Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment. All OCs belong to me.

Chapter 23

Seven months later – June 1983

"Okay, Sam," granddad said. "Just remember what I've taught you. Go easy on the brakes when you need to slow down. You were a bit lead-footed at that last intersection."

"Would you prefer it if I didn't stop?" I asked teasingly.

"No! Just keep driving."

I couldn't help grinning. I'd had my 'D' plates for about three months now. In Wales, all learner drivers have 'D' plates, instead of 'L' plates. The 'D' stands for 'dysgu', which is the Welsh word for 'learning'. I thought I was doing quite well as a learner driver, but granddad didn't seem convinced. I supposed he was just worried about letting an almost-sixteen-year-old drive his only car.

"That's a 'Give way' sign there, Sam."

"I know," I replied as I started to apply the brakes. "I can read English just as well as Welsh."

Granddad chuckled. Unfortunately, I braked a bit too hard, causing him to move forward in his seat as the car decelerated. He gave a longsuffering sigh.

"Sorry."

"That's all right, Sam. You'll get used to the brakes soon. Now, check that there's no oncoming traffic, and then you can go."

"I know how 'Give way' signs work," I said as I flicked on the left indicator.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to insult your intelligence."

I accelerated and turned left.

"Good. Now, change up a gear."

I did so.

"Well, at least you didn't grind the gears that time," granddad muttered.

"I said I was sorry!"

Granddad chuckled. "Relax, Sam! So, have you decided what you want to do for your summer holidays?"

"I think I'll go back to Pontypandy for a few weeks."

"I see. Getting sick of Cardiff, are you?"

"No! It's just that, Sarah and James have started teething, so I thought I could give Charlie and Bronwyn a hand."

"Always thinking about others, aren't you Sam?"

I merely smiled in response. Then, I glanced at my watch. "Uh, oh. I think I'm going to be late for my lecture." And I started to accelerate a bit more.

"Watch your speed, Sam!"

I slowed down. "Sorry. I just don't want to miss this lecture. My lecturer is going to run through the exam, so we'll know what to study over the weekend."

"Well, if we're late, it's your fault. You were the one who insisted on studying this morning."

Minutes later, I arrived at the university, and I parked outside the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. "Thanks, granddad," I said as I grabbed my backpack from the backseat. "I'll see you at four outside the School of Chemistry."

"Good luck with your chemistry exam."

"Diolch!" And with that, I bolted from the car, and I ran towards the building.

…

"…And don't forget that your exam is on next Monday morning at nine a.m.," my lecturer said a couple of hours later as my Welsh History lecture came to an end. "Pob lwc, pawb."

"Diolch," my classmates and I muttered on our way out of the lecture theatre.

I hurried down the hallway towards the exit. I only had about twenty minutes to have lunch before my practical chemistry exam. I knew what my experiment would be, so I was really looking forward to it. My chemistry lecturer seemed to be quite impressed when I handed in my experiment plan, so I hoped I'd at least get a distinction.

Luckily, I'd brought a packed lunch to university today, so I was able to quickly eat it outside the chemistry building before I went inside. Our practical exams had been staggered throughout the week, so only ten of us would be in the laboratory at a time. There was no way for us to cheat, because we'd already submitted our planned experiments to our lecturer a month earlier. Any deviation from the plans without prior approval would require an immediate investigation, and almost certainly a fail.

I entered the chemistry lab to find all of the equipment we'd requested set up on separate benches. There were Bunsen burners, beakers and vials of assorted sizes, tubing, funnels, and a variety of chemicals and metals neatly arranged on each bench. Leaving my backpack near the door, I carried my work notes over to my assigned bench. Then, I waited for my lecturer, Mr Robinson, and the rest of my classmates to arrive.

Before long, the exam began. I worked methodically through my experiment, ensuring I checked everything twice. It was progressing nicely, when one of my classmates suddenly cried out in alarm.

"Oh, no! No! No! Help!"

Turning, I saw that my classmate had accidentally knocked over his Bunsen burner, and it had fallen into a plastic tray filled with metal fragments. The tray was already on fire.

"Get away from the bench, everyone!" Mr Robinson ordered.

"Turn off the gas, sir!" I added as my Fire Cadet training kicked in.

Mr Robinson immediately hurried over to the emergency shut-off switch, and he flicked it. The remaining Bunsen burners went out, but the fire kept burning. I turned to my classmate.

"What chemicals were you using?"

"A few, but there's magnesium shavings in that tray!"

No wonder it's taken off the way it has, I thought as I ran across the room to where the fire extinguishers were kept. I grabbed a bucket of sand, before hurrying over to the fire.

"Be careful, Sam!" Mr Robinson called.

"I know what I'm doing, sir," I replied. "Just get everyone out!"

While Mr Robinson ensured that my classmates evacuated the room, I dumped the bucket of sand on top of the fire. While most of the flames died down, some of them escaped beyond the now melted tray. They began consuming the label of a glass bottle containing ethanol.

Knowing that I'd done what I could, I hurried over to the doorway where Mr Robinson was waiting for me.

"Come on, Sam," he urged. "We need to get out of here." And with that, he ran towards the stairs.

But I didn't follow him. Instead, I sprinted over to the nearest fire alarm in the hallway. There were still hundreds of people inside this building who needed to get out. The fire alarm system was brand new, and while many people thought that it was a big waste of money, I knew how valuable they were.

Thanks for teaching me how to use these, Station Officer Michaels. Grabbing the small hammer next to the alarm, I smashed the glass, and I hit the button, which activated the fire alarm. Within seconds, the hallway was filled with panicked students and adults, all trying to get out of the building at once.

I started to move with the crowd, but thick, toxic smoke was now filling the hallway, making it difficult to see where anything was. I knew there was a staircase nearby, but I couldn't see it now. Then, out of nowhere, someone accidentally bumped into me. Before I could stop myself, I lost my footing and fell. I instinctively put my hands out to cushion my fall, but my right arm buckled beneath my weight. I landed on my right-hand side, banging side of my head against the polished concrete floor.

I'm not sure how long I was unconscious for, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. The panicked crowd had disappeared, and the only sound I heard was the fire alarm echoing loudly in my ears. Then, as my senses came back to me, I heard at least two people coughing and gasping for air nearby. I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by thick, black smoke. However, it was a lot thinner down near the floor, so I didn't try to get up.

"Get down!" I said as loudly as I could to the people near me. "Get down and crawl. The smoke is thinner at ground level. You'll be able to breathe."

Hearing some shuffling, I hoped that someone had heard me. Then, I heard the familiar sound of approaching sirens outside. Thank goodness!

At that moment, a loud explosion came from inside the burning lab, rocking the entire building. I heard glass shatter as a huge fireball blew out the doors and windows of the lab. It was like a bomb going off, but I guessed that it was probably caused by a chemical. Someone screamed and started crying, but there wasn't much I could do to help them. From the sound of it though, their crying was more from fear than pain, so I hoped they were okay.

I started to crawl across the floor, but when I pressed my right hand down, a sharp bolt of pain shot through my wrist. Okay, that's not good… Using my left hand, I managed to crawl over to where I was sure the stairs were. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found them. I paused for a moment as a coughing fit overwhelmed me.

Now, I had a new struggle – getting down the stairs. I drew in a deep breath before I sat up. Then, I swung my legs down onto the steps, and I began the process of pulling myself down them on my bottom. I had to pause frequently to cough, but the further down I went, the thinner the smoke got.

When I reached the landing, I crawled over to the wall, so I could lean against it for a moment to rest. I continued coughing, but not as badly as I had been before. It was getting easier for me to breathe. Looking up, I saw the smoke escaping through an open window near the top of the stairwell. It was quite mesmerising to watch. I could still hear other people upstairs, but from the sounds of their coughing, I knew they were also finding their way towards the stairs.

Then, just as I was about to resume crawling down the stairs, I saw several firemen starting to climb up the stairs, kitted out in BA gear and carrying hoses. When they reached the landing, one of them knelt down next to me.

"Sam?" he exclaimed. He seemed stunned to see me.

I just coughed and nodded in response. It was Leading Fireman McArthur. He scooped me up into his arms as if I weighed nothing more than a feather, and he carried me down the rest of the stairs.

Outside, there was organised chaos everywhere. Now that I was able to breathe fresh air, I clenched Leading Fireman McArthur's jacket to get his attention. I could only speak between gasping breaths.

"Tell the BA team… It's a chemical fire… Magnesium… People still inside… Gas is off… I tried to put it out… Teacher forgot to trigger the alarm… So, I did…"

"It's okay, Sam," Leading Fireman McArthur soothed. "I'll let the BA team know what they're dealing with. You've done a good job." He carried me over to where the emergency vehicles were parked. "Sir! It's Fire Cadet Jones! I found him on the stairs. He said that it's a chemical fire fuelled by magnesium. There's still people inside."

"Copy that," I heard Station Officer Michaels say. He spoke into his radio for a moment. Then, he moved into my line of sight. "How many people do you think are still inside, Sam?"

"At least two," I replied. I coughed violently again.

"Take him over to an ambulance," Station Officer Michaels instructed Leading Fireman McArthur. "They'll take care of him. He needs oxygen urgently."

Leading Fireman McArthur carried me over to a nearby ambulance, and he carefully lay me down on a stretcher. Only then did he remove his BA mask.

"What's his condition?" a female paramedic asked.

"He's suffering from smoke inhalation. I'm not aware of any other injuries. It's a chemical fire, so it's potentially toxic."

"Okay, thanks. We'll take it from here."

"Please, take good care of him," Leading Fireman McArthur begged. "He's a Fire Cadet at our station, and one of the best we've ever had."

"I understand. You'd better get back to your job," the paramedic said as my stretcher was loaded inside the ambulance.

I closed my eyes as a wave of exhaustion swept over me. The paramedic placed an oxygen mask over my face.

"Okay, I just want you to breathe that oxygen for me, please," she instructed. I didn't need to be told. "That's good. We're about to get moving, so I just secure these straps around you. Just lie still and relax. There now. Do you hurt anywhere?"

I placed my left hand around my right wrist, indicating that it was injured. The paramedic gently moved my wrist around, feeling for breaks. The ambulance started moving then, but since I wasn't seriously injured, the driver didn't put on the siren.

"I think you've just sprained it, but we'll take some x-rays just to be sure. Is there anything else?"

Using my left hand, I lifted the oxygen mask off my face, so I could speak. "I was knocked out… I'm not sure how long I was out for though." And I replaced the mask.

"Okay, we'll treat you for concussion as well. I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake for now."

I nodded in understanding. Then, I lifted the mask off my face again. "My mum's a nurse, so I know why I need to stay awake."

"Good. Just concentrate on breathing the oxygen for now."

I put the mask back, adjusting it so it was comfortable. My only concern now was about how I was going to contact granddad.

Minutes later, the ambulance arrived at the University Hospital of Wales. The paramedics unloaded me on my stretcher from the ambulance, and I was taken inside the emergency ward. A doctor started walking beside my stretcher as I was wheeled down a hallway.

"What's his condition?" the doctor asked.

"Smoke inhalation, possible sprained right-hand wrist and concussion," the paramedic replied. "I think it would be best to x-ray his wrist, just to be sure."

"Okay, I'll take it from here. Thanks."

The paramedic left me then. I was taken into a room, and my stretcher was placed in an area that could be curtained off. The doctor started checking my vitals. While he did that, an emergency room technician removed my outer clothes, before dressing me in a white hospital gown and covering me with a sheet. After he'd gone, a nurse came over. She gently removed my oxygen mask.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Better," I replied.

"Well, that's good. Now, I just need to get some information from you, for our records. What's your full name?"

"Samuel Payton Jones," I replied.

She wrote that down on a clipboard. "Good. And your date of birth?"

"June twenty-one, 1967."

"Thank you. And do you have any family members that we can contact?"

"Yes, my grandfather, Tomos Jones." And I told her granddad's phone number.

"Excellent! I'll go and phone him shortly, to let him know where you are."

The nurse went over to the doctor, who was taking my blood pressure. "Even if he does have concussion, there's nothing wrong with his memory," I heard her whisper to the doctor.

"I heard. I'll just finish this, then I'll have him taken to x-ray. It looks like his injuries are minor though."

"That's good. I'll go and phone his grandfather now."

The nurse left. I stared up at the ceiling, and I let my mind wander back to what had just happened.

I hope everyone made it out safely. I just don't understand why Mr Robinson evacuated the lab without thinking to evacuate the entire building. I just wish I'd put that fire out when I could. Oh, it's no use wishing I'd done things differently. What's done is done. I did what I could, based on the training I've had. I hope everyone understands that.

"Sam?" the doctor said gently, snapping me out of my thoughts. "We're going to take you to the x-ray unit now. Just lie there and relax. We'll get you settled in a room soon."

"A room? Can't I go home?" I asked.

"No, I'm afraid you'll need to stay here overnight for observation, because of your concussion."

"Oh. I understood."

The emergency room technician wheeled my stretcher to the x-ray unit. Once there, two of them lifted me onto the x-ray table, laying me down on my back with my head on a pillow. They then placed a weighted apron on top of my body, while a nurse stretched out my right arm.

"That apron will just protect you from the radiation," the nurse explained as everyone else left the room. "Now, lie still and try not to move. I'll be back shortly."

I did as I was told. It wasn't easy to lie completely still, but I managed it. A few minutes later, everyone returned, and the apron was removed. Then, I was lifted back onto the stretcher, and I was wheeled away to the small children's ward within the hospital. I was taken into a room containing two empty beds.

"Which bed would you prefer to have?" one of the technicians asked me kindly.

"The one nearest the window, please," I replied.

"I thought you'd pick that one."

"Then why did you ask me?"

The other technician laughed. "He must be feeling better!"

Together, they gently transferred me onto my chosen bed.

"There you go," one of the technicians said as he tucked me in. "The doctor should be here shortly with the results of your x-ray, so just stay in bed and rest."

"Thank you."

As the technicians were leaving, the nurse entered. "How are you feeling now, Sam?"

"Tired."

"That's normal with concussion. I've contacted your grandfather, and he's on his way."

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Then, I saw that the nurse was holding an inhaler. "Thanks. What's that for?"

"It's just some medicine I need you to take for your smoke inhalation. Have you ever used an inhaler before?"

I shook my head, so the nurse patiently showed me how to use it.

"I know I'm not supposed to sleep, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to stay awake for much longer," I said after I'd inhaled the medication.

"That's okay. You just go to sleep if you need to. I'll come back in an hour or so to check on you. Your grandfather should be here by then."

"Are you sure I'll be okay if I sleep?" I asked nervously.

"Are you feeling dizzy at all, or do you have blurred or double vision?"

I shook my head again.

"Then I'm sure you'll be fine. Your concussion isn't serious, even though you were knocked out. I'm sure a short nap will help you recover."

"Okay, thank you," I whispered in reply. Then, I settled down to sleep.