Saved By The Firefighter
Chapter 37

Davey's Point of View

An unnatural silence hummed around the fire engine, only the sound of the siren, and the noise of the traffic disturbed it. Each of

us lost in our own thoughts; these were the calls we all dreaded. Kids were everyone's kryptonite, even if nine times out of ten a call to a school was nothing more than a little one pressing the fire alarm for one reason or another. This journey, though minutes in reality, felt like hours, each second longer than the last. My stomach knotted and churned as I thought of Andy, his red hair, freckled face, wide-eyed as he ate pancakes. My heartbeat became so loud in my chest it echoed in my ears. I prayed, over and over, please GOD let it be a false alarm. But the information from dispatch was clear.

Fire.

Kids were trapped inside the building.

As Headache expertly weaved through the traffic at breakneck speed, I lifted my head to look up to heaven above, and prayed that somehow those kids got out of there. My other prayer was 'if it is anyone, please God not him'. It felt wrong to wish it were another kid, that some other family had to suffer, but I could not help it; all I could think of was not him, never him. The thought of Kathline's grief halted my ability to breathe, my mind focusing on the darkness of the situation. It was as if all hope had left me, that things would never be the same again, a fresh wave of pure pain washed over me, as my emotions threatened to engulf me.

I had to force myself into the present, because in my heightened emotional state, I knew I would be of little use to my team,

those who would have my back, and run into the burning building with me.

If I lost it, I would also be no use to Andy, if it was him trapped inside. I would be more of a hindrance, rather than any help, no use to the men and women who needed me to be at my best, not this emotional wreak I had become.

"How the hell are kids still inside and unaccounted for?" Josie gritted out, her blue eyes wide with rage.

It was a valid question. They had ample fire escapes, the kids did drills, how in hell had this happened?

I closed my eyes, concentrating on steadying my rapid breathing, as I pulled the oxygen tank onto my back.

Ben double-checked me, as I turned and triple-checked his equipment, not fully trusting myself that I did not missed something given my current state of mind.

As we pulled the engine up outside the school, the sounds of more sirens echoed in the distance, another crew from another station.

would soon join us.

We parked up on the roadside, each of us jumping down from the engine, navigating the rubberneckers, the police already in

attendance, keeping them back. Horrified parents staring into space, some sobbing in each others arms. I looked over at the school, assessing the situation, but the pit in my stomach sunk further into the abyss of despair.

'Andy', my only coherent thought. The smell of smoke filled the air around us, as kids all stood in line at the designated fire point, teachers keeping them under control, whilst also managing the ones who were visibly upset. Parents had begun to gather around the gates, wide eyes desperately searching the kids outside to catch a glimpse of their little ones. I found myself doing the same,

scanning those gathered to find him. Yet no matter how hard I tried to find him; he was nowhere to be found. I glanced around to see if Kathline had arrived, but I could not see her in the sea of people that had arrived, all looking on in horror.

Ben looked at me, and I became aware he had been talking, but I had not a clue what he was saying, my mind otherwise engaged.

"Davey, are you okay?" he asked, his normally stoic face showing a high degree of concern.

"It is Andy's school," I whispered, my voice breaking under the pressure of the pain in my heart.

Ben nodded his understanding, then turned to the team, taking over as lead firefighter. After all, that had been his job before his personal hell had taken away his sanity for months. I took over the position when he was on his sick leave. Today I would gladly give it back, knowing I could not lead a horse to water, needing someone to navigate me through this personal hell.

"Switch on. Davey, else you are no good to anyone."

Josie stated to me. Her tone was not harsh, or lacking empathy, but matter of fact, it was just enough to drag my mind out of the all-consuming fear that was pulsing through my veins.

The headmistress approached us, her face contorted with pain and anguish, as she attempted to remain professional, but looked like she was about to lose her control at any given moment, and give in to the sheer horror of what was happening. "The fire started in the kitchen. We have three children missing. They had gone to the bathroom. We did not know they were not

in the class until we did a role call. That was when the teacher realised she had given them permission to go wash their hands after painting. The toilets are in the second block, in the middle of the corridor to the left," she informed us, choking back a sob. "What are the names of the children?" Josie asked,

"Tim Mosby, Evan Peters, and Andy Brown."

At the sound of Andy's name, my blood turned to ice, a stabbing pain through my heart taking my breath away. I froze to the spot, pain threatening to engulf me.

"No not him, please not him," I found myself shouting into my mask.

Josie looked at me and closed her eyes before thanking the headmistress, then walking over to me.

"Davey, if you cannot do this, you need to sit this one out," she whispered softly.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. I thought of Andy being frightened, hurt, or worse. My mind went to Kathline, she would be terrified, he was her life, she needed me now, more than she would ever need me, and I flicked the switch in my brain. I had to find him. I must get him to his mother, and when I did, I would never ever feel frustrated by his interruptions again. In fact, I would welcome them.

"NO, I will find him," I shouted.

He would recognize my voice, I would be a familiar face, when he would be terrified.

"Twinkle, Wayne, set up the hoses, Headache find a fire hydrant to replenish the water, Davey, Josie and I will go inside," Ben

ordered. I was probably not the right person to run inside that burning building, but Ben understood, there was no way I would stay outside with the hoses.

Station Officer Webber arrived in his small van, liaising with the other crew, giving out his orders.

Ben picked up his axe, and then placed his oxygen mask on his face, as I did the same. I looked at him, then Josie, and nodded to her

that I was okay, I could, and would do this.

We ran towards the burning school, entering through the doors. The heat of the flames almost pushed us back, but we pushed through. Twinkle was behind us with Wayne tackling the blaze, as we methodically searched every room, shouting the kids' names. Each door we entered was more painful than the last, the searing heat burning my exposed skin on my face. We pushed on, heading towards the toilets, hoping beyond hope the boys were in there, but leaving no stone unturned as we methodically searched. The smoke was thick, making visibility difficult, as we continued to fight our way through the blaze, shouting as loud as we could

through our masks.

The sounds of the roaring flames filled my ears, then overtaken by exploding glass as the windows of the classrooms blew outunder nthe intense heat. A classroom door flew off its hinges, as I dragged Josie out of its path, just in time, a second later and it would have wiped her out.

The progress was slow, due to the scorching heat of the flames and debris that marred our path down the corridors. Pictures on the walls turned black, the paper disintegrating, as small particles floated all around us, white hot with heat, landing on other posters, or drawings the kids had done, and spreading the fire where they touched.

Painstakingly, we approached the area Andy was presumed to be, and once more I prayed to anyone who would listen that we would

find him. Alive.

I forced entry into the bathroom, screaming Andy's name, but there was no response. Ben began kicking the trap doors to the toilets, but each one brought another wave of disappointment. A bubble of emotion clogged my throat, as I swallowed back the scream that begged to be let go. Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, I checked under the sinks in the centre of the room, but nothing. Josie double-checked every place we looked, and looked for any cupboard or another doorway outside, but there was one way in, and one way out, and there were no kids.

.

"We keep searching," Ben's voice echoed in my earpiece, and we moved out of the bathroom, turning up the unsearched area.

Entering another classroom, we searched under the tables, in the corners, and broke the door into the teachers' supply closet,

but, yet again, I was left disappointed, as nothing but shelves of textbooks welcomed us, and no little boys hiding.

Where the hell is he?

Moving out, another window exploded, shattering its glass towards the playground outside. Turning around, we moved out as a unit, searching, shouting, and praying.

"UP AHEAD," Ben's voice screeched.

I looked up the corridor and saw two bodies hunched

in the corner, the flames licking the ceiling around them. That was two, but where in this hell was the third? As we ran towards the huddled boys, I saw another laid prone on the floor, a chair had been blown in his pathway, the child's leg lay at an odd angle, and the mop of red hair made my heart both leap and sink. He was not moving.

Rushing over, I crouched down beside him, searching for a pulse, but I had no time. I gathered Andy carefully in my arms, cradling

him to my chest, praying he was alive. He let out a small whimper, before he shuffled slightly in my grasp. I let out a breath, thanking the heavens above.

Ben and Josie picked up the other two boys. I had no clue about their condition, and in this moment, I do not care, all I could think about was getting Andy out of here, back to Kathline. Quickly, I removed my oxygen mask and gave Andy some much needed air, before replacing it to my face, then began to move out, back towards the main doors, where the flames had been doused with water.

"Mine is alive," Josie shouted.

A sense of relief washed over me, proving I did care about the others, even if my priority was the little boy in my arms.

"Mine too," Ben growled, the relief clear in his tone. He had faced his own demons in this place.

We walked quickly, avoiding the fallen debris, towards the exit, when a crackling sound began to form around us. "s**t!" Josie shouted out.

I looked up and the flames circled the ceiling of the corridor.

"The roof is going to go," Ben shouted.

"f*****g RUN!" Josie all but screamed.

My heart beating in my chest, I moved as fast as I could when I heard the sound that chilled my blood, as the ceiling cracked and banged, then began to fall around me.