When Jamie woke up, the first of his senses to return was touch. Oh how he wishes it hadn't returned first or at all! It's as if he'd landed on a bed of hot rocks. A stifling heat from the inferno above beating down on him relentlessly.
Soon, other senses returned to him. Smell. Now that was disgusting! The scent of burning was overpowering. Smoke particles latched on to his throat the moment he took a breath.
A horrid taste of kerosene soon followed. Ever since he took his first inhale, he's been coughing profusely. Jamie wonders how much more it'll take before he coughs up a lung!
Despite the awful taste and smell, neither could compare to his last two sense - sight and sound. The two most truly disheartening senses.
Jamie came to with a splitting headache. It's no surprise he hit his head considering the fall he had. Yes, a fall. A rather big fall. Already lying flat on his back when he awoke, Jamie could do little else, but stare up at the hell fire above him. For a moment, he did ponder whether he was in the real Hell or not.
Several attempts had been made to sit himself up. Granted, it took him a few painful tries. The last effort finally got him in a sitting position, but the movement, for all his sins – no, he shouldn't joke about that, considering it looks like he really is in Perdition – he receives a sharp shooting pain from his right shoulder.
The sergeant had cried out. Pain. Pain. Pain. One slight twist of his shoulder and a pain almost as red hot as the fire above radiated from the bone.
As he stifled back another pained yelp, flames had leapt out violently across the gaping hole above. Jamie could've sworn he heard a cackle. The fire revelling in the pain it's caused him.
Jamie kept his head low for a moment. Head spinning. Stomach churning. For lunch he had a really nice chopped salad full of colour and flavour. However, right now, he doesn't want to see it come back up again. So, he stays still until the nausea becomes more bearable.
After taking in his surroundings, Jamie had common sense, logic and police training forcing its way to the forefront of his mind. Soon he was fixing his radio. Thankfully, it seems God had taken pity on him, as the radio wasn't too badly damaged.
Eventually, after a lot of static, he finally got through to someone. Well, not just anyone. It was Danny. What a relief to hear his voice! Jamie was elated!
Despite his constant exclamations to his brother and sister that he's not a little kid anymore, he still has this inherent nature that urges him to seek out his older siblings in times of crisis. Now there's no room for argument here - this is most definitely a crisis!
As the brothers talk, Jamie finds himself starting to relax. Danny's voice is so soothing, even if there is an underlying tone of fear. The sound of his big brother's voice just puts him at ease.
The radio crackles "Sarg? You still there?"
Jamie shakes his head to wake himself up "Yeah, I'm here. Carbon monoxide must be building up. Fire is taking all the oxygen. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep myself awake"
So many words. So little breath. It sends his head spinning again as he coughs into the back of his hand.
"Just keep talking to me kid" comes a response, with words of hope, but laced in a scared tone "I need you to try and stay awake for me. We're gonna find a way to get you out of there. Just hold on baby brother"
The sergeant smiles to himself "Do you remember the last time you said that to me?"
"And what's that?" Danny responds in a lighter tone; he can hear the smile on his brother's lips.
"Just hold on baby brother" Jamie coughs harshly again "I was eight. You'd taken me out to the park"
"Yeah, and you got stuck on the monkey bars, I remember" his big brother explains for him "You were scared you were gonna fall off and plunge to your death"
"Hey, I was eight. I didn't know any better" Jamie's chuckle turns into another cough "I just want to say, thanks Danny"
"For saving you from the monkey bars? Yeah, no problem kid" Danny jokingly replies, trying to keep a light mood between the both of them.
The younger Reagan sighs as much as his lungs will allow him "Thanks for being my big brother"
A brief silence. It's unclear if Danny heard him. The radio has been struggling to stay alive almost as much as its owner. If the radio has reached the end of its life then so be it. At least he got to say some sort of goodbye to Danny. It would've been even better if he got to spend his last moments talking to his wife, but it seems what little luck he had left has dried up.
The sergeant leans back against a large piece of concrete debris. It possibly used to be part of the ceiling. All it's good for now is providing an exhausted cop with a back rest. God he's so tired! All he wants to do is sleep. Heavy eye lids start to droop, begging to be closed so his eyes don't sting anymore.
The radio crackles again "Jamie?"
Jamie forces his eyelids open, reaching for the radio once more "Eddie? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. I'm outside the building with Danny" Eddie tells him in such a tone that her husband only associates with her when she's deeply distressed.
"I'm glad you're here, Ed" Jamie pauses, taking in what little oxygen the air around gives him "Y'know I don't regret a single second with you. I loved being partnered with you for all those years and I love being your life partner now"
"Don't do this to me. Don't talk like this is the last time we're going to talk to one another" his wife's trembling voice hurts him more than the pain in his shoulder "You're going to get out of there. The fire department checked the building plans and they think they have a way to get to you. They're sending in a team now, okay? Please, just hold on Jamie"
Jamie smiles weakly "I love you, Eddie"
"And I love you" she responds "Just keep talking to me, okay?"
Jamie's hand slips away from the radio. Unable to hold on. It drops to the debris covered ground.
Above the unconscious cop, the fire rages on with an unwavering demand that everything in its path be burnt into oblivion. It has no regard for the life trapped in the heart of it.