“They are.”
“Good…shit,” she groans. “Another contraction is coming.”
I suck in a breath, hating that I’m not able to be there for her right now. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” she says. “It just sucks. These next few hours are going to be awful.”
“You’re going to be okay, Henley. You’re the strongest woman I know and you have Tully right by your side. You’re my fucking Rockstar, babe. I’m going to keep my phone on me if you need me, okay?”
“Okay,” she says, letting out a slow, deep breath as the contraction takes over her.
We pull down the street of the apartment and smoke is billowing up into the air as bystanders begin to scatter to make room for our trucks. “We’re here, Henley. I have to go, but don’t for one second forget how fucking much I love you.”
“I know,” she says. “I love you too. Be safe, okay?”
“I will, babe. I’ll come as soon as I can.”
With that, Henley ends the call and I tuck the phone back into my pocket and concentrate on the task ahead of me. “Alright, boys,” I say to the other four men in the truck. “My wife just went into labor and as much as I love doing this shit with you guys, today; a quick game is a good game. Let’s get in and get it done so I can get to the hospital.”
They all nod in agreement before giving their congratulations. But truth be told, their congratulations are pretty fucking lousy, but that’s what I expect seeing as though each and every one of their eyes are cast out the front windshield taking in the blazing apartment block right before us.
Orange flames take over the second story with smoke pouring out the windows while an idiot down on the ground is busily trying to convince the people up on the third and fourth levels to jump from their balconies.
I shake my head. It’s fucking idiots like that who make our job so much harder.
The truck comes to a stop and we all pile out, rushing around to get what we need. Without any of the boys needing clarification on what to do, we all head straight for the building as the police show up and start pushing the bystanders away and creating a perimeter around the building. Hopefully dealing with that idiot as well.
We charge through the building, starting with the occupants of the apartment currently on fire. We find him out in the hallway, trying to crawl away from the smoke as he violently coughs. He’s alert enough to let us know that there is no one else in his apartment.
One of the guys from the second truck comes through and helps him out of the building while the rest of us go on, searching each and every apartment, not stopping until we’ve checked behind every single door, under every bed, and inside every last closet.
We find a toddler on the third floor in the apartment directly above the fire, screaming for his mommy only to find the woman unconscious after the explosion had blown a hole right through her floor.
Flames have started making their way around her, but it looks as though she was knocked out by the debris from the explosion.
We rush in and get her to safety and once that’s done, we focus on getting the rest of the trapped residents out of here.
Having faith in my boys from the third truck, I make the call to start leading the residents out of the building. There are at least fifty people trapped in here, but with the fire burning the structure of the building from the second floor, it’s imperative that we get these people out of here in case the integrity of the building decides to give out.
With the emergency exit engulfed by flames and the elevator out for the count, we’re left with no option but to take the window from the third floor.
I explain to the residents what’s going to happen as the truck is pulled into place and the ladder is extended. A life net is stretched out below in case of a fall, and the residents instantly begin fretting.
It’s understandable. This isn’t the kind of shit that happens every day, but when the building begins to creak and the sound of something collapsing on the floor below echoes all through the building, they’re suddenly more than ready to face this daring escape.
I look down at the view below to ensure everything is in place and ready to go. I see the paramedics working furiously on the man from apartment two, and the woman from apartment three being put in the back of an ambulance while her son remains safely in Blake’s arms.
With everyone in place, the residents start going out the window. Some need to be coaxed while others with an itch for adrenaline seem to enjoy it.