Smoke
One
“A transfer!?” She cried out “To where? When?”
“Black wall, Blue watch tomorrow 6pm”
And with that the conversation was over, the station officer rose from his chair leaving the room quickly, she sat in the office deflated.
Two years she had been at her station, two years of being subjected to dirty jokes and a barrage of criticism and patronising almost daily, despite that she loved the job, she adored being a firewoman almost feeling as though she was part of the elite, there weren’t many fire women around, she had fought through and shocked everyone proving herself to be a capable and reliable firefighter. She knew this from her sub officer telling her in a previous meeting, her stomach knotted as she thought about arriving at a new station and having to prover herself all over again, especially being as she didn’t know an awful lot about Black wall, she had a few run ins with them at a couple of larger jobs but wasn’t on overly friendly terms with them, she sighed heaving herself out of the chair making her way to clear her locker.
As the evening rolled in she approached her new station, swinging her legs out of her car she looked up at the building, using her hand to shield her eyes from the low evening sun she swallowed, sighing to herself, she locked her car up and checked the handles to ensure it was locked, her car had been her pride and joy since her dad passed it down to her, it had also been the butt of many a joke at her last station, a bright red Ford Capri, she had adored it since she had passed her test and first revved the engine.
with her hand tightened around the handle of her kit bag, her yellow cork helmet hanging by its chin strap from the crook of her arm, she sighed and walked in to the station, taking wide confident steps as she went, an older man glanced at her, from the watch room,
“Can I help love? Are you lost?”
She tried to hide her distain behind a cheery smile, knowing that she would need at least one person on side, should anything go wrong,
“Erm, no actually, I’m fire woman Scarlett Drummond, I’ve been transferred here” she was met with blank looks “I would have thought the kit bag was a giveaway”
“Ah yes! I remember now! Sorry busy day! Follow me love” she did as she was asked, following him up the stairs “The rest of them aren’t here just yet, they should start turning up any time now though, what did you say your name was?”
“Scarlett”
“Lovely! I’m Bert, most of them call me sicknote though, I don’t mind either” she smiled and nodded “Have you got a nickname? If not, you’ll get one, they’re a nice bunch, barks worse than the bite mind”
He showed her to her locker and bed, squeezing her shoulder,
“No doubt guv will want a word before Roll call, take my word for it, he come across as a monster but he’s quite a nice person” he paused thoughtfully “Greek I think”
She sat opposite his desk, Listening intently as he explained the day to day running of the station, he weaved his hands together in front of him, smiling warmly,
“Any questions?”
She smiled back,
“Nope it’s all be wrapped up for me”
“Good!” he smiled, “I must warn you though, although friendly, the other crew members may try a joke or two on you, its usually harmless, but I thought I’d warn you”
She rolled her eyes,
“Nothing I’m not used to Guv, I’m sure I’ll be fine”
She swallowed hard, as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the crew, perfect strangers either side of her, she stared forwards sternly as sideways glances burned in to her,
“And I’m sure you’ll all take great pleasure in welcoming, our newest firewoman, Scarlett Drummond, she’s transferred here from borough Green and will be with us for the foreseeable future”
She felt her shoulders sag, wishing that the Georgiadis hadn’t drawn attention to her.
she soon found herself nestled in to the mess room with a tea, she watched closely, taking in the mannersisms and dynamics of the new group around her she stretched her arms out In front of her cracking her knuckles,
“That’s bad for you that is, gives you arthritis, What’s up Dolly?”
One of the blokes goaded, George she believed his name was. She answered with a shrug,
“Nothing, just listening to you lot”
“Deciding which one of us strapping lads you want a bit of first?”
The mess room erupted with laughter, she remained silent, adjusting her pony tail, she leaned forward resting her elbow on the table and her head on her hand, one eyebrow raised
“Finished?” her eyes locked on to him, the laughter soon quietened “the last person in this room who I’d have a bit of, George, is you, but then judging from your sense of humour I can’t be the only woman who thinks that”
Stunned in to silence he looked around the table, most had pursed lips trying to stifle their laughter, as if on cue, a shrill ring echoed throughout the station breaking the tension, she received a pat on the shoulder from a tall dark-haired fireman,
“Nicely done”
He smiled as they all sprung to life rushing towards the pumps and setting off from the station, she could hear the whispers behind her,
“Fuck me she drives too!”
“Black wall, Blue watch tomorrow 6pm”
And with that the conversation was over, the station officer rose from his chair leaving the room quickly, she sat in the office deflated.
Two years she had been at her station, two years of being subjected to dirty jokes and a barrage of criticism and patronising almost daily, despite that she loved the job, she adored being a firewoman almost feeling as though she was part of the elite, there weren’t many fire women around, she had fought through and shocked everyone proving herself to be a capable and reliable firefighter. She knew this from her sub officer telling her in a previous meeting, her stomach knotted as she thought about arriving at a new station and having to prover herself all over again, especially being as she didn’t know an awful lot about Black wall, she had a few run ins with them at a couple of larger jobs but wasn’t on overly friendly terms with them, she sighed heaving herself out of the chair making her way to clear her locker.
As the evening rolled in she approached her new station, swinging her legs out of her car she looked up at the building, using her hand to shield her eyes from the low evening sun she swallowed, sighing to herself, she locked her car up and checked the handles to ensure it was locked, her car had been her pride and joy since her dad passed it down to her, it had also been the butt of many a joke at her last station, a bright red Ford Capri, she had adored it since she had passed her test and first revved the engine.
with her hand tightened around the handle of her kit bag, her yellow cork helmet hanging by its chin strap from the crook of her arm, she sighed and walked in to the station, taking wide confident steps as she went, an older man glanced at her, from the watch room,
“Can I help love? Are you lost?”
She tried to hide her distain behind a cheery smile, knowing that she would need at least one person on side, should anything go wrong,
“Erm, no actually, I’m fire woman Scarlett Drummond, I’ve been transferred here” she was met with blank looks “I would have thought the kit bag was a giveaway”
“Ah yes! I remember now! Sorry busy day! Follow me love” she did as she was asked, following him up the stairs “The rest of them aren’t here just yet, they should start turning up any time now though, what did you say your name was?”
“Scarlett”
“Lovely! I’m Bert, most of them call me sicknote though, I don’t mind either” she smiled and nodded “Have you got a nickname? If not, you’ll get one, they’re a nice bunch, barks worse than the bite mind”
He showed her to her locker and bed, squeezing her shoulder,
“No doubt guv will want a word before Roll call, take my word for it, he come across as a monster but he’s quite a nice person” he paused thoughtfully “Greek I think”
She sat opposite his desk, Listening intently as he explained the day to day running of the station, he weaved his hands together in front of him, smiling warmly,
“Any questions?”
She smiled back,
“Nope it’s all be wrapped up for me”
“Good!” he smiled, “I must warn you though, although friendly, the other crew members may try a joke or two on you, its usually harmless, but I thought I’d warn you”
She rolled her eyes,
“Nothing I’m not used to Guv, I’m sure I’ll be fine”
She swallowed hard, as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the crew, perfect strangers either side of her, she stared forwards sternly as sideways glances burned in to her,
“And I’m sure you’ll all take great pleasure in welcoming, our newest firewoman, Scarlett Drummond, she’s transferred here from borough Green and will be with us for the foreseeable future”
She felt her shoulders sag, wishing that the Georgiadis hadn’t drawn attention to her.
she soon found herself nestled in to the mess room with a tea, she watched closely, taking in the mannersisms and dynamics of the new group around her she stretched her arms out In front of her cracking her knuckles,
“That’s bad for you that is, gives you arthritis, What’s up Dolly?”
One of the blokes goaded, George she believed his name was. She answered with a shrug,
“Nothing, just listening to you lot”
“Deciding which one of us strapping lads you want a bit of first?”
The mess room erupted with laughter, she remained silent, adjusting her pony tail, she leaned forward resting her elbow on the table and her head on her hand, one eyebrow raised
“Finished?” her eyes locked on to him, the laughter soon quietened “the last person in this room who I’d have a bit of, George, is you, but then judging from your sense of humour I can’t be the only woman who thinks that”
Stunned in to silence he looked around the table, most had pursed lips trying to stifle their laughter, as if on cue, a shrill ring echoed throughout the station breaking the tension, she received a pat on the shoulder from a tall dark-haired fireman,
“Nicely done”
He smiled as they all sprung to life rushing towards the pumps and setting off from the station, she could hear the whispers behind her,
“Fuck me she drives too!”