His first blaze, a literal trial by fire. All the training and running around the yard, unrolling and rerolling hoses, didn't really do the experience justice. He hadn't expected the heat - not the warming and comforting kind - but the aggresive, dangerous, killing kind. All that paper and printer's ink provided rich food on which the fire could feed. This wild light of orange, yellow, and red, creating instant daylight in the darkness of night.

"Come on, Joe. it's just a barrel fire" he muttered to himself as his fingers fumbled with the hose. They'd fought minute barrell fires in the yard to practice. For some reason, his hands were shakier than they had been gripping the canvas casing. Soon though they would be engorged with water coursing through them, shooting liquid out the end any direction he chose to point it.