Dawsey| Above the clouds

2

"Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, structure fire 3218 south Canal street"

Message received. Everyone rush out to their belonging truck. Only seconds later we hit the streets with the sirens on, flashing by red lights and stop signs. The reason, to save lives.

One thing I love about this job, beside saving lives, is to never know what's next. Every day er get sent into a new situation and we only have seconds to make a decision that will affect the future.

We pull up on the opposite side of where the fire is. Squad is already here but they just got here because they haven't gotten out yet.

"Let's save some lives" I say and walk out from the truck.

A younger couple comes running out of the building. The man hold a baby in his arms.

"Where's Andrew?" The woman ask her husband. Worriedly he shakes his head. The woman turn around and is of into the burning building again.

"Kidd, Herrmann, let's go" I say and we get into the building to get her and her son out of there.

It's smokey in there. Barely any vision and knowing there's a bursting fire on the second floor doesn't make you less stressed. But being stressed is a good thing, it triggers something that gives me focus. Maybe it's because it makes the situation very real and you understand you're working with real shit.

"Fire department call out!" I say loud.

No answer. Kidd goes to the right and Herrmann to the left, I go straight forward to the bedroom that is behind the stairs.

I check under sheets, under the bed and inside the closet. No sight of neither of them. I know it won't be long until I hear Boden in the radio, I know the 2nd floor is collapsing and so is the roof. But we got two people in here and I can't leave without them.

I hear a scream from the 2nd floor. It not a woman's scream, neither a toddlers. It a cutting and heartbreaking scream from a baby. Even though I know the floor will collapse any second I run up the stairs and follow the sound.

"I want all men out now!" I hear Boden say through the radio.

I get into the bedroom and find a child wrapped into a burrito with a soft yellow blanket with green butterflies on it. The baby is crying but as soon and I pick him up he stops. I lift up my helmet and remove my gas mask, and hold it over the baby's face. I put my helmet back on.

"Casey!" Boden says.

I bet the others are out already. You aren't supposed to leave a man behind in burning houses, we never go in alone but when Boden calls, you're on your own, at least if you're not listening.

I hear a cracking sound and before I can notice or act, the wooden planks beneath my feet breaks and I fall down. I hide the baby in my arms, making sure to land on my back to not hurt him. I know this is going to hurt. When I touch the 1st floor I black out before I can feel the pain.