It was a burning inferno. The blazing hot flames engulfed everything in its path, making it hard for Taylor to move through the apartment complex and search for victims.
'Taylor, report,' came Chief Boden's deep voice over her radio.
'The second floor is clear so far, Chief,' Taylor replied, scanning her surroundings and listening closely as she made her presence known, "Fire department... call out."
"Here," she heard a muffled voice respond as she entered another apartment.
Heading towards the voice she had heard, Taylor quickly located a woman and a small child huddled together in the corner of a room. Taking the small child into her arms, she rested him on her hip and helped, who she assumed was the mother, to her feet.
"Let's get you both out of here," Taylor told them, wrapping her arm around the woman's waist to support her and leading them towards the stairs.
Getting them outside to the waiting paramedics, Taylor removed her mask to get some fresh air and then went back in to finish her search. Approaching the final apartment, Taylor got the door open and stepped inside.
Hearing the sound of someone groaning, she made her way into a small, smoke-filled bedroom and scanned the room for the source of the sound. Spotting someone lying on the ground, Taylor immediately crouched down beside the guy and rolled him over.
Spotting the blood on his shirt, she carefully lifted it to see what she was dealing with and grunted as a fist connected with her mask, knocking her back onto her butt. Watching as the man struggled to his feet with wild panic in his eyes, she moved to stand and instantly regretted the decision as a foot connected with her stomach.
"Stay away from me," the man shouted as he towered over her threateningly.
"I'm trying to help you," Taylor told him, groaning as the guy took off and disappeared into the building, "Damn it."
Pushing herself to her feet, Taylor stumbled towards the door and went outside. Scanning the street as she again removed her mask, she spotted the guy being shown to an ambulance and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath.
"Are you okay?" Shay asked as Taylor leaned against the fire truck.
"Yeah, just an uncooperative victim," Taylor replied, pressing her hand to her stinging lip and looking at it to find blood.
Taylor was silent on the way back to firehouse 51, jumping from the truck and heading to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she ran her tongue over her split lip and took note of the soon to be bruise on her cheek.
Exiting the bathroom, she made her way into the rec room and poured herself a cup of coffee. Sitting up on the counter, she listened as Otis told one of his many stories and chuckled lightly when Cruz threw a skittle at him to shut him up. Feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket, Taylor retrieved it and instantly rejected the incoming call from her ex-boyfriend. Jumping off of the counter, she put her empty cup in the sink and went to find Shay.
"Hey," Shay greeted with a smile, "What's up?"
"Are you still looking for another roommate?"
"I am," Shay said with a slight frown, "I thought you already had a place."
"I do, but you were right..." Taylor mumbled, "I need a change of scenery."
"Then the rooms yours," Shay replied with a grin, pulling Taylor into a hug, "This is going to be fun."
Smiling, Taylor nodded in agreement and felt a weight lift from her shoulders.