My childhood home...

     I sat in the ambulance with fear in my eyes, my body trembling crying and feeling helpless. I looked at the EMT with despair as he placed the oxygen mask over my face. My heart was beating through my chest as I worried about what was to come from this tragic incident. I looked outside the ambulance and saw flames that were deep red and amber colored raging through the window, black smoke flowing into the sky and ashes falling into the grass. All I could do was sit and wait staring and recording it's stunning recklessness, at that moment I have never felt more helpless. In a world where I felt we had everything, I then felt that we had nothing.

     I lay in the cool green grass after school watching my little 
brother rummage though which toys he was going to play with next. The birds were singing their peaceful afternoon melodies while the sun rests at the peak of the sky. I gaze wondering why clouds move in such a direction and at such speeds but enjoy the stories they tell. It smelt of fresh pavement being layed as I heard cars driving by. I could hear my neighbors laughing with their families while they grilled their dinner. The smell of BBQ sauce swayed though the air and started to make my mouth water. I took this moment to relax and enjoy the simplicity of life.

     I was a freshman in high school with no cares in the world, 
tending my six year old brother while my mom worked. My parents had been divorced for three years at this stage in my life, and my older siblings lived with my dad which left me to care for my little brother while my mom was out. It was about seven o’clock that evening when I got a phone call from my mother joyous that she got to leave work early and spend time with my brother and I. She asked me to place a pot of boiling water on the stove so that she could cook dinner when she got home. Being a freshman in high school I took what my mom told me in one ear and out the other, I was ready and in a hurry to get back on the phone with my friends. I bent down and reached for a large pot and two full containers of vegetable oil, not remembering my mom wanted water not oil. I poured the thick yellow oil into the deep dark pan and place the stove on high not even crossing my mind the danger I was about to cause. I walked back outside to continue watching my little brother and get back on the phone with my friends. Ten minuets go by before I thought to myself I better walk back inside and check on the boiling oil.

     As I am walking inside a feeling of concern comes over me, 
something is about to go wrong and I'm not sure what. As I open the door my stomach sinks, it hits me that I boiled oil instead of water like my mom had asked, everyone knows your not supposed to boil oil because it can cause a grease fire. I look up and to my shock our cabinets in our kitchen are up in flames, I felt the wave of heat cover my body and I saw a huge dark cloud of black smoke cover the ceiling. It was too late the flames were already too intense for me to try and put out myself. I quickly grabbed my cell phone, ran outside and dialed 911. Fortunately my neighbor was outside and heard the 911 call I had made, running across the street with two fire extinguishers he runs into my burning house to try and put this grease fire out. He comes out 10 minuets later with the fire completely out giving me a hug and trying to comfort my tears.

     The firefighters arrive pulling up to my house with their sirens 
screaming and men running inside my home with hoses. With the anxious, hopelessness I was experiencing the paramedic took my brother and I into the ambulance, my face was turning white and my body was shaking uncontrollably I was in need of some oxygen. The tears were running down my cheeks as I saw my mother pull into the driveway, all I could think about was the pain and agony I was about to cause her. She heard of the news and runs into the ambulance relieved that her children were in there safe and sound, the sight of our faces was the comfort she needed knowing that we were safe. Things got settled and the firefighters and paramedics part ways, we were left to deal with this situation on our own. It was now safe and time to go inside and see the damage that the horrific fire had caused.

     I walked inside my home horrified at the sight I saw, our 
beautiful white textured ceiling and our cherry oak cabinets were now vanished into black charcoal and ashes. I fell to the ground weak and overwhelmed, looking up at my mother and seeing the pain I was causing her was worse than the actual fire. This grease fire had burnt for too long forcing us out of our home, taking what was left of our belongings and moving in with my aunt and her family until this situation was resolved. My life had gone from great to bad in all of thirty minuets. I have so many fond memories from this house that once was, I grew up sharing many holidays, laughs and memories there. Every time I watch the news and hear of house fires I experience this pain and heart ache all over again. This home that once was, was were I felt comforted and safe. The warm gratifying feeling I got from being inside that home with my tender family I will never forget. I hope one day I can let this memory be one of my past and move on knowing things could have turned out worse than they did.

     There was a very putrid smell that day that took over the whole 

house, like a bad barbeque party gone horribly wrong. The smell was so overpowering that it took almost two weeks to get it out of our noses and minds. The kitchen and ceiling had burnt down to nothing within a few minuets, making my family and I realize the futility of human life and ventures. It took my family many years to build memories with this house and it took nature only a few minutes to completely destroy them, this house and memory will last my family and I a lifetime.