Broken

BLEVE

Paxton shifted in his sleep which was soon broken by the alarming drop of tones blaring throughout the station. Pax sat up,hair stuck to one side and Danny was already sliding his short on and standing.

"I swear man,do you even sleep?" Pax muttered I'm awe. Danny was always the first one up and into the bay no matter what time of the day or night. Awake and alert.

"Light sleeper I guess." He responded which is what he said every time. They listened as dispatch listed their mission and the address. A fire. Already adrenaline was swirling through each of the men's veins. Tiredness turned to excitement as they leapt onto their apparatus giddily,did isn't with the zipper and clips of their bunkers.

Danny sat beside Pax and they exchanged energized looks while putting on their headsets.

"Buckled up?" Jonas reassured as everyone chimed their yeses. Engine surging forward,the men were silent from their usual babble about anything mainly things inappropriately unrelated to their call. It was too early for that now and nothing was heard but the muffled roar of the engine as it drove and sirens blaring outside. Hardly any cars were out on the road no need for the horn.

Pax's slid his arms into his SCBA straps on either side of him and buckled the snaps beneath his seatbelt resting his mask on his lap in between his Kevlar protected legs. His stomach growled and he frowned remembering that he only ate half his dinner the previous night. The engine stopped and men were out,metal doors slamming into place pax slid the mask to his face and connected his regulator reaching back and turning on the knob for airflow.

He could already see men flying into action as fire had surrounded a propane tank next to an old gas station. Captain Ross was yelling orders through the radio and the men followed knowing the actions by heart. Pax was supporting Danny,back against his nearly adoptive brother pushing force into him to keep the man from sliding back forced by the pressure of water jutting from the 2 1/2 inch hose.

Danny advanced forward and so did Paxton,canvas knees scraping against gravel. They fought it as far back as they could,how long it had been burning was unknown. They didn't know the cause of the fire either they just knew they had to cool the tank. Danny advanced a little closer and both men felt the heat so hot it felt like their plastic helmets would melt.

Boom.

The propane tank exploded and everyone dropped low. Pax tried his best to support him but they were the closest to the site of action. Danny flew back and Paxton went with him,helmet blown from his head and landing somewhere opposite from its host. The hose writhed like a rapid snake and the men quickly lowered the pressure enough to control it and back up arrived using a different attack to smother the fire.

Paxton was rendered unconscious but only for a few moments before the ringing in his ears woke him up. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath until his chest started to pound and he gasped in air. Someone was atheist side but he couldn't tell who it was,ringing in his ears so loud that was all he could hear. That and the rush of air being pushing in and out of his mask.

EMT's had put Paxton on a backboard and took him off to the side far away enough from the fire were they could remove his mask safely. Disconnected from his SCBA,he was able to see the faces clearly. Jason and Lacey the odd pair of EMT's he knew pretty well from the field. Lacey was kneeling next to him removing his gloves and placing two cold fingers to his wrist. He knew she was taking his pulse.

"Lacey." He said softly and she smiled at him calmly. Lacey was Willy's niece so Pax knew her like a cousin.

"Hey big guy,take it easy I'm just checking you out. Your helmet came off." Lacey advised setting down his wrist and flashing a light in each of his eyes. "Pupils equal and responsive to light bilaterally." He muttered towards Jason,the much older medic.