Theodore Jerome Cohen is the Readers’ Choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. The winning entry is decided by the popular vote and rewarded with a special feature here today. (In case of a tie, the writer who submitted an entry first is the winner per our rules.) Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
Radio
by Theodore Jerome Cohen
↯Engine 41, what is your status?↯
↯Engine 41, we have a single-family dwelling fully engulfed in fire.↯
↯Roger, Engine 41. Engine 97, are you on scene?↯
↯Engine 97, Truck 23, roger. Running a line now.↯
↯Rescue 41 from IC, are you standing by for medical?”↯
↯Rescue 41, roger. Have medical crew.↯
↯Engine 97, are all of the occupants out of the residence?↯
↯Engine 97, roger.↯
↯Rescue 97, I am attaching you to Engine 97.↯
↯Rescue 97, roger.↯
↯Engine 41. Urgent traffic, urgent traffic! We’ve had a roof collapse on the interior. We’ve had a roof collapse. ↯
↯Roger. You’ve had a roof collapse. Is anyone trapped?↯
↯Engine 41. Emergency traffic, emergency traffic! Firefighters down! Firefighters down! We have three firefighters down.↯
↯Roger, Engine 41. Be advised we are sending Light Force 61 to the scene together with three more rescue units.↯
↯Engine 41, roger.”↯
↯Engine 41, What is your location inside the structure?↯
↯Engine 41, I’m not inside the structure. I’m outside the structure.↯
[Radio silence]
↯Engine 41. Two firefighters rescued. Third severely injured firefighter being extricated now.↯
↯Engine 41, is your captain with you?”↯
↯Engine 41, yes. He requests a chaplain. Stat.↯
[Radio silence]
↯Engine 41, a chaplain?↯
↯Engine 41, yes, a chaplain. I’m afraid John Benson didn’t make it.↯
