explosion (jay halstead / one chicago)

chapter 2

liz's pov, a few minutes earlier

"I can't believe it's really been four weeks already. Feels like just a few days" I admitted to Sylvie, who was sitting next to me at the bar. She smilingly nodded in agreement.

Sylvie was my partner on ambulance 61 and while I was new to Chicago, she'd been working at firehouse 51 for a few years already. We got along from the moment we met and by now, we were inseparable, both at work and in private. In just a few days, we would be moving into a shared apartment, as I didn't want to bother my half-brother Kelly any longer and Sylvie needed a new place to stay as well. I could not imagine that the two of us likely would have never met had I not left Madrid to move to Chicago.

And even moving to Chicago had been due to so many coincidences. A few months ago, I would have never thought it was possible. Back then, Kelly and I rarely knew each other from a few calls. My mum had taken me home to Spain as soon as she broke up with our dad Benny, shortly after I was born. Kelly and I had never met in person. All the happier I was that my brother had agreed to let me live with him in Chicago until I found my own apartment, and that he had helped me get the job on ambo 61. With him, just like with everyone at the firehouse, I got along well. I knew moving to Chicago had been the right choice.

While grabbing another drink, I noticed Slyvie staring past me. I turned around slowly and of course, she was looking at Casey. When I turned back to her, she looked down, blushing a little.

"So, have you talked to him yet?" I asked with a knowing smile. It was hard to oversee the tension between the two of them.

"Shhhh, he's coming" my friend whispered.

"Well in that case" I laughed. "I'll be back."

Winking at Sylvie, I got up and made my way to the bathroom.

„Half the price for all drinks; Herrmann loves you!" Kelly shouted as I passed him.

"And I would love you if you paid the other half" I joked.

Inside the bathroom, I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror. It had taken a long while for me to reach this point, but I was content with myself. I was on a good way to leaving everything behind. Here in Chicago, with Kelly and firehouse 51, I had a loving family. I had Brett, Kidd and my other caring friends. I felt good with myself and with what I was doing.

I was about to fix a loose strand of hair when there was a loud bang, making the ground below my feet shake.

I heard screams, and noise, as if shatters were hitting the floor.

More screams.

Then it became incredibly silent.

There was a ringing in my ears still from the loud bang and a I noticed a too familiar, stinging smell.

Smoke.

Still dazed, I opened the bathroom door a tiny bit. What I saw seemed like a battlefield. It must have been an explosion, and it must have hit hard.

Many of the guests around the bar weren't moving, some were coughing or looking around without any sense of orientation. Blood was everywhere. But the smoke was worse, in a few corners I saw sparks. If the fire was to spread to the furnishing, soon the whole bar would be in flames. I cursed loudly. I felt dizzy, but I had to do something.

Covering my mouth with a sleeve, I fought my way over to Sylvie.

"Sylvie, Sylvie" I shook her desperately. There was a laceration to her head that wasn't looking well. But she needed to regain consciousness. All of this was too much for me, I couldn't take care of the first aid by myself.