Under Suppression

Sleep-Running

"Alycia?"

The house was dead silent, which I guess wasn't that unusual considering it's only 7am and Alycia had worked the night shift. Her car was in the driveway, so I knew she was here. She was more than likely just sleeping.

But I couldn't deny that something felt off about the silence, so instead of my usual off-duty routine, I made my way straight to the bedroom just to check on her.

"Alycia?" I whispered, hoping not to startle her awake, but when I pushed opened the door, she was nowhere to be seen.

The bed was even made.

"Alycia?" I called out a little louder this time, confused as to where she would be right now until I saw a light on in the bathroom across the hall. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Leesh.. I was calling for you, why didn't you a-"

I pushed open the door, and my eyes instantly fell on a body on the floor. Her body..

"Alycia!!!" I quickly flipped her onto her side where I was met with her eyes staring blankly ahead. Cold and completely lifeless.

"Fuck Fuck!" I scrambled to move her on her back, but my hands suddenly became numb. My vision blurred and my breath got caught in my lungs. I was frozen and useless, until I felt a presence walk up from behind me.

I snapped my head in it's direction, blinking to make out the silhouette of a familiar man.

"R-Ron?"

"What have you done, Y/n?"

I shot up from the bed at the sound of the station's fire alarm blaring, the dark room now illuminated by red lights. My heart rolled like thunder in my chest, and I sat for a couple seconds to catch my breath after the startle, before turning and slipping into my boots.

*Engine 1, Squad 1 dispatched for a kitchen fire at 877 Parkway. Caller reports of one missing occupant, 9 year old male*

I listened to the sound of boots clapping into the tile, and I didn't think twice about it when I stood up from bed, but as soon as I did, a body crashed into mine, causing me to knock over the bedside table.

"Oh- fuck, sorry!"

"Damn it, Aaron!"

We all met up in the bay, groggy men wiping at their eyes as we jumped into our turnout's and hopped in our trucks, making our way to the listed address.

It's crazy to think about it in hindsight, where 3 minutes ago, I was deep in REM sleep, and now here I am, in full gear, about to step inside a burning building.

"You two! Pull the line for attack and primary search! We're looking for a 9 year old!" I heard Joel shout, and I quickly grabbed the nozzle, making my way into the, thankfully, already unlocked door.

Leaving the front door unlocked after evacuating a house fire... I would give them props if it wasn't for the fact that they left their damn child in there.

"MORE HOSE!" I shouted behind me, following the hallway to an open kitchen on the right, spotting the orange flames bursting from the oven and crawling up the wall. I pulled the bale, pushing back against the heat and isolating it to the one side.

"AARON, SEARCH THE ROOM!"

"ON IT!" We bumped shoulders, making his current path of search known to me as I moved in the opposite direction, hitting the fire at different angles. But as I was moving, my foot knocked into something soft on the ground, nearly tripping me.