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WORDS OF FIREFIGHTERS - 36 - DEFEATING THE DEVIL

THE HOUSE IS APPROXIMATELY 24’ X 48’.  WITH THE GARAGE ADD ANOTHER 15’. WALK PAST THE TRUCK IN THE GARAGE AND PUSH THE LAWN TRACTOR OUT OF THE WAY.  NO TIME TO WASTE WORRYING ABOUT OUR OWN SAFETY.  KICK IN THE KITCHEN DOOR.  GET IN THE DOOR AND STOP THE LIVING BREATHING DEVIL IN FRONT OF YOU.  THE HEAT IS SO INTENSE. MORE INTENSE THAN ANYTHING EVER FELT BEFORE.  THE SMOKE DARKER THAN THE BLACKEST NIGHT.  WE HAVE A JOB TO DO.  CANT LET THESE THINGS STOP YOU.  GOT TO GET IN THERE. NO FIRE IN THE KITCHEN.  WHY IS IT SO DAMN HOT.  THE HOUSE IS ALL BRICK.  IT IS HOLDING IN THE HEAT AND THE SMOKE. 

THEY TOLD US HE IS IN HERE AND BEGGED US TO HELP HIM.  WE HAVE TO IGNORE THE HEAT BEATING US IN THE FACE.  WE HAVE TO FIND HIM.  IT IS TOO DARK TO SEE.  CRAWL ON THE FLOOR AND TRY TO FIND OUR WAY PAST THE HEAT AND SMOKE.  WE ADVANCE AND SO DOES THE FIRE.  IT IS COMING AT US FAST.  FASTER THAN WE LIKE.  WHY IS IT MOVING SO FAST.  IT HAS NO WHERE ELSE TO GO.  WE OPENED THE DOOR FOR IT TO TRY TO MAKE ITS ESCAPE.  WE ARE BETWEEN IT AND THE ONLY OTHER WAY OUT.  WE HEAR NOTHING BUT THE CRACKING OF THE WALLS AND THE CEILING. 

 THIS DEVIL IS EATING EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH.  HE HAVE TO STOP IT BEFORE IT GETS TO CLOSE TO US.  DONT QUESTION OUR OWN SAFETY.  PUSH FORWARD.  OUR AIR IS RUNNING OUT.  ARE WE CLOSE TO FINDING HIM?  WE DONT KNOW.  WE PUSH OUR BODIES AND OUR MINDS TO THE LIMIT.  HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE TAKE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE FOR US TO MAKE IT OUT ALIVE.  WILL THIS MONSTER GET TO US?  WE HAVE HELP NOW.  THEY ARE ATTACKING IT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE.  IT STARTS TO REALIZE IT IS BEING DEFEATED.  THE SMOKE TURNS  WHITE BUT STILL NOT CLEAR ENOUGHT TO FIND HIM.  OFF OUR BELLIES AND ON OUR KNEES.  STILL HOT BUT BEARABLE. 

 WE HAVE TO GET OUT.  OUR AIR SUPPLY IS GONE.  BACK OUT AND LET THE DEVIL THINK IT HAS WON.  WE HURT IT AND NOW IT IS WITHDRAWING.  IT WON THIS BATTLE JUST BARELY BUT THE WAR ISNT OVER.  GET OUT AND GET ANOTHER AIR PACK.  NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP ME FROM GOING IN TO FINISH THE JOB I STARTED. 

 A NEW CREW GOES DEEP INTO THE SMALL HOUSE.  ARE THEY CLOSE YET?  CAN HE STILL BE WAITING FOR US?  TIRED AND WEARY I WATCH TO SEE HOW FAR THE NEW CREW GETS.  THEY PUSH FARTHER THAN WE DID.  WE DUG OUR HEELS IN AND FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT.  WE CLEARED A PATH FOR THE NEW CREW TO FOLLOW.  CAN THEY MAKE IT FAR ENOUGH TO SAVE HIM?  I WANT TO GET BACK IN THERE.  I HAVE TO GET BACK IN THERE.  HE IS WAITING FOR US.  THE DEVIL IS BRINGING THE ROOF DOWN NOW.  CANT LET ANYONE GET HURT.  THIS WILL NOT BE A VICTORY FOR THE DEVIL.  THE DEVIL HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO THE CORNER WHERE IT CAME FROM.  WE HAVE TO SEARCH.  THE ROOF CAME IN WHERE THEY SAID HE WOULD BE.  WE CANT SAVE HIM NOW.  HE COULDNT BE ALIVE WITH THE HEAT AND THE SMOKE AS INTENSE AS IT WAS.

WE DIDNT FAIL.  WE DIDNT GET BEAT.  IT SNUCK UP ON EVERYONE AND HAD A GOOD HEAD START ON US.  BUT WE FOUGHT OUR HEARTS OUT.  I CANT LIFT MY HEAD.  MY HEART IS BROKEN.  WE DIDNT SAVE HIM.  WILL WE GET BLAMED FOR NOT SAVING HIM?  NOT FROM THE ONES THAT ARE HERE AND SEE WHAT WE DID.  DO WE WANT PRAISE?  WE DONT.  WE JUST WISH WE COULD HAVE HAD A FAIR CHANCE TO WIN THE WAR.  SOMEWHERE UP THERE, THERE IS AN ANGEL THAT KNOW WE TRIED TO SAVE HIM FROM THIS HORRIBLE FATE.  HE KNOWS WE GAVE OUR HEARTS AND SOULS TO SAVE HIS. 

EVERYONE THERE THAT MORNING KNOWS THAT EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE, WAS DONE.  THE DOUBTERS ARE COWARDS AND COULD NEVER DO WHAT WE DID TO ATTEMPT TO RESCUE ADAM.  WE WERE CLOSE BUT STILL SO FAR AWAY. I FOUND YOU BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.  I KNOW AND HE KNOWS.  WATCH OVER YOUR FAMILY AND WATCH OVER US.



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