The Fighter

Chapter 42

The room was completely blacked out by smoke. I had my left hand on the wall sweeping up and down as I moved on my knees. I could hear the fire crackling and I could feel it getting hotter and hotter. I looked down at my PASS alarm. I had just a little over three quarters of a bottle left. The sweat was dripping down my face into my mask. The mask was sealed to my face, but the sweat made it uncomfortable. "Partner, feel me." I spoke up and we bumped fists. He was on the right side of me. We went around a corner and he took the lead. I took the closet hook and had my hand around the tip, using the handle to scan the room. I hit something. An object? No, a person. "Hey, I've got something! "I yelled to my partner, but he didn't respond. "Hey! I've got something!" I yelled louder and nothing. I got down on my belly, so I could try and see under the smoke. I could see where the floor and the wall met, but I couldn't see my partner. I took a deep breath and moved over to the victim. I moved closer, so I could see their face. It was Greg.

"Mickie........ Get me out." He coughed and tried to breathe. "Hold on, hold on." I stood up and tried to pull him but he wasn't moving. I tried again, and again, and again. Nothing was working. I dropped to my knees next to him. I took my mask off and tried to put it on him. "No, Mickie. You've got to get out.....Leave me." He smiled to me and I shook my head. "No! I'm not going without you. I'll find a way, we'll find a way. We always do." "Not this time. There is no way." "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that!" "Mickie, stop. Listen to me, I'm already gone. Get yourself out. Please." He held my face in his hands. The tears fell down my face. "I don't want to leave without you. I can't just leave you in here to die." I cried. "Shh, it'll be okay. Trust me, you can live without me." "No, I can't. I love you. You're the only one I've ever felt like this about, the only one I've really loved." "I love you too. I'm never gone for too long. I always come back." Greg smiled. "Not this time, you can't come back this time." "I will, and you'll know when I'm there. Now, put your mask back on and get the Hell out of here." He had my mask in his hand. "You're killing me, Kid. You drive me crazy." "And you drive me crazy. Now go." He kissed my head and suddenly he was gone.

I put the mask on. I used my closet hook to smash the glass out of a window and make a hole in the wall. Then, I tied my rope around it and secured my harness. I took a deep breath and jumped.

That's when I woke up. We had been home for about five hours now. Ky and I were watching a movie in my grandparents living room and I must have fallen asleep. My whole body was drenched in sweat and I was shaking. "You okay?" He asked. "Yeah, that was so vivid." I sighed. "You're dream?" "Yeah." I looked at him and then told him. "Mickie, it's okay." He smiled and for a second I believe it. But the tones went off. "Hale County to Clarksville, Structure fire...." The dispatcher spoke and we ran to our gear.

We got on scene and for a second I just stood there and watched the smoke pour out of the house. It was my first call since IT happened and it was really weird to be back at it. "You okay?" Jet asked walking by me. "Yeah, just my adrenaline kicking in." I smiled and followed him to the trucks. He and I packed up and went to the first hose line. Papa was there hanging out orders as usual. "Mickie, Jet. You two get ready. I'm going to have you go in." He had his radio in his hand. I nodded and we ready to go in. He didn't know about my dream and neither did Jet.

We went in and I was leading. There were no flames visible at this time. I swept the wall and and crawled through. We had to be fast. No one was in the house, but we did find some hot spots. So John and Kyle advanced their hose line in. I got out and took my pack off. I sat on the tailgate of the pickup and wolfed down a bottle of water. It was dark out and I don't know if anyone realized that I walked away from everything. My dream kept replaying over and over again in my head as I sat there. It felt so real, every part of it. This was part of the healing, I get it. But when I was in the house, it didn't bother me like it is now. Fire is my serenity, it's calming and it doesn't scare me no matter how close I may come to the end.
"Mickie! We need the thermal!" John yelled. He was obviously trying to find me. "Coming." I got down and got the thermal imager out of the rescue. I brought it over. "You alright? You don't look so good?" He asking taking it. "Yeah I'm fine." I smiled. "I don't believe you. You should go home." "No John! I'm not going home!" I walked away and saw Ky talking to my papa. "Mickie, come here!" He called me over. "Yeah?" I walked over very confused. "Go back to the station. You don't look so good." "But Papa." "I am not asking you as your grandfather. I'm telling you as your chief. Go back to the station." "Okay." I sighed. I wasn't going to argue. I went back to the station alone.