INT. FIREHOUSE COMMON AREA - MORNING
We see Anna (23) a spunky 5’2 woman with red/orange hair, sitting at the kitchen table of the common area with her fellow firefighters. Travis (28), Leon (33) and Diana(D, 29).
Anna, being the youngest and the newbie of the bunch, listens intently, trying to find a time to jump into the conversation.
TRAVIS
That fire on main last week was nuts dude.
LEON
Yeah, what was it, like a Class B apartment fire?
TRAVIS
Yeah. Some crazy bitch probably tried to burn her ex-boyfriends shit.
LEON
(laugh)
Probably. Thankfully we charged that line in time.
Travis looks at Anna and smirks.
TRAVIS
I bet you could charge a line pretty fast.
DIANA
Leave her alone Trav.
TRAVIS
What? It was just a joke D.
Leon shakes his head.
ANNA
Thanks, but I can handle him on my own.
Diana laughs at Anna’s confidence.
DIANA
I didn’t mean to offend. I’m sure you could. And you could probably kick his ass too.
Anna sizes up Travis.
ANNA
True.
TRAVIS
(offended)
Hey! What happened to us being a team?
DIANA
We are a team. You bash her, we bash you. See? Teamwork.
TRAVIS
(sarcastically)
Ha ha, very funny.
Diana proceeds to talk to Anna.
DIANA
So, excited for your first shift?
ANNA
Yeah, and a little nervous.
LEON
That’s to be expected.
ANNA
You were nervous for your first shift?
LEON
Of course. All of us were.
They all nod in agreement.
LEON (CONT’D)
But don’t worry. We got your back. We don’t leave anyone behind.
LATER
SUPERIMPOSE: 9:43 AM
The entire team is lounging around. Anna starts to get antsy.
ANNA
What do you guys do around here to pass the time?
Diana looks up from her book.
DIANA
Read, play games, watch movies. Really anything we can to take our mind off work. Till we get a call at least.
ANNA
When’s that?
DIANA
Anytime really. Could be lunch, dinner or--
An alarm sounds, followed by an automated voice describing the fire and location.
DIANA (CONT’D)
Or right now. Come on.
Diana swiftly gets up from her seat, Anna follows.
Diana slaps the side of the couch, waking up Travis who has headphones in.
DIANA (CONT’D)
Trav, let’s go!
She bashes on the washroom door next.
DIANA (CONT’D)
Leon! Hurry it up!
Travis lags behind and bumps into Leon as he exits the washroom.
INT. EQUIPMENT ROOM
Travis and Leon enter the room. Diana and Anna grab their gear and head out the door, throwing on their equipment as they move. Travis and Leon follow, doing the same.
INT. HALLWAY
They continue through the halls, almost fully geared up.
INT. FIREHOUSE GARAGE
They approach the fire-trucks. Diana and Anna jump in Fire-truck 42 followed by Leon and Travis jumping in the back. Other fire officers and EMS proceed to clear the sidewalk and then enter their vehicles.
EXT. FIREHOUSE
SIRENS. The trucks light up and horns blare. Truck 3 exits as traffic slowly parts. Truck 42 exits next and stops immediately, barely missing a careless driver.
Travis sticks his head out the window.
TRAVIS
Get the fuck out of the way!
Diana honks the horn. The driver backs up and she drives out.
TRAVIS (CONT’D)
Asshole.
An ambulance follows suit after a moment.
EXT. BURNING BUILDING
Truck 42 drives up to the location. Truck 3 and it’s team is stopped and already putting water on the fire.
The firefighters from Truck 3 proceed to form a two-team block to push back the fire, attempting to save a civilian unconscious next to the building.
They slowly pull them out to safety.
Truck 42 stops and they all get out and take their positions.
Diana opens the side, grabbing a big hose. She throws it, rolling it out in one motion. Leon backs her up, bracing her as she turns it on.
Travis and Anna grab the rest of their gear, putting on their helmets, grabbing their axes and securing their oxygen tanks.
Diana and the other firefighters spray near the open doors, clearing the way for Travis and Anna to proceed. They move forward.
Smoke funnels out of the top of the doorway. Everyone shares a worried look.
DIANA
GET BACK!
Everyone but Anna and Travis retreat a few feet back. Anna turns hearing the retreat and then looks back at the doorway.
In seconds, a back-draft of smoke and flame shoot out. Travis pulls her back and down to the ground just in time, saving her from scorching burns.
ANNA
Thanks.
Shaken, they stand back up.
FIREMAN #1
There’s still people in there!
ANNA
Let’s go.
TRAVIS
You sure?
ANNA
Yeah.
Travis and Anna move into the building.
INT. BURNING BUILDING
They enter. Smoke and fire cloud their vision. Travis gives Anna hand signals and they move, heading up the stairs.
INT. BURNING BUILDING - HALLS #1
They clear room after room until the hallway splits.
TRAVIS
I’ll get this one and circle around, you go on ahead.
Anna nods and moves on.
We follow Anna as she continues. Flames and smoke consume the walls and ceiling. The heat rises so Anna ducks down a bit as she walks.
A SCREAM from a young woman alerts her. She quickly moves to the shut door and listens.
Another SCREAM.
ANNA
BACK AWAY FROM THE DOOR! I’M HERE TO HELP!
She brandishes her axe and swings, cutting through the door with each swing. Once through, she finds the woman and escorts her out of the room.
Travis moves into view through the flames. They try to talk over the crackling of the fire and their masks.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Get her out of here! I’ll check the next floor!
TRAVIS
It’s too dangerous! Don’t be a hero!
ANNA
I thought that’s what we were here for!
After a moment of contemplation, Travis nods.
TRAVIS
Okay, just be careful!
ANNA
Will do!
EXT. BURNING BUILDING
Diana and Leon continue their efforts to subdue the flames with the help of the other firefighters.
DIANA
KEEP IT FROM MOVING TO THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS!
Travis and the woman exit the building crouching under the smoke.
LEON
WE’VE GOT TWO COMING OUT!
They run towards the EMT’s. Travis hands the woman to one of the medical personnel and turns back around, moving back towards the building.
DIANA
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
TRAVIS
ANNA’S BACK IN THERE! I’M GOING TO GET HER OUT!
DIANA
THE BUILDINGS UNSTABLE, YOU WON’T HAVE MUCH TIME!
TRAVIS
IN AND OUT, GOT IT!
INT. BURNING BUILDING - HALLS #2
We see Anna move through the burning halls.
INT. BURNING BUILDING - ROOM #1
She walks through a doorway and looks around. Nothing but burning debris and office supplies.
ANNA
I think that’s everyone.
A crackling sound echoes around her. She turns. A burning support beam falls and cuts off her exit.
In moments, the crackling sound returns and she looks up. The ceiling comes crashing down on top of her. Her screams are muffled by the sound of the fire and falling debris.
INT. HALLS #3
Travis walks through the building, calling for her.
TRAVIS
ANNA! WHERE ARE YOU?
INT. BURNING BUILDING - ROOM #1
We can hear faint calls for Anna as she lays unconscious on the ground. Her helmet is broken and on the ground beside her, as well as her oxygen tank and mask.
She wakes, coughing and gasping for air. The room begins to fill with heavy smoke.
A burning beam pins her down. She tries to get free, but she is unable to lift the debris.
She outstretches her hand towards her oxygen mask. Her breathing worsens with each second.
With her mask just out of reach, she takes one last breath and tries to grab her mask.
She misses, as her fingertips touch the edge of the mask. Her vision blurs and she passes out.
MOMENTS LATER
She gasps and her eyes open wide. Her breathing begins to return to normal despite the smoke around her.
In her confusion, she touches her face, feeling for a mask, but nothing is there.
She looks at her outstretched arm. Flames continue to burn around it, and yet she is unharmed.
Anna grips the burning beam once again. With both hands, she attempts to move it.
This time, she prevails, tossing the beam aside. She moves the rest of the debris off and stands up. Smoke and flames surround her inside the room, she is unaffected.
Anna stands there in amazement.
INT. BURNING BUILDING - HALLS #4
Travis continues his search until he hears a cracking noise. He looks down. Just as he does, the floor under him collapses. He falls and clings onto the edge of the floor, holding on for his life. He tries to climb back up, but his gear weighs him down.
ANNA (V.O.)
TRAV!
He looks up and sees Anna. She reaches for him and he grabs her hand.
She pulls hard, helping him up. He sits on the edge, panting.
TRAVIS
I guess that makes us even.
She smirks and nods. They stand up and walk down the hall.
EXT. BURNING BUILDING
The building fire continues to rage. All the firefighters continue blasting water to try to contain it. A worried expression on their faces.
Suddenly, Anna and Travis exit the building.
A wave of relief flows through the rest of their team.
DIANA
Thank god. GET EMT’S OVER THERE NOW!
Anna shows an exhausted smile.
END.
