What was left behind

11.Fallen stairs

Hi! I'm sorry that I'm a bit late with this chapter, but what matters now is that it is out, right? It is a bit shorter than the last one, because it was written at the very beginning of this story and was just waiting for its turn to let me let it out. But today this day has come and I hope you will enjoy reading it ;-)

There was only silence surrounding me as I tried to see in the darkness and somehow control the trembling of my hands as I slowly started to feel the cold. Even my uniform couldn't stop the feeling of dampness that was felt in the basements. I was lying on my back on what was left of the makeshift stairs. However, I felt no pain and this time it made me panic even more than when Venus hit the tree.

However, I felt strange as I started to feel happy, hoping that at least Sam and Elvis had managed to get out safely. This was completely new to me, because never before, before Justin, had I felt like someone mattered to me so much that I thought about their safety when I was lying all alone at the bottom of the basement.

I was torn from my thoughts by the voices coming over the radio. They were preceded by the sound of water being shut off, so I assumed that Elvis had managed to put out the fire that had broken out in the living room. I recognized Sam and Station Officer Steele's voices but it sounded like they were arguing.

"Sam, you know what the rules are" Station Officer Steele's voice said sternly.
"Cridligton saw the basement stairs collapse. The building is not finished yet and the floor structure could have been compromised" he explained. "There is no way I'm letting you in there. Certainly not both of you".

"Then I'll go on my own" Sam volunteered. I didn't know why but his dedication made me feel warm inside.

"No, Sam" Station Officer Steele's voice however remained adamant. "It's too risky".

"With all due respect sir, but the building is still standing. We still have time and Penny could still be alive" Sam stated stubbornly.

"We don't know for sure Sam. There's a reason why, women have never made up a large percentage of the fire brigade" he stated indifferently but in me the statement stirred mixed feelings. "The reality is that the floor above the basement may be breached and until we are certain, I will not let Elvis or you in there," he said firmly.

What I heard made me lose hope of rescue and I resigned myself to the thought that I would have to wait here for a few more hours before someone found me. I focused on staying calm and as I lay there counting backwards from a thousand, I heard a sound and another shout about an order, when darkness still surrounded me and I was ready to believe that it was just my imagination when...

In the darkness that fell after the order was given, I could not see anything. I even resigned myself to the thought that everyone had forgotten about me, when suddenly I heard my name and the light of someone else's flashlight blinded my eyes for a moment.

"Are you okay, Penny?!" Sam called to me, leaning over the edge of the stairs from which I had fallen.

"What are you doing here?" I narrowed my eyes, watching intently as he slid down the rope.

"I just want to help you," he raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Can you stand up?" he asked, crouching down next to me.

Feeling no pain, I managed to pull myself up without a problem. I leaned on my elbows to help myself with my hands, but as soon as I put my weight on my left leg to push myself up, I couldn't help but groan in pain and fall back to the ground.

"I don't think I can do this," I said, gritting my teeth against the pain. "My ankle hurts too much," I said as Sam offered me his hands to help me sit up again.

"Elvis, there's nothing we can do. You have to get a stretcher!" Sam radioed as Elvis' head also appeared above us.

"But how, Sam?" Elvis replied in a helpless tone.

"They're in Jupiter, Elvis" Sam sighed annoyedly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Station Officer Steele is waiting for us there, he won't let me go back inside" Elvis complained.

"I'll take full responsibility, Elvis" Sam announced, and to my surprise, I couldn't hear any hesitation in his voice. "The floor will hold for a while, but if we don't hurry it'll collapse on our heads" Sam assessed. "We'll make it. Trust me" he added more gently, and although he was still pressing the button on the radio, I had the impression that his words were more directed at me.

"Okay, I'm going" Elvis announced and disappeared from our field of vision.

"Let's hope you haven't broken anything" Sam said thoughtfully, breaking the silence that had fallen between us. He pulled a piece of bandage from the pocket of his belt, then gently touched my ankle. I flinched in pain as he slowly began to bandage it, but his touch was still gentle. "It should be enough for the journey up," he announced proudly, and with a playful smile he looked at me. "Unless you'd rather stay here."

"No thanks," I replied, embarrassed.

A moment later Elvis appeared upstairs. He lowered the stretcher down and Sam helped me up so I could sit on it, then fastened the belt. I lay still for a moment, waiting for Sam to climb back up, before he and Elvis pulled me up as well. The belts held me so I couldn't turn around, but after the change in brightness I easily realized that we were already outside. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the red color of Jupiter before Sam and Elvis carefully laid me on the ground. I didn't want to seem weak so I quickly sat up and even managed to pull myself up onto the makeshift bench on my own.

"Come on, Elvis. We'll get the gear" Sam announced. "We'll be right back" he assured me and I responded with a quiet laugh.

I watched from a distance as they folded the hoses and talked to Station Officer Steele who didn't look happy. Unfortunately they were too far away for me to hear what they were saying. It was only a familiar voice that tore me from my thoughts.

"Call Helen" I heard Sam order Elvis as they both approached me.

At Sam's command Elvis turned around and walked away in the opposite direction while Sam sat down next to me and looked ahead.

We sat in silence, staring out at the open space in front of us. I could still feel the pain in my leg, but it had gone from a throbbing pain to a dull one, so it was a little easier to control when a new person appeared beside us.

I gritted my teeth. After Sam greeted Nurse Flood, and I briefly explained what had happened, answering her questions, the pain returned when Helen gently touched my ankle, loosening the bandage Sam had tied. I sat stiffly, more than aware of Sam's presence, and didn't say anything until Helen finished.

"Why did you do that?" I finally asked, looking at my teamleader as the nurse finished examining my ankle.

"What do you mean?" Sam looked at me with a confused look.

"It's just sprained. A good rest, some ice and it should be good as new," Helen explained to me. I nodded, letting her know I understood as she said goodbye and left.

"Thank you, Helen," Sam looked at her and smiled as the nurse waved goodbye, one last time. "What's on your mind?" he asked me, looking at me with concern, though he still kept his distance.

"You disobeyed an order. You broke the rules," I explained, offended that he didn't understand.

"A life saved is worth more than a reprimand," Sam shrugged with a smile, completely unrelated to what I had said.

And he said it so casually that I was actually inclined to believe he meant it honestly. But I still had the slightest doubt that his openness was simply because he had been asked to, or, like Shane before, he liked me in a way that I wasn't going to get involved with anytime soon.