Alert Safety System) on jacket I switched it on and the beacon let a high pitch sound out, then reaching for my radio I pushed the talk button, "Mayday, mayday, firefighter down" I spoke but only heard static, "Oh shit... mayday, mayday firefighter down" I spoke again but this time I didn't hear static instead... I heard laughter... like demonic laughter. Quickly I turned off the radio and was left only with my beacon and the sound of flames crackling, using what strength I had left I stood up and picked up my helmet and put it back on.

Through the sound of my beacon and flames I heard the same demonic laughter again this time close to me causing me to panic and look around frantically. Around me the laughter circled me, and, in a panic, I searched for my axe and found it among the rubble that was the floor I was standing on earlier. Picking the trusty axe up and swinging the axe up in both my hands, I held it ready and the feeling again I felt before we went inside came to me again. I looked to an open door and like the flames were alive they climbed through the doorframe and climbed up on the ceiling. It was beautiful but horrifying, then from the doorway came a creature you could say but it looked human but on fire.

It laughed and it was source of the laughter I heard, "Help me" it said in the same little girl voice from earlier. I recalled what my father said when he was a firefighter, "Fire is alive, I've seen it". My nerves were racing but in an instant, they were steeled and the courage to fight flowed through me, pointing the axe blade towards the creature we stared at each other its fiery body were menacing and it laughed again.

I took a deep breathe in my mask and looked around, all the possible exits were on fire probably the doing of this creature. "If I win, I leave if you win, I die" I offered my deal and its head nodded in agreement. I brought the axe up to my chest ready to swing when I need to, "Alright if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get".