Page 101 of Enraged

“Battalion 1, engine 11 – on scene – working structure fire – five possible entrapment – establishing primary search – 1211 requesting mutual aid.”

“Command – 1211 – toning mutual aid.”

Jace, Carter, Ben and I began our primary search.

Carter got the first rescue, a teenage girl around the age of fifteen. I grabbed the second, a seventeen-year-old boy. Jace was right behind me with a third, a fourteen-year-old boy.

With two unaccounted for, we went back in just as mutual aid showed up on scene.

I was midway through the warehouse when the ceiling started to creak, a sure sign it was time to pull out of the search.

“1211 to Command – be advised – primary search is being terminated. Any active search & rescue evacuate immediately – primary search terminated.”

I crawled towards the exit; there was about sixty yards before I was out. I watched as Jace or maybe, it was Carter, exited the building, a small bit of relief flooding my veins. The ceiling panels were falling all around me, igniting flames where there originally were none. A flaming portion of the wall collapsed in front of me, the door no longer in sight. I scanned my surroundings for a way around the blaze, but there didn’t seem to be one for me to find. The fire was spreading quickly, engulfing another wall nearby.

“Command – 1211 – requesting status of S&R”

I crawled over the smoldering debris, doing my best to stay low with my head down.

“1211 to Command. I’m tryin’!”

An interior wall fell against me, knocking my oxygen tank loose on my back.

“Battalion Chief to S&R – get the fuck out!”

I’m tryin’, Chief.

Using my axe, I cleared a path, suddenly able to see the flicker of emergency light. The fire rippled above my head, but I still felt nothing but exhaustion and relief.

Almost there, Dak.

My oxygen mask felt like it was starting to malfunction, the air getting harder and harder to breathe. I forced myself to crawl a few more feet, but then, I just couldn’t go anymore. I closed my eyes for what felt like, years.

“Chief! DK! Right here!” I felt someone grab the top of my coat. All at once, I felt stronger than ever, that strength fueled by the determination of my team. The flashing lights were the first thing I saw as Carter and Zeke guided me over to the truck.

Fuck, that was close.

I removed my useless air mask and did a once over of all of my guys.

Zeke, Carter, Ben, Dedric… where’s Jace?

“Chief! Where’s Jace?!”

He and I locked eyes as he realized what I’d asked him.

I snatched the radio off the tailboard of the truck.

“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! We have a firefighter down!”

Throwing down the radio, I took off towards the warehouse.

“Clayton, get back here!” Chief Hennessy hollered. “Dakota!!”

Dropping to my knees, I crawled back inside the inferno, screaming out for my oldest friend in the world.

My lungs burned without my mask on, the pain making it harder to breathe. I crawled across the warehouse, doing my best to keep my distance from the waves of fire that were dancing over my head.

I screamed his name as hard as my chest would allow.

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