BURNED - A Chicago Fire Fanfiction

Chapter Fourteen

The heat inside the building was intense, but nothing unbearable. I breathed through my breathing apparatus as I followed close behind Herrmann. We were ordered to clear the back of the first floor before making our way upstairs along with Cruz and Otis. I forced the first apartment door open with the Halligan bar and took a few steps inside.

"Fire department!" I shouted. "If you can hear me, call out!" When no one answered, I opened the master bedroom door as Herrmann checked the second bedroom. "Fire department! If you can hear me, call out!" No one answered. I returned to the front room as Herrmann stepped out of the bathroom.

"Bedrooms and bathroom is clear," Herrmann informed. "Let's keep moving!" I followed Herrmann as we swept the last two apartments, clearing them of all occupants before meeting Otis and Cruz in the hallway by the stairs.

"First floor is clear!" Cruz spoke up. "Let's move on!" We all formed a line and made our way upstairs. I instantly froze. The entire second floor had become engulfed in flames. Whatever caused this fire was nothing to mess with.

"We're on the second floor," Herrmann called out on the radio. "Fire is quickly spreading!"

"Move fast, guys," Boden instructed.

"Cruz, you and Otis go up to the third, Zahra and I've got two!"

"You sure?" Otis asked.

"Yeah, we gotta move quick. We got this, go!" Otis gave me a pat on my shoulder and a soft smile before quickly following Cruz up the stairs. "Okay, stick together! The floor could be unstable and the last thing we need is a firefighter in distress in an unstable building, got it?"

"Got it," I nodded. I followed Herrmann through each apartment, calling out for anyone who could be stuck on the floor, but nobody answered us.

"Last one!" Herrmann informed. I quickly pried the door open and we both made our way inside. "Fire department! If you can hear us, call out!" Herrmann and I turned our attention to the bathroom door. Herrmann tried to open it, but it was stuck. Herrman raised his foot and kicked the door as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge.

"On three!" I shouted as I took my place beside him. "One, two, three!" We both raised a foot and slammed it into the door. To our surprise, the door swung open. In the bath tub stood a woman and her little boy.

"Get the kid!" Herrmann instructed as he grabbed the woman, but the woman instantly began to panic. "Hey, calm down, I'm trying to help!" Woman tried again to grab her, but she smacked at his arms. As Herrmann pulled away, she frantically began to wave her hands. "What is your problem, lady?"

"Herrmann, wait!" I carefully stepped forward and watched the woman flail in panic. "She's deaf."

"What?" Herrmann looked from me to the woman. "You happen to pick any sign language up in New York?"

"I know basic stuff, just enough to help us."

"Well, have at it." Herrmann stepped away for a moment and I carefully began to sign, hoping I wasn't too rusty. Last thing I needed to tell her was "I'm here to work" rather than "I'm here to help." The woman frantically nodded and signed towards her son before dragging her index finger from her ear to her cheek. I signed once more to her and she reluctantly nodded.

"She just wanted us to help her son first, he's deaf too. I explained we're not leaving either of them behind. Let's go." Herrmann gently reached out for the woman and she didn't fight back.