Heartburn (911)

Chapter 12

Ronnie hadn't left the apartment in over a week and she had decided to go for a walk by the beach and maybe go to the pier later, co-incidentally her best friend and kids had gone to the pier too, not realizing they were risking their lives.

People screamed around Ronnie as she looked at the ocean and realized why. The water had been pulled out and that was the sign for one thing. A tsunami, the sirens sounded. "RUN!" Ronnie screamed as she made an attempt at running herself, the wave was catching up to her, she climbed up a tree and held on for dear life as the wave crashed over her head.

Buck had picked Jade and Chris up and put Matthew on his back as he ran with them, to somewhere safe. All four held on to the side of a building when the wave swept them away, pulling the kids away from the adult.

Minutes later and Buck had surfaced, screaming for the kids. "Matthew! Jade! Christopher!" He swum desperately towards the sound of cries and screams, finding the three kids curled up together, holding onto a tree branch. Buck hoisted all three of them up onto the upturned firetruck as he climbed on himself before helping more people up.

Ronnie's chest burned as she held her breath as the waves beat down on her body and pulled her limbs away from the tree she was clinging onto. Her hearing fuzzed as her heart thumped heavily in her chest. After what felt like forever, she surfaced, gasping for air, tears streaming down her face. Her tank top and shorts ripped, her shoe missing and her body bleeding heavily from multiple cuts.

"HELP!" She screamed desperately, thrashing in the water, she couldn't swim well because of the casts weighing for legs down. She went under and admitted defeat, just as strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her up, over to the side of the firetruck. She spluttered and coughed as she looked up and saw Buck's face. "Buck?" His eyes widened as he looked at her.

Before another word could leave either of their mouths, Ronnie was crushed in three hugs. "Mama!" Jade sobbed as she expertly scanned each of their little bodies for any injuries, only finding a few small bruises and cuts littering their skins.

"Buck, I need you to take my knee brace off and find something to cut the cast off." She begged as he stared at her. "You know that won't be the only wave. I need to be able to swim." He sighed, unstrapping the knee brace and using a saw from the engine to cut through the cast. Ronnie's skinny leg was uncovered as they pulled the pieces of plaster off.

Buck indicated his head at an incoming body and she understood his meaning, she grabbed each of the kid's heads and hid them in her chest and neck, making sure they wouldn't see them. 

Half an hour later and the 118 were on their way out to a call, Eddie was frantically calling and messaging Ronnie's phone, but no answer. "Who're you texting?" Hen asked, as she could see the evident concern on his face, his hands shook with anxiety.

"Ronnie, she said she was going down to the beach and the pier. She always answers her phone and it's going straight to voicemail." He ranted, everyone turned to face Bobby, his face was stoic but stoney with fear.

"I'm sure she's okay, she probably stayed at home watching that show she likes." Chimney tried to calm the two men down, but failed. "Right, Eddie, right now Ronnie is safe as far as we know and to help her and all the others out there, we need you at your best. You too cap, so let's go." He instructed, captain Chimney coming out, the two men nodded as they got out the engine. Eddie calmed down and got out of the truck, but not before messaging Athena saying 'Ronnie's out there, she said she was going to the beach.' 

Twenty minutes later and another surge was coming. "Everyone hold on!" Ronnie screamed, her arms wrapped around Jade and Chris, her legs wrapped around Matthew and her chin digging into their heads as Buck helped everyone hold onto something. The rush of water shook the firetruck causing Chris to fall over from his seat. "Christopher!" She screamed, drawing Buck's attention.