Classic Drama In Real Lifereadersdigest.co.in 87Truck, trailer, car and 12-year-old
Shirley Young caught in the fiery cauldronWhooosh! The firefighter braced
himself as the air exploded around
them. This is it, he thought. Now
we’re goners. Shirley whimpered.
Royd felt sick with helplessness as
the flames washed over her. Then,
for a moment, the fire drew back.
“This is pretty rough, eh Shirley?”
he said, unstrapping his helmet,
“Put this on,” At
least it may help
save her face,
he thought. He
cinched the
strap tight un-
der her chin and
flipped down
the visor. As he
hunkered down
he thought:
Where the hell is
my cover?
The station
officer was run-
ning through
the car park to the rest of their
team, yelling at the top of his voice.
“Royd’s under the tanker. Get that
hose up here!” Struggling with the
water-filled hose, they took no more
than a minute to get within striking
distance, but it seemed an eternity.
A second wave of fire washed over
Royd and Shirley. Then more explo-
sions rocked the trailer, and Royd’s
heart sank. We don’t have a chance
now, he thought. He looked down at
the girl’s tortured body. I won’t leave
you. That I promise. Then he wrappedhis head with his gloved hands and
fireproof jacket, he crawled under the
trailer. Shirley was trying to hold her-
self up by clutching a cable over her
head, but her hips and thighs were
under the wheel assembly and her
legs were twisted up, like a grasshop-
per’s next to her chest.
“I’m scared. Please don’t leave me,”
she wailed. Royd
tucked his air
cylinder under
her shoulders to
support her up-
per body. “Don’t
worry,” he told
her. “I’ll stay, I
promise you.”
Royd meant
what he said;
he had always
made it a rule
never to break
promises to his
own three kids.
“My name’s Royd,” he said. “We’re
in this together now, so we have to
help each other.” He reached into the
tiny space and cradled the small body
in his arms. Having fended for himself
since his teens, he knew what it meant
to be alone and afraid. “Is my mum
alright?” Shirley asked. Royd replied:
“She’s a bit burnt, but she got away.
My mates will soon get us out, too.”
The air was so thick with fumes that
the two of them could barely breathe.
Royd knew it would be only seconds
before the vapour ignited.