Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

Author:A.J. Scudiere [Scudiere, A.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781937996093
Publisher: Griffyn Ink

17

Southfield Fire Station #2

* * *

They went on a run as soon as they clocked in. A small portion of C shift was still hanging around and, along with Standard and Nagy, helped both engines get out the door. As always with actual reported flames, Adler followed behind in the red pickup.

Missy hit the horn twice and rolled out of the station, all the gear she was wearing was welcome padding in the cooler temperatures. They left the bay doors up during the day all year long. It was a sign of goodwill to the community, a ‘doors open’ policy that she loved the idea of, but hated when she froze her ass off on duty. She wouldn’t be getting cold where they were headed though.

The town wasn’t big enough for a long drive and Gold Standard had EMS on site before they arrived. That almost never happened. But this fire was a short distance from the EMS station, and they seemed to be making more of an effort to put a better face to the community since two of their own had started a fire that resulted in two deaths.

Though Missy was grateful the FD wasn’t facing the same scrutiny, it was only because Merriman had gotten his ass fired before he did it – though he might not have started that fire if he’d stayed on shift. He might not have felt the need if he thought he had a chance at an appeal. Missy had heard from everyone on A shift that Merriman had called them each personally and asked for a recommendation for a chance to overturn his firing. No one had said yes, at least not that they admitted to. Missy thought Merriman was a moron for asking in general and for specifically asking her. He seemed to have no concept that she would think about all the times he had dismissed her as ‘just a girl’ when he asked. But then again, she couldn’t help but wonder if the world would have been safer if Merriman had remained buffered by A shift. He couldn’t be such a fuckup if they had all kept trying the way they had before.

But she shrugged it off for the new burden she carried as soon as she put the rig into park.

The flames shot nearly fifteen feet in the sky and the address of the fire had become unnecessary about five neighborhoods back. People huddled on the street – or what passed for it. A grid of graveled drives divided the trailer park into neat rectangular lots. Missy was impressed that even within the small cluster of mobile homes there was a nicer section and a poorer section. This was not the nicer section.

An older woman held what Missy assumed were two squirming dogs, one under each of her beefy arms. She didn’t seem to notice the cold though she only wore a nylon nightgown and wrapper. Her hair was up and so was her voice.

“They was smokin’ the weed! I knew this would happen.

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