911: Perfect Storm

Chapter 2

    Ravi Panikkar grew up an only child. It was a lonely life being the only Indian kid in his school... And being the 'cancer kid' didn't help either. Leukemia took over the young boy's body, essentially causing him to alienate himself since he couldn't do things the other kids could. Every weekend from the ages of eight to sixteen Ravi's parents would take him to the hospital for chemotherapy, the doctors and nurses becoming some of his only friends.

    Because of his cancer, Ravi missed out on most normal childhood experiences. He was never able to go on field trips, or play sports, or go on vacations, everything was a risk to his already defeated immune system. Once he finally was in remission, he didn't know how to even be a kid. He didn't go to school dances or plays or football games. He stayed home and mostly focused on his studies. When he was younger he wanted to become a doctor, and help people like himself overcome cancer, but after a failed attempt at the MCAT he decided that it wasn't his calling.

    With that realization, Ravi looked into a different profession. One just as, if not more noble. Firefighting. He would still be able to help people, just in a much different way. After completing the fire academy, he was placed at station 118 doing grunt work on the B shift. After a few months of that, he was transferred over to the A shift as a probationary firefighter. His first day on the A shift, he accidentally put a jinx on them, but we won't get into that here...

    "Panikkar. Han 2." Bobby called out at the scene of a warehouse fire, "Get up top and vent the roof."

    "Yes, sir." Albert ran off towards the ladder, Ravi following close behind.

    "They're telling me they're in the northeast corner of the building." Kenzie's voice rang out from the radios on their shoulders.

    "Got it, dispatch." Bobby nodded, sending Buck and Eddie inside, "How's it going up there?"

    "What was that, Cap?" Ravi asked into the radio.

    "Panikkar. Have you vented the roof?" Bobby called back.

    "Yes, sir." Ravi said as he and Albert made their way back to the ladder.

    "Is everything going alright there?" Kenzie asked over the radio. Her voice was like music to Ravi's ears.

    "We're getting it done, dispatch." Eddie called over the radio.

    "Thanks for your help." Bobby said before ending the call.

    "Who was that?" Ravi looked over his shoulder at Albert.

    "Who?" Albert looked confused.

    "Nevermind." Ravi shook his head and finished descending the ladder.