A Weekend.
``Come on, Mueller, get those people away from the Fire Department line, we need space for incoming patients... and make sure you didn't park over a manhole like last time, I don't want the fire chief biting my head off again!'' said the middle stature frog as he opened the back doors to the emergency response vehicle, hopping out and immediately looking around, scanning for firemen to organize with face to face, since the fire was inside a restaurant and there could be a gas main involved.
The rookie, a stout, focused looking pig, breaking the stereotype by pure virtue of his work as a paramedic, lean and strong, instead of chubby; was just left blinking in the driver's seat at the blue blur his partner was, Levi had immediately burst into activity with a calm and precision that was concealed by the speedball energy he had, almost like he hadn't considered anything and just ran headfirst into action.
The third EMT in the ambulance, a much older, fatigued looking bulldog with hanging jowls just turned to look at him and nodded, a silent ``I understand...'' and said ``sit back, watch an' hold on, we're on call with Levi... might as well, now, put your game face on and let's go, kid, those people aren't gonna save themselves.''
As they emerged from the unit, the chaos was evident and running wild, as the firemen on the scene were already dousing the external part of the restaurant from one of their trucks, while the other one, parked a little to the side, was dousing the side access to the biggest, hot spot on site, the kitchen. ``Radio silent until further notice, people, also keep cellphones off, Parker, make sure to keep the people contained, we got to hurry to put the fire quickly so the EMTs can check for more people!'' shouted the fire chief, already red in the face, the tall mustachioed human directing the hybrid crew of anthro and human firemen efficiently and with frantic energy. The two paramedics immediately joined their frog partner into carrying the people the firemen had managed to get out immediately towards the secured area for triage and stabilization, Riley, the Irish bulldog hauling the oxygen tank to get into action, the rookie moving to push back the crowd after checking the ambulance parking spot.
Levi and Riley began taking care of the people while the firemen managed to douse the worst of the flames, after a few more minutes, so the chief turned and called over at Levi ``coast's clear for you and your team, but be careful in there!'' he said, a grudging respect for the frog, who even when they didn't see eye to eye on certain things, the human had to admit was a damn good paramedic.
Levi got up and nodded at the bulldog, who nodded in return ``got this, go with the rookie, lad'' he said in his Irish accent, and he ran over to the restaurant calling Mueller over as he did ``Come on, Mueller, go time'' and burst into the charred, soaked place, assessing the damage, luckily it was a lot of concrete, but the wooden tables and tablecloths were gone, and the soot clung to the walls making the place dark and blackened.
He turned on his chest lamp, keeping the battery compartment in his pocket to avoid any sparks, and began checking the people on the floor, some were goners, but there were some still breathing with small or medium urgency burns, some trampling wounds and injuries as the panic had taken over, luckily there were more survivors than casualties, at least on the front part ``go check the kitchen, I don't think there's gonna be anyone there, but we never know...'' he said efficiently as he hoisted up a teen parrot with singed feathers and a nasty looking burn down his chest and neck, the shirt more or less fused to skin as it melted ``got you, kid, hang on, you're alright.... Hang on'' and pulled him out, supporting him as they walked, and setting him onto a stretcher ``Riley, patch him up, we'll take him to County Hospital on the way out...'' and ran back in, just in time to see Mueller through the open kitchen door, heading to the open side door with one of the chefs, a human girl in his arms, unconscious but breathing and as he approached the door, Levi saw him reach for the radio clipped on his belt saying ``gonna radio Riley to let him know I got this one coming...''
The frog reacted in seconds, running across the wet, burnt floor, through the kitchen double doors, and slapped the radio off the pig's hand and away from them, pushing him by the waist in an almost football league worthy tackle, managing to get both his partner, the unconscious chef and himself out the door as, in a flash, the radio turned on, hit the floor and a spark hit the stove gas hose, the fire had started with a flash bang there, and there was some gas still in the piping, since someone had forgotten to shut down the main, a smaller, second burst of flame boomed out, making the firemen, already packing their gear, freeze and move into action again, fortunately managing to quench it with no major problems...
It was almost midday in Silvergrove, a Saturday where Liana, for some cosmic alignment or favor from the universe or whatever, didn't have work, any pending projects or any commitments to get to, and she was luxuriating on that fact.
The tall frog girl was sitting on a stool in her kitchen, at the small breakfast counter, sighing content as she nursed a warm cup of her usual morning blend of tea, Earl Grey with a hint of sugar and a cloud of milk, going through the latest in her growing collection of nature journals, compiled through a long time of hikes, cataloging her observations, sketches, pictures and notes on flora and fauna in the region she grew up in and loved so much.
She actually lived in the house she and her brother had grown up in, their folks long time retired and moved someplace else, they stayed in touch and got together for the holidays, and they had left the house to their children in a sort of living inheritance, and given their lifestyles and professions; it just made sense for Liana to live here, while Levi, her twin, moved to Meridian, the big city to reside closer to his EMT station and the hustle and bustle of his trade, but you could see hints of their history here and there, not only the framed family and sibling photos that mingled with the landscapes, pressed leaves and flowers that decorated the place, but in the height marks next to the kitchen door jamb, or the childhood footprints they planted on the fresh cement on the walkway in the back yard, and yes, the cracked back window in the kitchen Levi broke with a stray baseball and dad always said he'd fix; but never got `round to, the same window through which she was smiling at the sunlight this morning as she finished her tea and breakfast.
A faint, but familiar sound broke her daydreaming reverie and she turned with a slightly wider smile on her face, setting down her mug and stretching with the last yawn of remnant sleep; and made her way to the foyer as the sound solidified down the street: Levi's motorcycle revving and roaring down the road home.
She never understood what he saw in those things, loud, dangerous and expensive, and the way her twin took care and worked on that bike, you'd think he had fathered the engine himself, but on second thought, she did understand it, not the bike itself, the machine was a means to an end for Levi, it was the open road, the precise control yet freedom that came with it, and the way he unwound from the things he saw at work, and the freedom it gave him, and that she could perfectly grasp.
She was thinking these thoughts when the engine sound arrived, slowed down at the driveway and finally shut out, and she stood by the door for him. He came in a few seconds later, and smiled at his dear twin sister ``hey there, Tall Frog!'' he said in a recurrent greeting and joke that even after all these years hadn't managed to lose either the tenderness, nor the playful resentment at how height had dealt their cards; ``hey, Short Frog'' she replied and hugged him, kissing his cheek, and force of habit, learned pattern of hospitality and simple personal style she added ``Tea?''
But there was something there, she sensed it the moment they hugged, a tension, right on the set of his shoulders and neck, and she pushed back from the hug; looking concerned at his face, that chiseled blue face with his earnest, steady amber eyes, and she could see it immediately, the bags under them, sign he had slept little; if at all, the set of the mouth, that no matter how serious or tight, still never managed to lose the smile like shape their species always had, but not a smile, not exactly, and the sigh he had exhaled against her shoulder when she squeezed him in. ``oooook... Lev, everything ok? Not to be captain obvious, but you look like crap, did something happen?''
Levi shook his head, and spoke managing a faint smile, he couldn't help but smile in her presence ``no... yeah... ooof... did you... uh... catch the news?'' he asked as he let go of her and made his way to the living room, and slumped down onto the three seat sofa, immediately lying on it and stretching; a habit he had of taking as much rest as he could whenever he could, and resting a hand on his stomach, looking at Liana as she entered the living room and sat next to him, lifting his head to rest it on her lap and looking down at him, she replied ``no, not since... Wednesday, I think, why?''
He sighed a sigh that was half relief of being home and with his sister, half wish she had seen the news, it'd be easier to explain, and biting his cheek for a second he started, his hand moving to rest on her arm ``there was a fire yesterday afternoon in downtown Meridian, big restaurant had a gas leak during rush lunch hour, and the whole place went boom, fortunately most people managed to get out, but there were some burnt people, some tramplings, at least 4 of the kitchen staff didn't make it, but the firemen were able to put it out and we took the victims to hospital in time... but...'' he cut himself off and let out another, exhausted sigh, she nodded at him to go on, turning his chin to look up at her again ``go on...'' she whispered softly.
``There was an incident, one of my crew was responsible for it, a careless mistake, and the fire chief tore him a new one, justifiably so, he basically made `em work double, since he caused a smaller, second fire in the kitchen, but he had the gall to justify himself and argue back. I had to drag him off, while the fire crew took their chief away too, tensions high and all, but it was foolish of him and he was arrogant about it.''
Liana nodded, understanding, and actually chuckled and said ``oooooh, no... yeah, bad news... how hard did you bite his head off back at the station, does he still have a job, and... did you come over to borrow my shovel and have an alibi for a hidden body?'' she said, deadpan and serious, causing his brother to startle a bit, look up at her and arch an eyebrow, a second or so of silence until he realized she was actually kidding and breaking the tension with levity, specially considering the whole situation had passed and the people who could be rescued had been rescued, and he actually let out a peal of cracked, nervous laughter, shaking his head and answered her questions ``pretty bad, Riley had to literally hold me back, the chief said it was my call, since I was the one on scene, and he's out of a job, a shame, really, he was a good kid, a porcine named Mueller, but he fucked up big and then doubled down... and.... Question 3, no, and Damn, Lia, you're evil, remind me not to piss you off anytime soon!?'' to which the female amphibian replied with a laugh ``you annoy me on a daily basis, and that's something, considering you only drive out here every other weekend.''
But she smiled and moved her hand soothingly down his chest and said ``hey, I know, It's hard, but you did the right thing, and I know mom and dad didn't teach us, you in particular to suffer arrogant fools, and in your line of work those don't mix...'' she said and winked at him, and then, getting up, she replaced her lap with a couch cushion as she walked towards the living room door and said ``I'm not gonna give you tea, believe it or not, but a better idea, you gotta trust me, rest a few minutes, then come with me... I'll even ride your monstrous bike, but you have to trust me...'' and she left him to rest up, a puzzled look on his face at his sister's latest hare-brained scheme ``she's not monstrous, she's a lady'' he protested after her, but smiled, sighed, and closed his eyes, falling into a restful, if short nap.
A couple of hours later, considering Levi's nap, preparations and the drive on his motorcycle to a ``secret destination'' Liana just gave directions towards as she clung to his back and spoke them into his ear through the helmets, he wouldn't let her even sit on the backseat of the bike without one, let alone ride; the two frogs were walking down one or another of the forested pathways and hiking trials around Silvergrove, she leading the way, he a few paces behind.
He was wearing his riding boots, that were comfortable and broken in enough to manage a hike like this, comfortable jeans and one of his ever expanding collection of t-shirts from different events, today's read ``Meridian Bay Blood Drive: Keep the Bay Flowing'', while Liana was wearing her also well broken in hiking boots, jeans and a red flannel button up shirt over a plain t-shirt and had actually carried one of those long walking sticks in one hand to steady herself on hills or inclines, both enjoying the sun and air around them, and Lia had a backpack that doubled as a picnic basket.
``You do realize, Short Frog, that you got like five shirts with the same design, right?'' she said as they walked under the shelter of the leaves, broken here and there by rays of light and the fragrance of forest in their nose.
``I'll have you know, Tall Frog, that they are, in fact all different, this one actually has the year on it, see? Right here in the corner'' he retorted in mock-offended tone very maturely poking his tongue at her. ``Mature!'' said Lia with a chuckle and he replied ``completely'' agreeing and both breaking into easy laughter, the kind they had shared their entire lives, and Liana kept her smile longer being able to break her twin's tension and funk.
``A few miles more, but if you ask me again, I'm actually gonna march your short ass all the way to the furthest mine in Deer Fork and actually wall you in there'' she said, again monotone but with a giggle at the 6th or 7th time Lev had asked her how much longer, all of it more of the twin banter and mutual ribbing and annoying each other they had been engaging in since, basically the womb, one could assume. Finally they reached their destination, the last few miles, recognition dawning on the male frog's mind and eyes, and his smile widening more and more.
They reached the rocky outcrop hanging over the creek they used to play and swim in when kids, standing there shoulder to shoulder, wind blowing against them, crisp and smelling of springs and summers gone by, and Levi couldn't help but smile and take a deep breath, let it out with a slow sigh and whisper ``Thanks, Tall Frog''.
After a nice, small lunch brought by Liana in her backpack, the two siblings sat on the blanket as the sun began to set, Liana resting her shoulder on Levi's chest as he put an arm around her neck softly; feeling much more relaxed and in a better mood, and Liana feeling good about being able to bring a moment of peace to her dear brother.
``Next time, you gotta let me take you kayaking, Tall Frog, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of that!''
``Maybe, yeah... I guess I finally should... and hey if I don't like it, I can always visit your station and pin that photo of you falling into this very creek at, what was it, fourteen? Your face is priceless in that one, and I've kept it in a prominent spot in the album.''
``I'm sure you have, but if you do that, then I WILL definitely need to borrow your shovel and ask Riley for an alibi about your hidden body!'' he said matter-of-factly but kissed the back of her head to, of course, remove any sting from his empty threat.
``and I'm the evil one, Short frog?'' she chuckled.
``absolutely...'' he finished, and they sat there, enjoying the sunset before riding back home for the day.
