Sirens and Sprinkles

Out of the Frying Pan

The fire truck zoomed through Maplevale with its sirens wailing. "Of all the places to have a real fire," Walt muttered.

"As opposed to an imaginary fire," Roger said. His wide eyes betrayed how he really felt as he scanned the sky for smoke.

"I hope they all got out okay." Dave trembled at the thought of Dylan trapped in the blaze.

Roger squeezed his hand silently.

Walt swore as flashing red and blue lights chased after them. 

"Pull over!" Officer Jones yelled out the window. "This is your only warning."

Maria clutched their radio, blurting out information as the chase continued. Soon, a second police car joined the first as all three vehicles pulled into Delightful Doughnuts' parking lot.

Officer Jones marched to the fire truck with crimson spreading across his veiny forehead. "Didn't we tell you to stay away from this place?" he roared over the fire alarm. "I bet you set this up yourselves."

Roger sprinted past him and the crowd of spectators forming around the store without a moment's hesitation, throwing on the last of his gear as he went.

"Hey!" Officer Jones made as if to bolt after him, but Maria grabbed his arm. "Let go of me!"

Maria pointed at a trail of smoke snaking through the store's window and growing thicker by the minute. "Does that look like a prank to you?"

"Stay out of this. Do you want to lose your job so you can go sell doughnuts like your flunkie brother?"

Maria opened her mouth to protest, but Dave spoke first. "Leave her alone." He marched up to Officer Jones and prodded him in the chest. "Don't you have anything better to do than prevent us from doing our jobs?"

Officer Jones greeted Chief Nicholson with a wide grin as the bearded man exited the second police car. "These troublemakers are at it again. Did you hear him antagonizing me just now?"

"All I heard was you embarrassing the force," the police chief said. He turned to Walt. "What do you need us to do?"

"Clear the area," Walt said. "We need people to stay away from the building so they don't get hurt."

"You heard the man," Chief Nicholson said to his subordinates, "Let's get this crowd under control."

As the police dispersed the crowd and offered comforting words or, in Officer Jones's case, merciful silence to the onlookers, the two remaining firemen prepared to enter the store.

Dave's sides heaved and his fingers trembled as he struggled to put on his gas mask. It was safe to say asking for free doughnuts wasn't the scariest thing he'd ever done as a firefighter anymore.

Walt gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I'll be right there with you. Just make sure you bring the ax. I'm not sure how sturdy this building is, but we'd better go in prepared."

The tool weighed as heavily upon Dave's hands as Dylan's safety weighed on his mind.

With their suits on and gear ready, Walt and Dave entered the burning store.