Ethnic was sitting in his parents house, listening to prodigy on the radio, the sound of firestarter blasting away in the kitchen made him want to laugh at the significance of it.
"Andreas! Turn that radio down! " His mother shouted from her bedroom. Ethnic rolled his eyes and started getting ready to go out, he was meeting Malcolm and Charisma at the Hungry Horse. He was about to put on his denim jacket when his mother came in; Desdemona Lewis was a force to be reckoned with. God fearing and fearful off everyone, she was always fussing over her children.
"You be careful when you go out Andreas, you don't know whose about. The police were on the estate last night. There was a race attack nearby. "
Ethnic looked at his mother and gave her a hug,
"Mum I'll be ok I promise. I'm in the brigade, nothing can touch me. " He said jovially and reassuringly but Desdemona was still looking stern.
"I'm serious Andreas and while we're on the subject of the brigade, I don't like the company it keeps particularly that young lad with the black curly hair. The things I've heard him say to you is offensive in my eyes. "
"That's Vaseline and he's not a bad person, he just likes to play the field from time to time. "
"He has no right to do that! What about all the diseases you can get not to mention the possibility of long lost children scattered about. "
Ethnic shook his head and walked out the door, not bothering to say goodbye. Desdemona sat on the stairs and burst into tears, she had a feeling that something terrible would soon happen to her boy.
At the hungry horse, Charisma was ordering his drink when he saw Malcolm chatting up the blonde barmaid by the counter. Charisma always wondered how some of his colleagues could chat up a woman so easily whereas he always struggled to do so over fear he would be humiliated. He sat back at the table where Ethnic was, Ethnic was on the phone, texting Bayleaf and Josie to come and join them.
"Well then, is Bayleaf and his lady friend coming to join us? " Malcolm said as he sat at the table with the drinks. Ethnic nodded,
"Their on their way, their just getting changed. Vaseline is on night duty with Hallam tonight so they won't be joining us. Sicknote says he's unwell, his back is playing up and Rambo is taking his wife out. "
"Oh right. The prices in here are unbelievable, I've just spent £17.50 on this round! " Malcolm complained as he gave the drinks round to everyone just as Bayleaf and Josie walked in. Josie looked great; her blue check shirt, black vest top and jeans made her look cool while Bayleaf was wearing his favourite black leather jacket.
"I'll get this round guys. " Bayleaf said with a grin,
"I'd watch your wallet if I was you, the prices in here are stingy. " Malcolm remarked.
Just then, Vaseline came in, smelling strongly of aftershave and smiling at a passing brunette.
"I thought you were doing a late shift. " Ethnic remarked as Vaseline sat down,
"Well you thought wrong dairybox. I have swapped my shift with Rambo, turns out his missus is working late, she's a nurse."
"That fire this morning down by the pet shop, does anyone think that was an insurance claim? " Josie shouted quickly as she could see Ethnic getting wound up by Vaselines racist remark.
"Definitely but we can't prove it can we? " said Charisma. Malcolm grinned,
"The owner of the shop underwent a similar situation a few years ago when I first started at blue watch. He owned a bike shop by the off licences but it faced going under administration a week after the fire. He got quite a bit of money out of it I can tell you. "
Josie smiled as her colleagues laughed. She liked being in their company, particularly Bayleafs and preferred being with them rather than her husbands.
"Oh Blue Watch, what would I do without you? " she thought to herself as Bayleaf arrived with a tray of drinks.
Later that night, when everyone was going home, Ethnic walked past the station and looked up at it. Five years he had been a fire fighter and he enjoyed every minute of it despite the crap he got of Vaseline and the prejudice he got outside of work by the racist residents on his estate. He had achieved so much and gone through so much to get to where he was and he hoped that all he had done was enough to get him his well deserved promotion.
All of a sudden, he could hear something in the bushes. Rustling, whispers and a crunching sound.
"Whose there? " Ethnic called out. No one replied. He got nearer and nearer, hoping whoever made the noise would reveal themselves. Then, two men came out and without saying a word, they ran up the street. Ethnic noticed that they we're holding what looked like lighters and water bottles filled with liquid. Were they planning to torch the station? Did they hold a grudge against anyone whose worked there? Ethnic knew that somehow he had to find out who they were.
He was on his way home when he could hear two men arguing from behind him, Ethnic turned and saw Vaseline arguing with an older man with dark, sleeked back hair and wearing a pinstripe suit. At first Ethnic could not make out what was being said but then the shouting got louder,
"You can't go on like this! You'll kill yourself! " Vaseline yelled as he dragged the older man towards him, the older man rolled his eyes,
"If I want a drink I will have one. You can't stop me, now run along and put out some more fires, Lord knows the youth of today cause enough. " His voice was slurred as he walked away, staggering about slightly. Ethnic carried on walking, hoping that Vaseline hadn't noticed him.
Who was that man? How did Vaseline know him?