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FULL MOON BLUES |
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Outside, the disbelieving driver didn't know if there was anyone still left alive in the rubble he was seeing to answer the call... ************************************* From : "patti keiper" <pattik1@hotmail.com> Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Aftermath Date : Mon, 21 Oct 2002 19:54:57 +0000 In the blackness, the boy with glasses looked up. He could see a yellow light flashing on the radio over his head and could hear the dispatcher speaking. He was crying steadily in small sobs from where he sat up against the brick wall, and he looked out into the daylit ruins of the garage. A steady cloud of water misted from the shattered hydrant by the street into the bay and cleared away some of the worst of the dust. ##Station 51. Transmit HT as an alternative. All bands have been cleared for you. This is L.A.. Respond....## The boy looked down. Next to him on the ground was the fireman who said he was captain for the others. He was lying on his stomach and not moving. Remembering what his mother taught him about helping people, he got up, pushing wood chards and debris off of himself, he quickly snatched the microphone off its spigot and held it to his mouth. He knew about CB radios because his dad had one. "Mister... I'm in the fire house! The roof came down and I can't wake the captain fire chief.... Hurry!.." he sniffed, very frightened. Around him, rising warm wind from the outside and sounds of frightened people on the avenue filtered in to him. Gasping, the boy could see another foot underneath the red vehicle in front of him. It was Susie, his friend's, and it was starting to move as if someone were pulling her. There was a long pause as L.A. checked to be sure things were switched to a one to one frequency. Then..Sam's voice came back on the air.##Son. Understood. I've got help coming. It's on the way. ## Robbie could hear multiple call signs going out on the air behind the man's voice. All he could think about was that it was alot of numbers. 8, 10, 127 ,36, Batallion 14... He started to memorize them in his shock but the dispatcher man's voice dragged back his attention.. ##What's your name?## "R-Robbie.. my teacher's name is Miss Thorne.. We were here on a tour of the firehouse. " ##All right Robbie..There's been an earthquake and that's why things are fallen down. Do you think your fireman Captain Stanley, is still alive? ## Sam asked. |
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"Yes.." Robbie replied. "He's making noises." #Good. How many besides your teacher were with you..?## "Seven, sir.." ##Ok. Now, I want you to get out of there if you can. Can you see the daylight from the main doors. Are they open?## "Y-yeah. But its hard to see... The fire hydrant's on and there's a funny smell in here.." Sam was side keying a dispatch to the gas company to shut off service to that block with one hand. He turned back to his microphone to Robbie, still inside the shattered fire station. Already, he was getting citizen's reports about further damage to the building next to Station 51 and minor reports of some more in nearby warehouses. But none were as bad as those coming in about the station house. #Robbie. Drop the microphone and leave. It's not safe for you to stay. Don't worry about your teacher and other classmates. There are more fireman and police on the way who'll take care of them. Now go.## L.A. heard the line disconnect as the child dropped the radio mike. Sobbing.. Robbie, gave one last look at Cap, who was moaning as he started to awaken, and crawled over him and over brick piles and sections of the ceiling rafters. He made his way through the spraying water from the ruptured water line and safely outside the collapsed garage. Sam switched to Station 51's HT frequency and started hailing. ##Station 51. This is L.A. monitoring on handheld frequencies bands. Your situation is noted and assistance is on the way...Gas company has been notified....Station 51, do you copy?## ========================== Once Robbie was outside, the auto driver who had stopped earlier, snatched him up. "Are you all right son? Where were you?" He cast his eyes on the still dusting, smoking debris of the main garage. He couldn't see where the boy had come from at all. "I was in there..on a field trip..But I talked to the radio dispatcher man and he has other fire engines coming!" But then the situation proved too much and the tiny boy fainted in the man's arms. The group of people from the avenue gave shouts of dismay as the man lowered the boy to the cracked concrete of the boulevard to make sure he was all right. No one had the presence of mind to go into the firehouse, distracted because of their concern for the pale boy. |
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Roy coughed and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Robbie safely getting out. His arms were full of two weeping little kids, still in their tour helmets. Marco, was nowhere to be seen. ::He was right here next to us...:: Roy thought, peering around in urgency. Overhead, he could hear the actions L.A. was taking to aid them all. He snatched up a handy talkie from inside the squad's shattered driver's window when the squad door didn't open. "L.A., This is Squad 51.. Still here. Stand by. I gotta get some of these children out..Will advise once I know more." Roy could almost hear the sound of audible relief in Sam's voice. ##10-4, 51. ETA of responding units is four minutes..## Already, Roy could hear PD sirens growing in the distance as they wove around scattered stopped vehicles on the boulevard. Roy wiped away blood from his forehead and he shouted, "Cap!!" "Ughhh..h.." came a moan from his left. Roy turned to the boy and girl, gripping their arms. "Now did you see where that little boy just went? He was getting out to safety.. Now I want you to follow him.." "We don't want to leave you..." one of them cried. "It's ok to be scared. But there are people out there who are going to be able help you better than I can in here. You're going to be fine.. I'll show you exactly where to crawl out.." Roy gasped. He lifted them over sections of the roof and winced as cold hydrant water covered them all. ::At least a fire can't start in here.:: He glanced down where he saw Cap struggling to sit but Cap waved him on even as he held his sore head. "Go DeSoto.. Finish what you're doing.. I'm ok.." Hank said. "I'm not going to go anywhere until you're with me.." "All right.. Here, Cap.." and Roy tossed him the HT he had retrieved. He started shouting even as he picked up each child and watched them go through the tangle of metal garage door sheeting to the street. "Marco! Chet! Answer me!" A blast of an air horn from the engine under the worst of the debris pile cut through the hiss of spouting water and Roy smiled. ::Chester B, am I glad to hear you. You must've gotten your boys into the cab all right..:: |
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FULL MOON BLUES |
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Click Rescue Squad to Goto Page Eleven :) |
