They were already dead, so we left them to complete the search of the floor. From all the signs, the fire downstairs had smoldered for hours, releasing more than enough toxic gases to kill, before it broke out and took off. The fact they were still in their apparent nesting place meant they had probably perished in their sleep, and were, in fact, dead when we got here. Still, along with the sorrow at the death of these innocent creatures, I felt a personal sense of defeat. The company's quiet soberness indicated they felt this, also.
Most firefighters are familiar with death.
It is our sworn enemy. From where I stood I could see past the mattress out the front window. I moved closer to get a better look at the street. Yeah, there he was, sitting stoically on the corner across the street, waiting patiently for these strangers to leave so he could return to his little family, maybe a bit nervous about their welfare. Sometimes we act impervious to it, perhaps to keep it from breaking our hearts.