Separated ways

26.Newspaper

So it is not the end yet. I guess I just wanted to say that and I hope you'll enjoy even if this chapter is from the short ones

They still heard the sound of pass device when they passed by the locker room each morning. One of the lockers was open, but mo one dared to do anything about it. It was their own silent way of not agreeing with the recent events.

There was silence and there was no sparkle in this Essen Fire Station. They were doing their chores separtedly while they tried to go through everything on their own. But they were also evenings, on their days off, when they met in Lucas' house and walked in the room. They didn't know what each one of them did then, but it was better if they wouldn't see the weak sides sometimes. But then they tried to be there for each other like that they when the mysterious box was brought by postman to their station. 

It was the most interesting thing that happened to them in last week. They were put in the easy actions, because they had been missing two firefighters. So when they noticed who it was addressed to, they hesitated, but the the corner of the box was already ripped off, so it was easy to look inside even without intending to. 

"(It looks like a newspaper)" Lucas noticed as Otto, Hans and Henri were doing whatever they could to also take a look.

"(I wonder why it was sent to Sam)" Otto thought out loud. 

They went silence for a moment, but when Otto clumsily stubbled, he touched the box and it fall on the ground. Henri reached out to help Otto pick it up, but the box, due to hitting the ground, opened itself and the firefighters saw a front page of the newspaper.

It was a photo of the firefighter. Her face was dirty from dust, but her hair stayed untouched probably thanks to her helmet. Blonde hair which Otto remember instantly. 

"(She looks familiar, doesn't she?)" Henri asked thoughfully as he picked the newspaper up from the floor to take a closer look. 

"(Isn't it the same woman from the photo we spotted on Sam's photo at his first day?)" Hans chimed in.  

"(I think it is her. She looks almost the same)" Otto agreed. 

"Guys, I don't want to interrupt you, but better read this" Krzysiek paid their attention back to the newspaper he was holding. 

"What does it says?" Otto asked curiously. 

"Listen" Krzysiek begged before he began to read: "The kids are safe, but what was the price someone had to pay?". 

In abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of Nantes, it came to collapse. It started from the fire that broke probably from the old electric instalation in the builing. The fire quickly spread to the exit when firefighters arrived at the scene. 

They heard inside of the warehouse two kids were playing hide and seek, so without hesitation, two teams went inside. The team that walked search ground floor walked out safely without bigger troubles, but the team that seached the basement faced an obstacle on their way. 

The childen are safe, but what was the price? Two firefighters were stuck in the basement when, due to another crack, the stairs leading upstairs collapsed. 

The decision of firefighters lead to rescueing little girl and younger firefighter also made her way out of the building. But the second firefighter still couldn't get out. 

And when she finally did, the outburst of fire made her risk her life to save her captain's one. 

The captain feels good, but he underlined that it was something strange in his colleague's bravery. "She was selflessly putting her life in danger for someone that once underrated her. She shows a true meaning of a firefighter" - he told us. "Her name will always be known in one Welsh city". 

"I didn't expect that" Otto spoke out what the rest thought. 

By the end of their shift they came back to their upset mood again. They still had the article in their heads and the name they had already heard before - firefighter Penny Morris. 

"So what are we going to do now?" Otto asked before they left the firestation. 

"You're going to give it to the other things" Henri explained. Otto didn't argued, he volunteered the last few times and he was willing to do it again. 

"And Otto" he was about to walked away, but Lucas stopped him by calling after him from behind his locker's door. "I was suppost to sign it up for him before it happened" Lucas added sadly. He took an exchange notebook out of his locker before he handed him to Otto. "Give it as well".