20minutes

Twenty Minutes, Johnny's Point of View

"Twenty minutes. That's all the time I have left. An if I breathe slowly I might have twenty-two minutes. Am I okay? Is anything broken. Okay mental inventory of my body…….

"How did this happen, I wonder. I mean one minute, me and Roy are evacuating this building and the next thing I know, I fall through the floor and I'm covered by this debris.

God, my leg hurts. I don't want to think my leg is broken AGAIN. At least when that happened the explosion knocked me out and I didn't feel the pain til I woke up at Rampart. I hope my face isn't cut like last time either. But it won't matter if…. Stop that! I can't think that way!

Okay, I gotta slow down my breathing. I wish I took that meditation class that Cathy wanted to drag me to. When was that? Three years ago. Boy Cathy, she was great, but once she started talking about houses and babies….well, I just ended it.

Maybe my life woulda been different if I didn't end it with her. Maybe I woulda moved on to a safer job in the department like engineer. Nah. I don't think so. Look at Roy. He took the test and passed, but stayed with the paramedics. I really wonder why he did it? I know he coulda used the money. I guess he loves being a paramedic just as much as I do. Who woulda thought that six years ago I'd be doing this, sticking needles in peoples arms to start IVs and restarting their hearts with the defribilator.

I don't know what it is about this program. It's not like I coulda asked any veterans about this program. The only one who had any experience was Roy and his was only in the hospital. We learned on the job and boy did we learn.

Shit, my leg really hurts. Okay I gotta stop thinking about my leg. Great, now I'll think about my ribs and my lungs. No can't think about my lungs. Why can't things fall on my head? At least I still have my helmet on.

Geesh, the Cap's always yellin' at me for losing my helmet. How many times have I lost it? The first time was up on that crane with that guy who changed his mind about suicide. Almost pulled me down with him when he fell. Hah. Yeah, I can laugh now, but back then, whoa, it was scary. And Roy joked with me about using reverse pyschology. I really was scared.

But Cap really was annoyed when I lost my helmet from the scaffolding rescue. How did I know I was gonna pass out from that monkey flu? I almost bought it then.

Whoa, shouldn't said that now. Slow down. Think slow thoughts. T H I N K
S L O W T H O U G H T S.

Yeah, a lot good that's gonna do. The guys always kid me that I talk too much an' I guess I think too much too.

Where was I? Oh yea, losing my helmet.

I don't wanna think about that anymore. Where are they? I got about ten minutes left. Don't they know?

Rule number 10. Don't panic. I bet the guy who thought of that was never in this situation with his airtank runnin' out.

Heard it wasn't such a bad way to go. Kinda like drowning. Yeah, like drowning. Take one last breath and that's it. No more. That's it.   Well I think there's coughing too from the smoke. Yeah, I know there is, then hello death.

Why am I thinkin this way? I'm not a down kinda guy. Ask Chet. If anyone can take the years of abuse he's thrown my way, you'd never call him morose.

Where's my watch? Shit it's broken. Well I don't think I'll need another one any time soon. Come on Gage. Can't think that way.

I can hear my heart beating. Well that's a good sign. A nice deep breath. I know I'm not suppose to do that, but it   feels    so    good. An' at least I know my ribs ain't broken. Had to say that word again, broken. I know I'm still alive cause my damm leg hurts. I bet it's busted in two places. Hope it's a clean break. Wish I could move that strut off a' me. I just can't. Probably used up more oxygen tryin' to get that off. What was I thinkin?

Oxygen. That word is the life and death of a fire. Without it, a fire couldn't start. Without it a fireman can't put it out safely without his airtank.

Shouldn't of said that again.

What's that noise? Is that my warning signal? Does it really mean that when it stops that's it? Not like I can ask anyone. Ha ha. Maybe I'll be the first to come back and tell all.

No. NO. NO!   It's not suppose to end this way. I'm suppose to retire from the force with a full pension and have lotsa little Gages runnin' around to take care of. Yeah, I know I need a wife first, but, NO."

"Johnny if you can hear us, where almost there buddy."

"What was that? Was that the Cap? I guess the handi talkie didn't get smashed. If only I could find it an' let 'em know time is of the essence right now.

Gosh, there are so many things I want to do and see. I wanna see my parents again and tell 'em how much they mean to me. I wanna go to the Rockies again. And I wanna go to Hawaii on vacation. Still wanna get a waterbed. A dog! Yes that's right, I want a dog. Okay slow my breathing down. We're gonna get through this. I'm gonna get through this. I was never paranoid before and hell if I'm gonna start now.

Hell. That's a funny word. I wonder if the devil let's firemen into hell. Wouldn't that be a contradiction?

That sound is getting softer. What does that mean again? Two minutes left?

No. NO. I'm not gonna go out that way. Well at least Roy isn't here with me. That's good. I know he got out while I continued to look for other victims. At least Joanne, Chris and Jenny will have their daddy tonight and the night after that and the next night…..

Oh no, that sound stopped. Okay Gage, slow down your breathing. You know how. Just think pleasant thoughts. Remember the trip to Santa Rosa County with Roy and all those wonderful fish we caught. That was nice. Real nice. Roy really was a good friend.

Ah, my throat hurts. Must be breathin' in some smoke. Ease off Gage. That's right. Nice pleasant thoughts. If I'm gonna go, I wanna think of nice, pleasant thoughts.…………"

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Cap's POV

Roy's POV

Chet's POV

a different POV from Chet

AND ON TO THE CONCLUSION OF TWENTY MINUTES