Fahrenheit 451 Prequel: Beatty POV

Part 3

The next day, Beatty was once again back at the firehouse at 8 a.m. sharp. Not a minute earlier nor a minute later. The black-haired men with their thick jackets were sitting around a table, cards in their hand. A finger clicking away at the table, they stared intently at each other's cards. To bet or to fold. The clacking of poker chips could be heard, a man with snake-like eyes smiled as if daring people to raise the pot with him. "May I join?" Beatty asked. Those men suddenly looked up in his direction. A moment passed.

"Sure," one said, although the table was already filled and no one made an attempt to make space. Before Beatty could say anything or even make a move, a familiar voice rang.

"Beatty! You're here! Come join me in my office." Lucifer said

Stepping into his office once more, the door slammed shut behind them. It felt as though he was being led into a lion's den. "Well? Have you read the book?" Lucifer asked, flashing him a small grin.

Beatty nodded and replied, "A page."

Upon hearing this, Lucifer seemed slightly disappointed, his small grin turning into a tiny frown. After a slight pause, he questioned, "So, what are your opinions on it? What do you think? Is it good?"

Beatty thought about this question very hard. The more he thought, however, the more he did not know how to answer. Eventually, Beatty gave up and just softly mouthed the words, "I don't really know."

In response, Lucifer asked Beatty yet another question, "Why do you not know?"

"Why?" That word seemed to ring in Beatty's mind. He knew what, where, when,  but not  why. Why do I not know? Shouldn't I know this? Yet, no answers came to him. He opened his mouth, trying to find words to say  but chose to simply close it again after nothing came out. Lucifer's stare was making it harder too. He had a piercing gaze that looked straight into Beatty's soul, prying into his thoughts like an unwanted intruder.

"I think I need to read more, sir." Beatty finally said in a shaky voice.

Very slowly, Lucifer let out a small chuckle and replied "Very well then, you may leave."

'Ring..ring..ring!'

A loud sound reverberated  through the orange red walls of Lucifer's office., making Beatty stop in his tracks. Lucifer turned his body swiftly and instinctively, reaching out to the landline phone on the left of the table.

"This is  the Fire Captain speaking," He said in a professional voice.

After listening attentively to the caller for a few seconds, Lucifer vigorously nodded his head and said , "Got it. We'll be there in a few minutes."

Without even blinking, Lucifer instantly  turned his body to the left once more. Facing the orange red walls, he lifted an orange red lid that seemed to camouflage with the walls, for Beatty did not notice it was there until this very moment.

The lid housed an unsuspecting plain red button.

Lucifer pushed the button with his whole palm, which made a sharp alarm ring through the entire firehouse, as Beatty heard the same sound, but softer, coming from downstairs at the main area. Beatty knew that alarm all too well- it was the fire alarm which told firemen that a certain doom was about to approach yet another house.

Beatty closely followed Lucifer, as the two immediately ran out of the office and slid down the pole, as if they were programmed to do so.

The table that was filled before was now empty. Cards laid on the table like a pile of snow. The other firemen were standing neatly in a straight line, well-equipped and ready for another heroic mission  as  they eagerly awaited Lucifer's arrival.Beatty panicked for a brief moment for being the only one who was not already on standby, which made him stick  out like a sore thumb. Nevertheless,  Beatty quickly joined the 'queue' by standing beside a fellow colleague after being gestured by Lucifer to do so and prioritise paying close  attention to him first.

Standing in the centre in front of the line of firemen. Lucifer paced forward and backward repeatedly, as he bellowed, "Alright! Listen up! Mrs Gatomon has reason to suspect that her neighbours, the Millers, are threatening the happiness of people in our society! We have to eliminate the threat! Their address is  107 No. Black Creek. Head out in your usual teams. Move it! Quickly! Off to save the world!"

Upon  Lucifer's command, the line of firemen, excluding Beatty, immediately turned and ran down the corridor like a horde, towards the garage. Their helmets glistened under the bright harsh white light.

Helmet. Coat. Zippo. Beatty hurriedly seized these objects from the wall beside him before running and leaping into the orange dragon to reunite with the rest of the firemen.

Down the corridor, the orange salamander that was disorderly  parked in the garage was sound asleep in its metallic den. Lucifer pulled out his key. It was a golden key with that ever-so familiar symbol inscribed on the keyhole, which Beatty only noticed now. Plugging the key into the orange salamander with great force, the latter was awakened from its deep slumber as it roared to life.

One quick check and they were off into the night, with the cool breeze carrying their sirens and monstrous metal thunder down the street. Cautious yet curious glances peeked through the moving blurred houses.