Chapter One (Til I Collapse)

*Strong language*



Location: Bridgeport Community Fire Department
Date: Friday, 10/28/2011
Time: 11:11 a.m.

Oh, yeah. It's showtime, baby!!

Luke savors the screeching sound of the fire alarm as it travels through the whole building, forcing the staff on duty to scramble on their feet.  A house fire located on 73 Embarcadero Drive has just been dispatched by 911 emergency.  Since the fire ignited in the lobby of the apartment complex, dispatched units have been adviced to take great caution upon entering the first floor.  His heart races as he slides down the pole, eager to meet today's new scorching foe.  Where is he? Does he have any hostages? His ass is mine!! Having completed over 600 hours of paramedic and physical training two months ago, he's never felt more ready for this new battle.  

"Till I collapse
I’m spilling these raps
Long as you feel 'em
Till the day that I drop
You'll never say
That I'm not killing them
'Cause when I am not
Then I'ma stop pinning 'em
And I am not hip-hop 
And I’m just not Eminem"



"Marley, what's the location??" Luke briefly puts on his turnout gear before he heads out.

"73 Embarcadero Drive! Apartment building. Started about five minutes ago." Marley heads into the office to await standby.



Hot adrenaline rushes through his body as he sprints towards the door to get the fire truck ready.  No fire is ever too small to take lightly.  It only takes one source to create a domino effect, even something as small as a lit cigarette butt in the thrash can.  Or a barbeque grill that hasn't been properly put out.  Or faulty wiring that has been ignored for years.  No matter how dangerous the call is, he thinks about that person that could be trapped or unconscious with only a few minutes left before smoke inhalation sets in. 



"Is that us?" Nate asks when he hears the screeching sound coming from the building.  

"It sounds like it." Joseph pauses before he throws the ball back to his son.





Luke watches as his dad and younger brother scramble towards him.  This is Nate's last week of training, having already completed over 500 grueling, demanding hours.  Since he hasn't completed the program yet, Joseph must be present at all times during an emergency response.  Failure to do so as captain can pose as a huge liability for the department.



"A second unit has been dispatched." Marley announces through the radio.

"Our unit is complete. Big Bertha's heading out." Luke responds through the roar of the monstrous engine.  Ever since he was a kid, he and his brothers always looked forward to visiting the fire station just to be able to explore the majestic firetruck.  With their dad's supervision, Luke would maneuver the wheels while Nate pretends to communicate through the walkie-talkie.  Jake, the youngest, would stay in the backseat as he looks through the windshield, screaming at imaginary people to get out of the way.  He would whine about his turn to man the wheels, but Luke would simply threaten to kick him out.

"Music is like magic 
There’s a certain feeling you get
When you're real
And you spit
And people are feeling your shit
This is your moment
And every single minute
You spend trying to hold onto it
'Cause you may never get it again"



"Dude, you look like crap." Luke grimaces as he looks over at Nate's zombie-like face.

"This training is killing me.  I haven't slept in two days." Nate yawns as he tries to keep his blood-shot eyes open.  His five-o-clock shadow looks like an overgrown fuzz, making his skin look even more sallow.  

"Well, you wanna be a fireman right?" He smiles, giving his brother a light shove on the arm.

"Yeah, yeah." Nate rolls his eyes.





"All units have been dispatched.  Confirm." Marley announces again.

"Confirmed." Jake watches the bright flashing lights as the cry of the siren penetrates his ears.  He just completed his training this week, making him an official member of the crew. With Luke's help, he finally convinced his dad that he was ready to maneuver the vehicle on his own.  Sitting in the driver's seat with his gear on, goosebumps travel up his arm at the thought of defeating the beastly fire and saving someone's life.  He always looked up to his dad growing up.  Joseph would come home covered in soot, ash and sweat, weary from putting up a good fight.  No matter how exhausted he was, his eyes always sparkled with pride at what he gets to do everyday.



"There goes Spiderman!" Luke chuckles in surprise at the sight of Jake in front of them.  He was supposed to be behind them, but it looks like he took another route.  Second to his father, Spiderman has always been Jake's favorite superhero. Ever since he heard the "with great power comes great responsibility" mantra, he too believed he could be a superhero in his own way.  

"Haha! I swear, that boy is going to cause an accident trying to beat us." Nate shakes his head.



"You would think after all those butt-whoopings he'd get it." Joseph rolls his eyes.

"Just take his firetruck away, dad.  Hit him where it hurts." Nate suggests as they turn the corner, approaching their location.



"Jake, I need you and Luke to stay in the truck.  I'll secure the building with Nate.  If we need help, we'll let you know.  Confirm." Joseph instructs over the radio.

"Okay, dad.  Confirm." Even his groan can be heard over the static.



Location: 73 Embarcadero Drive
Time: 11:20 a.m.

Joseph feels a delicious yet unnerving thrill in his bones as he approaches the front entrance of the building.  The smell of heavy smoke overpowering the air only intensifies his urgency.  He can never predict where the fire is going to be, or how it's going to behave.  He can't even predict its size, no matter how much information he is given beforehand, since the flames can escalate at any time.  The moment the alarm sounds and he receives dispatch, he feels like a warrior who has been summoned to conquer a new beast, and only he can do the job.  Like an evil dragon that's holding its victims hostage, he must work strategically and cooperatively with his son if they want any chance of winning.  The dragon must be slayed yet again.



Scorching flames and thick smoke immediately hits Joseph's face as he walks through the door.  He feels like he's inside a giant oven, only five times as hot.  His turnout gear is supposed to tolerate up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, but he is still vulnerable to skin burns and smoke inhalation.  He and Nate only have a few minutes to minimize the flames.  If they don't, their gear can become very uncomfortable, to the point of collapsing from a heat stroke.



"Nate, you need to cover the front!!" He yells through the buzzing sound of crackling flames reaching for the ceiling. White, chalky substance shoot through the air as he aims the fire extinguisher at the floor to decrease the temperature. This will prevent the fire from spreading any further.

"Got it, dad!!" Nate assures as he sprays the walls. Even though he has practiced this during drills, this is his first real fire. His gear slowly burns on his skin, making him very uneasy as the flames continue to attack all parts of his body. His first instinct is to run outside for relief, but his dad would be by himself. He can always dispatch Luke and Jake, but he would feel like a failure if  he gives up now.

I can do this. I can do this.



No matter how much he sprays the flames around him, he cannot seem to get them under control. In fact, they are getting stronger. They start to crawl up the walls, slowly taking over the ceiling.  The heat is becoming unbearable for Nate.  He starts coughing as the smoke continues to get thicker, making it almost impossible to see.

"Till the roof comes off
Till the lights go out
Till my legs give out
Can’t shut my mouth
Till the smoke clears out 
Am I high?
Perhaps
I'ma rip this shit 
Till my bone collapse"



"Nate!! Are you okay??" Joseph becomes frantic at the sound of Nate coughing.  He's been unusually quiet and that's never a good sign.  

"Dad..." 

"Nate!! Stay with me, son! Keep talking!!" 

"........."

"Nate? Nate!!"

*Copyright 2012 Lyn C.S.*
-----------------------------------

"Til I Collapse" by Eminem
Video by: axelmovies97