Evan Buckley

Chapter 6: Make love, don't find it

Chapter 6

The morning after the night before hit Buck like a freight train. His head throbbed with a relentless, rhythmic pounding, as though a miniature jackhammer was at work inside his skull. Every attempt to move was met with a wave of nausea that churned his stomach, making his insides feel like a shaken bottle of soda. His mouth was as dry as sandpaper, and his tongue felt thick and unresponsive, a constant reminder of the dehydration. The room swayed gently, causing him to grasp at the walls for stability, while his thoughts swam in a hazy fog, each one slipping through his mental grasp like sand through fingers. Each sound, from the distant hum of traffic to the soft rustling of leaves, seemed magnified, irritatingly piercing through the dull ache that enveloped him.

The worst part was that he had to be at work in less than three hours. He pulled his shirt up to his nose and grimaced at the putrid smell clinging to the fabric. The stench hit him like a wave, instantly dragging him back to the bar and the reckless night he'd rather erase. The mere thought of stepping into a place that served alcohol made him shudder; even a six-foot radius around a drink seemed unbearable right now. The smell alone was enough to make him vow to stay away from bars forever.

He dragged himself out of bed and stumbled through his morning routine, but everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Getting ready for work took forever because every movement felt like wading through molasses.

The first thing he did was take some medicine, hoping it would kick in before his shift started. His usual hearty breakfast was out of the question; instead, he settled for a simple bowl of cereal, barely able to stomach even that. As he ate, he sat in silence, staring blankly at the wall, his mind spinning with thoughts about what he'd say to Eddie. Eddie had said he wasn't mad, but Buck couldn't wrap his head around that. After all, he'd basically called Eddie pathetic last night, and it made no sense that Eddie wasn't fuming.

When Buck walked into the firehouse, the place was buzzing with activity and chatter. Chimney and Hen were over by the ambulance, restocking supplies with focused efficiency, while Bobby was in the kitchen, busy prepping ingredients for lunch. Buck had never quite gotten why Bobby was so obsessed with preparing meals hours before they were needed, but if it made him happy, who was he to judge? Meanwhile, B shift was wrapping up, their goodbyes and casual banter filling the air as they packed up to head home. Buck scanned the room for Eddie but couldn't spot him with their crew.

His gaze drifted to the breakroom, where he saw Eddie deep in conversation—or more accurately, an argument—with a woman he assumed was Shannon. Clearly, the conversation hadn't gone well last night, and Buck was left wondering what had gone down. His curiosity didn't get much of a chance to be satisfied, though; the woman stormed past him and out the door, leaving Buck with no opportunity to ask questions. He wanted to offer Eddie some comfort, but just as he was about to approach, the blaring sound of the alarm cut through the noise. Eddie leapt up from the bench, grabbing his gear and rushing toward the truck with a sense of urgency.

"Buck, let's go!" Bobby shouted from the rig, snapping Buck out of his thoughts. Buck glanced at Eddie as he ran, but Eddie's face was a mask of blankness, making it impossible for Buck to read

The shift dragged on interminably, and just when Buck thought it might be a quiet shift, they got the call about a woman who had climbed up onto a billboard over the highway. From the moment they arrived, it was clear this was going to be a complex operation. The hours stretched as they worked tirelessly to figure out the safest way to bring her down.

When Buck was finally called up to the billboard, his heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. Climbing up there, he felt the weight of the situation bearing down on him. The woman stood precariously on the edge, her face streaked with tears and her eyes glazed with a mix of anger and despair. A gun was gripped tightly in her hand, pointing directly at him.Buck took a deep breath and approached her slowly, his voice steady but gentle.