Sometimes I just feel like I'm destined to be a part of something big. When I was I high school I played sports and did a lot of things that would drive me to the edge. After high school, I joined the Army to become a Ranger. After doing two tours in Afghanistan I decided to move on to something new and exciting. So I moved to Pittsburgh to be close to my family and joined the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. Since then, I have been on some pretty messed up fire calls and this one is like no other.... I Can remember this call like it's the back of my hand, after this night and this fire call my life will never be the same..
Everyone was asleep, the gong goes off, and they are scrambling to get their gear and head to the trucks. While making my way to get to the engine I over hear a conversation between Chief Sanchez and Captain Lockhart" Be Careful! I heard that the government is doing some kind of TOP SECRET testing in the facility" As I get on the engine I get that feeling I had before, but only stronger!! We roll up on scene, as I was getting out Captain Lockhart grabbed me and and said did a face to face and said, " We have a report of some one being trapped on the second floor, get Dennis Salinger, and Angela Barrett to go in and do the primary search.
That's when he grabbed me by the bunker coat and did a face to face, " BE QUICK!, BE SMART! and GOD'S SAKE DON'T BE A HERO!" ( which means DON"T do anything stupid, use common sense). I met up with Dennis and Angela and briefed them on the situation stating "There's some one trapped up on the second floor and its our job to find and extract that person safely, grab your equipment, WE'RE GOING IN! " As we made our way up the stair well we could feel the intense heat on the floor.. We opened the door to the second floor door, and there was a heat wave that hit us. Dennis said, " If we soon don't find the person this place is gonna go! Angela said, " Don't ruin the moment Dennis!" I grabbed both of them and said " GET IT TOGETHER!"
After searching the first to rooms and finding nothing we start to search the third room which was the lab. When we we're about done searching the room there was a series of explosions and we hurried back Dennis , which was at the door. A bright flash and what seemed to be the largest boom that I have ever heard came from my right side. so I rushed to Dennis, and Angela and pushed them out of the room, and all I remember is trying to get them out when a table filled with a bunch of different beakers filled with odd looking fluid.
I remember getting rushed in to the E.R. and being surrounded by nurses and doctors trying to cut off my bunker gear and one of the nurses said to me in a calm voice," This will help with the pain". When I awoke I was in the hospital surrounded by all of my friends and family. Angela said," If it wasn't for you doing what you did we would be dead." Then Angela and Dennis both said thanks. After being in the hospital for a couple of days they left me go home and it was in enough time to watch the super bowl.
We had a bunch of friends over to watch the Super Bowl. It was the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Seattle Sea Hawks. I was in the kitchen getting something out of the refrigerator when I heard a very bad call by the referee. That started to make my blood boil. It felt like I was having a hot flash and I fell to my knees. In a split second the hot flash went away and that's when I noticed the kitchen was on fire. I ran into the living room to tell everyone to get out, but they were already were gone. I ran outside and I could hear everyone screaming and shouting " YOU'RE ON FIRE!!" Dennis went and grabbed a blanket from one of the neighbors and tackled me in a huge pile of snow.
Everyone was staring at me in shock and awe.... as I looked around standing in a creator of once was a huge pile of snow and ice. Then I said, "I feel a draft". Dennis came over and wrapped the half charred remains of once was the blanket and took me over to the car, pulled down the visor and said, "What's up with your eyes?". As I looked into the mirror in the visor, I noticed that my eyes were glowing red. Then I passed out.
When I came too, I noticed that five of our closest friends were hovering over me. I don't know why they were staring at me but I thought it might have been out of fear, pity or never seen anyone with bright red glowing eyes. Angela came over and felt my head and said that I was burning up and gave me one of those thermometers with the mercury in it. It only lasted for a couple of seconds when the thermometer shattered into little pieces allowing the mercury to go everywhere. They insisted that I go to the E.R. to get checked out, but I said that I'm ok.
I took Angela and Dennis out on the porch and asked them if they knew anywhere that I could go for a while and clear my mind for a couple of days. Dennis said that his family owns a cabin on Mt. Davis right by High Point Lake in Somerset County. Angela then said " That's it, just the three of us will go. Because you are like a brother to us and we want to be there for you like you were there for us."
To be continued....
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