The searing heat of the flames beat Gage back keeping him from entering the room, keeping him from doing his job. No matter which way he turned his body, he could not reach the screaming children. The heat was too intense. Tears rolled down his face as he cursed the fire, begging the kids to forgive him. He could do nothing.
Johnny found himself being pulled back by Chet and Marco, he tried to fight them off.
"GAGE!" Marco yelled "There is nothing we can do!" He too heard the screams.
"We got to get out of here!" Chet hollered. "Come on, Johnny, we GOT TO GO!"
The two firemen dragged the reluctant paramedic out of the burning house. They all hated to leave, but there was nothing anyone could do. It was now God’s turn to take care of the children.
"Johnny! Johnny, look at me!" Roy turn Johnny’s face toward his. "You tried, we all tried, there was nothing any of us could do," Roy pleaded with his partner. He could see the defeated pain in Gage’s face. They all had the same painful look.
"I’m sorry!" was all Johnny could say, tears flowed down his face.
"NOOOOOOO!!!! I’M SORRY!!!!" The sleeping crew was waken by Gage’s all to familiar nightmare.
"I’m sorry." Johnny sat up in his bunk, breathing hard and sweating from the same terror that he’s had for the past three weeks.
"Johnny," Roy gently touched his frightened partner. "Johnny, it’s all right." He knew what the nightmare had been about. All he could do was talk Johnny into going back to sleep.
The morning was welcomed by the weary paramedic. Since the deadly house fire, Johnny had been grateful for the mornings. It meant that his nightmares would not come back until the next time he laid down to sleep.
The A shift crew gathered tiredly in the kitchen, Marco was pouring everyone a mug of fresh coffee. They too were grateful the day had started. Soon they would all be going home for a couple of peaceful days.
"Man! Johnny has got to get over this." Chet mumbled to Marco and Mike. "He’s not slept through the night since the fire."
Marco and Mike nodded in agreement as they nursed their morning caffeine. The nights had been long while they were on duty. Gage’s nightly screams had everybody worried about their friend.
Roy found Johnny in the locker room. "Johnny…."
"Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I keep waking you guys up," Johnny interrupted.
"Johnny, you need….." Roy tried again, but this time he was interrupted by the captain.
"Gage!" Captain Stanley called from the door, "I would like to see you in my office, please."
Johnny sighed and slowly walked to the captain’s office.
"You’re to take the next shift off," Hank ordered Johnny.
"But.." John tried to say something, but was cut off by the Cap’s waving hand.
"No, buts. You’re to take the next shift off voluntarily." Cap’s voice softened, "Look, John, we’ve all been there. Take the time off, go talk to a counselor. You need the help, you need the sleep. We all need the sleep."
"Sorry," he muttered.
"Look, pal, don’t be sorry. We all understand what your going through. Just please get some help," Hank begged.
He was worried about his friend. "Now, go get change and head on home. I will see you in a few days."
"Thanks, Cap", Johnny said as he stood to leave.
"Johnny, call if you need to talk. I’m here for you," Hank said as Johnny left.
The days off were what Johnny needed. He took the time to go riding his horse in the mountains near his ranch. He was able to sleep a couple nights without having any nightmares. "Morning, Roy, Chet," Johnny cheerfully greeted his friends in the kitchen at work. "How are things this morning?"
"Well, it was fine until you showed up," Chet chided.
Roy rolled his eyes at them two starting already. "How are you feeling, John?"
"Better, a lot better. Thanks," he replied as he poured himself a glass of milk.
"Johnny, I’m glad to see you back," Cap greeted him as he walked into the room. "How do you feel, pal?"
"Fine, Cap. Thanks for the time off." Johnny studied his glass of milk and said "Look guys, I’m sorry about…."
Cap put his hand up to stop Johnny from saying anymore. "No need to apologize. Just as long as you're feeling better." With that all said, the crew got to the days work.
The day passed with very few calls. Chet and Marco were setting the nightly poker game up in the kitchen. Johnny and Roy were finishing the dishes and Stoker was getting the snacks. The game played on into the night. Cap was winning most of the hands. They all were reluctant to go to bed, worried that their slumber would be disturbed by Johnny’s night terrors. "Well, I’m done for, guys," Johnny yawned and stretched heading toward his bunk. " See you in the morning."
"I hope we can sleep through the night," Stoker uttered to the men as they picked up the game.
"So do I," they all agreed.
Roy was tossing and turning, waiting for his partner’s cries. Several times he raised his head to look over at Johnny sleeping peacefully in his bunk. He did notice John was tossing in his bed more than usual and mumbling in his sleep, but he never woke up. It was Chet’s snoring that was keeping him awake tonight.
The morning tones of the fire station sounded to wake the sleeping crew. They all received a good nights sleep. No calls, no night terrors, just wonderful restful sleep.
"Morning all," the cap called to them as he migrated toward the coffee pot.
"Morning, Cap," the crewed chimed.
"See, Cap, I told you the dreams were gone," Johnny said as he stirred the eggs in the pan.
"Well, I’m glad," Marco remarked, "Now if we can just get something done about Chet’s snoring!"
The men laughed and chided Chet about his snoring. "We can put a pillow over his head," Johnny replied.
Chet was fixing to answer Johnny, but just then the klaxon rang out. The firemen dashed to their trucks.
‘Station 51, Station 18, Engine 110 structure fire. 1930 Pinewood Way. One---Nine---Three---Zero Pinewood Way. Time 07:45’
"KMG 365," the cap acknowledged.
They arrived at the house in record time. The two story house had flames coming from the kitchen and living room window. Smoke was pouring out from all sides of the old wood framed house.
A frantic woman grabbed hold of Cap’s arm and screamed terrifyingly into his face. "THEY'RE STILL IN THERE! YOU’VE GOT THE HELP THEM. P L E A S E," the woman cried.
"Gage, DeSoto, there are people still in there. Marco, Chet get an inch and a half," the cap ordered his crew.
"How many are there, do you know? Are you hurt?" Hank questioned the distraught woman.
She could not answer him, all she could do was cry and shout at the fireman, "Do something. Help them!"
Vince arrived to help Stanley with the woman. He guided her to the lawn across the street from the fire, gently talking to her to calm her down.
Roy and Johnny followed Chet and Marco through the front door. Roy looked at his partner when he noticed Johnny hesitating at the door. He could see through Johnny’s mask that his eyes were open wide. "Are you all right?" Roy questioned his friend. This was the first house fire they had since the deadly fire that killed the kids and causing Johnny’s nightmares.
"Let’s go, I’m fine," Roy heard John answer.
The house was filling with smoke. Chet and Marco tackled the flames near the stairs as Roy and Johnny ran upstairs to check the rooms. They could hear cries for help coming from even further upstairs.
"Roy, the attic!" Johnny’s voice was muffled from the mask. "I hear something upstairs."
Roy could hear it too. They both dashed up another flight of stairs to see a little girl huddled in the corner of the dusty attic. Her mother lay unconscious at her feet. "It’s going to be all right. We’ll get you out of here," Roy told the frightened girl soothingly.
"Roy," Johnny yelled, "The window."
Roy looked at the window, he could see Chet at the attic window breaking the glass.
"Hand her to me," Chet yelled.
Roy and Johnny passed the scared little girl to Chet. He then climbed down the ladder letting Marco up to help Johnny and Roy with the woman.
The woman coughed as Roy gave her air from his own mask. "My Baby!" she cried.
"We got her out. She’s going to be fine," Roy said to her. "We’re going to get you out too."
The woman started to struggle with Roy, "NO! My Son! He’s downstairs!" she cried.
Roy saw the terror in her eyes. He looked up a Johnny who had heard what the woman said, "Get her out! I’ll go get the boy?" Johnny ordered and he ran to the now burning stairs.
"NO WAIT! Johnny!" Roy yelled, he tried to grab his partner’s arm, but grabbed empty air instead. He started to go after him, but was stopped by flames erupting from the floor.
"Roy come on. We got her out. GO, NOW," Marco yelled to Roy.
Roy let himself be pulled toward the open window to safety. Reluctantly he climbed down the ladder. Marco followed, pausing at the window to look back at the flame engulfed room. He said a silent prayer in Spanish for his friend.
Roy ran to the front of the house, looking at the burning building for any signs of his partner. "CAP! Johnny's still in there!" Roy stood there staring at the flames.
Johnny ran down the burning attic stairs, his feet barely touching the steps. The flames lapped at his legs, burning him. He didn’t feel the pain, he didn’t care. No child was going to die if he could help it. Gage raced to the end of the hall looking and calling into each room. He heard a cough and a cry coming from the master bedroom, he also could hear the alarm on his regulator starting to sound. He only had five minutes of air left. Taking his mask off he hollered, "Where are you?" Once again he heard a muffled cry, this time coming from the master bathroom. Johnny glanced around the empty bathroom looking for the boy. "Fire Department. I'm here to help you, where are you?"
The bathroom closet door creaked open, Johnny was relieved to see the boy unhurt. "Come on, son, I’m gonna get you out of here." But, their path out of the bedroom was now blocked by a wall of fire. Johnny was sweating, remembering the deadly fire that killed those children.
"I’ll be damned if you're going to kill this boy!" He yelled at the encroaching flames.
They turned back toward the bathroom. Johnny broke the small stain glass window over the claw footed bathtub. "Marco, you have impeccable timing." Marco just arrived at the window when he heard the glass breaking.
"Hand me the boy," Marco said reaching for the small frightened child. He handed the boy safely to Chet. "You can’t get out this way," he yelled to Johnny. "Lay down in the tub."
Johnny complied and watched as Marco sprayed the fast approach flames. He covered his head with his turnout coat, trying to protect himself from the heat and choking smoke, his air supply gone long time ago.
The flames were still working their way to Johnny. Marco cursed, then all hell broke loose. The sound of the floor giving away from the weight of the antique bathtub reached Marco’s ears. He stuck his head through the small window just in time to see the cast iron tub fall through the burning floor. "NOOOOO! JOHNNY!" Marco yelled. He stayed there on the ladder hosing the flames down, praying for a miracle.
Johnny could barely stand the heat. Coughing from the thick smoke, his lungs burned. He kept his head and face covered. "Damn you, fire. You can have me, but you didn’t get the child."
The creaking sound of the floor underneath the tub echoed in his ears. He closed his eye’s tight waiting for the inevitable. He did not have to wait long, the crash came hard and fast.
Chet was hosing the kitchen down, inching his way toward the back stairs. Roy was right behind him helping with the hose. He hoped that by some chance they would find Johnny alive.
Their thoughts were interrupted by the all to familiar sounds of the floor above them giving away. The two fireman dove to safety right before the tub came crashing through the floor.
Burning debris was falling into the room from the upstairs bathroom. Chet grabbed the hose and doused the new fires lit by the falling debris.
Roy looked at the tub, he could hardly believe his eyes. Laying in the tub was Johnny. "Chet, the tub!" Roy shouted to get Chet’s attention. Chet turned to look, he could see Gage unconscious in the tub, he hosed the burning embers about the tub as Roy checked his partner’s vitals.
"How is he?" Chet yelled.
"He’s alive," Roy answered. "Engine 51, this is DeSoto." Roy said into the handy talkie.
"Are you guys all right?" Cap waited anxiously for an answer. "Have you found him yet?"
"Yes, we need a back board. We’re in the kitchen," he said excitedly to his captain.
"R o y?" Johnny coughed as he was coming to.
Roy said a small thank you towards heaven. "Take it easy. You’re all right, Johnny."
"The B o y?" Johnny spoke between coughs. Roy place the mask back over Johnny’s face.
"He’s fine. You’re going to fine too. We’ll get you out of this tub soon." He was glad his partner was awake and alert.
"Nice of you to finally drop in on us, Gage!" Chet joked with him as they lifted Johnny onto the back board. "Hey Johnny! Don’t you know it’s not Saturday night!"
Johnny laid in the hospital bed, his hands were wrapped due to the burns he sustained in the fire. His back no longer was hurting, but the bruises sure did. "Hey, guy, how’s it going?" Roy questioned his friend.
"Better all the time, pal." Johnny smiled his cute crooked smile. "Thanks!"
"Anytime. Just give us a little bit of notice before you drop in on us again, will you?" Roy sat down in the chair next to Johnny’s bed. "I’m just glad your going to be all right and back to work in a couple of weeks."
"I… Roy, I just couldn’t let the fire get that kid. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t," Johnny said to his best friend and partner.
"I know, Johnny, but you know there is always going to be a time when we can’t save them all. It comes with the job, pal," Roy reprimanded him. "You just get better and back to work."
"Thanks, Roy," Johnny said to Roy as he left the room. Gage knew there would always be times that they could not save everyone, but this was one time he won and the fire lost. He laid his head back down on the pillow and slept a peaceful nights sleep, without any nightmares.