The Fighter

Chapter 7

We got back to the station to clean up and wash trucks. I walked in the truck bay as they were backing the trucks back in. "Kyle! I can't punch you because it wasn't a fire!" I yelled over to him. "You got your action tonight." John laughed. "Yeah, I know. You're just jealous because you had to direct traffic." I stuck my tongue out at him. "No!" "You two stop flirting!" Jet joked. "We were not flirting!" I yelled at him and went to grab a bucket. I filled it with soap. "Hey! One of you get me the other bottle of soap." I called over to the three boys who were doing nothing. "I'll get it." Greg offered. Kyle went to fill the other bucket with soap and water. "Thanks." I smiled when Greg came back over. I was filling my bucket when the tones went off again and so did the siren on top of the building. "Shit!" I turned the water off. "Hale County to Clarksville Structure Fire. Flames and Smoke visible." The dispatcher spoke and I went to grab my helmet and coat. "Let's go!" Papa yelled. He grabbed one truck, Pete grabbed the tanker and Harry grabbed the air van. We took off for the fire. Kyle rode with Papa and me.

We got to the scene and we started grabbing hose. It was still standing when we got there, surprisingly. "Who's going in?" I asked Papa. "John, Jet, and Kyle. I might need you to go in, but until then I need you on the hose with the others. Show Greg what to do." He smiled and I nodded and went over to Greg. "You're with me." I pointed to the hose. "You scared?" "Nope." "Let's go." We went over and grabbed the hose too. He was scared, I could tell. "Relax. This isn't that bad." I tried to reassure him. We walked close and closer to the house. I could feel his tension. I was like that once too. "Mickie, take it in." Papa looked at me and I took the nozzle and took it in the house with John, Jet, and Kyle." I had been in before, so it wasn't bad.

The truck siren went off and that meant get out now. We turned around and started heading out of the house. It was coming down. Kyle and Jet pushed me in front of them so I got out before they did. We all got out. It came down and we put out the rest. The fun part was going to be going through the ashes and soot searching for hot spots. Jet took the thermal imager and went in with John to poke around. I went to change my bottle. It was still smoking a little bit and you do not want to breathe that in. John and Kyle took the hose in. Greg came over while I was switching my air bottle. "You okay?" I asked when I saw him. "Yeah, I'm fine. This is my first actual fire." "I thought so. Don't worry you'll get used to it. You taking fire fighter 1?" "When it come around again." "Good, just breathe and you'll be fine. There is nothing to be scared of, especially when those three are here." I motioned to John, Kyle, and Jet. "They're some of the best." "What about you? You know what you're doing." "Yeah, I do. I'm pretty good, but I'm not as good as they are." I laughed. "Those boys are something else, but there is no one else I'd rather go into a burning building with."

We got back to the station again, and put the trucks away again. I re-filled the buckets and we finally got to clean them. We all went and sat in the office after we were done. We cleaned the trucks, washed the hose, laid the hose, and I washed my gear and was waiting for that to dry. It was well after 3am. "Kyle, I'm going to punch you." I yawned. "Why? Because I called it?" "Yes! That's exactly why I'm going to punch you." "You wouldn't punch me." He laughed. "Yes, I would and I will. When I have more energy." "Go home! If you want I can follow you to make sure you're okay. I'm going that way anyway." Jet offered. "Thanks, but I'm okay. I'm waiting for my gear. So, I can have it for tomorrow, or today I guess." "Go home, I'll bring it down to you when I come down." Kyle offered. "Nope, I can wait right here for it." I was being stubborn. John was basically asleep in the chair. Greg was just watching us and listening to us talk. I guess we're interesting to listen to. "Mickie, listen I doubt that we will have another call between now and when I come down." Kyle continued to argue with me. "Just because you said we'll probably get another call! It's almost done drying. I can wait!" "Then I'm waiting with you!" "Fine!" "Fine!" he had to have the last word. "Wow, you two accomplished so much." Greg laughed. "Mickie did. She got her way. She always does." Jet laughed. "Yes, I do." I was proud. Jet and Kyle are probably the only ones who can handle me.

We were all getting ready to leave the fire house. I was folding my bunkers and putting them in the truck. "I'll see you later. Be careful." Kyle hugged me and got into his truck. "I will, see you later." I smiled and stuffed my coat in. "See you guys later." John smiled. "No, no you will not see us later." I laughed and hugged him too. "Bye." Greg smiled. "Do you want a hug too?" I asked. "Nah, I'm good." He laughed and walked to his truck. "I'm going to follow you home. So I'll see ya." Jet hugged me too. "Alright. I'm ready. I'll see you later." I got into my truck and we all started heading out.

I got home and everyone was sleeping. Papa filled out the run sheets and went home like an hour before I did. The dogs were going nuts. "Hey." Gavin yawned walking out into the kitchen. "Hey." I put my gear by the door again. "How'd it go?" "The girl is lucky, that is all I have to say. We got back to the station after that and we got called out again." "That's what Papa said when he got home." He smiled. "How's Avery? Did she wake up at all?" I asked thinking of her. "Yeah she woke up once, she was upset when she couldn't find you, but I told her where you were and she said "She's saving someone, its okay." And went back to sleep." "That's my girl. She's one tough cookie." I was relieved. "She's a fighter, like you." "I try to be." "Was that Jet who followed you home?" "Yeah, he wanted to make sure that I got home okay. He knows how my eyes get when I'm exhausted and have to drive." "Whatever happened to you and him? I always thought that you two would end up together" "Well we were together, remember? But thing is just got hectic and we grew apart. He's dating an old friend now and he's happy. I wasn't making him happy." "You dated John Kraw too didn't you?" "Yeah, he's single and he tries all the time to get me to come back to him. He was just an ass and I will be his friend, but I will not do that again." I laughed thinking of how stupid I was. "You really aren't with Kyle?" he asked. He just didn't believe it. "No, I'm not with Kyle. He's my best friend and that's it. Everyone thinks that we are together, but we're not." "One day maybe?" "Not in a million years." "Wow, so against a guy that treats you like a princess." "Everyone treats me like a princess." "That's because you are a royal pain in the ass." He joked. "Shut up! Don't you need your sleep?" "I could ask you the same question." "I don't need sleep. Obviously, I've been out all night." I smiled and went toward my room. I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I was awaken the next day when Avery came in and jumped on me, with the help of Kyle. "Wake up! You're going to miss the parade!" Avery yelled. "I'm awake! What time is it?" I asked yawning. "It's 7:30." Kyle looked at his phone. "What the hell?! Only 4 house of sleep?" "Yes! I told you that we wouldn't get another call between then and when I came down." Kyle rubbed it in that he was right, like he always does when he's right. "Shut your face and let's go watch the parade so my sister can see Santa." I got up. "I want to see Santa!" Kyle ran with Avery to the kitchen. "Kids, I swear!" I put my sweatshirt on and walked out. Grandma was finishing what she had left to do and Papa was out hunting. How he can still get up at the crack of dawn after a night like last night is beyond me.