That never happens.
Not to mention how mymostly straightflag flew right out the window the moment that Em touched my leg.
It shouldn’t be that easy, should it?
“1-2-2–”
“Choo choo!”Hat and I both call out to the windshield.
“—fire is on scene. Requesting ETA.”
“Tell ’em to look up,” Hatley snarks into the radio and pulls the bus over behind a water truck.
Armed with our go-bags, Hatley and I both start the trek through the waterlogged grass and flowing puddles.
“He promised you’d go ride after work, right?” Hatley asks me, barely sparing me a glance as we walk.
“Yeah, but—”
“He wouldn’t have made that promise if he didn’t intend to keep it, Ten. He’s not the same as us.”
My jaw grits and though I want to dispute it, I can’t.
Addicts have a tendency to lie. Steal. Cheat. Anything to get a fix. And the two of us know that all too well.
My fingertips tingle and I clear my throat.
“Yeah. I’m just worried.”
He hikes his bag up higher on his shoulder and tosses me a look. “Then I’ll give him my phone when we get home.”
“I’ll get him one, man. I just gotta wait until payday.”
Hat rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, all three fucking days’ worth thanks to me? He can have mine. I don’t fucking need it.”
I sigh, and though I wanna argue with him, we’re cut off by the fire captain barking orders the second we’re in earshot.
***
The night goes on much like that. Small snippets of conversation between me and my best friend interrupted by long stretches of hard fucking work. Blood.
Vomit on my goddamn boots.
And it was a rookie fire douche!
I guess scraping the two halves of a biker from between the concrete barrier and destroyed semi weren’t in his training manual.
It’s a tragedy that the guy died, don’t get me wrong. But judging by the skid marks left behind and the story the semi driver swore by? Sounded like our motorist played a stupid game and won a stupid prize.
Bikes are way too dangerous to do dumb shit on public streets, and without protective gear, nonetheless.
Not that I have any room to talk after what happened at the track.
At least he was already gone when we got on scene. It’s the worst when they’re still alive and we have to figure out how to tell them to call loved ones one last time.
How they ask what the fuck they’re supposed to say.
