My mom, sisters, and I had just come back from the movies to watch the best movie ever, Tangled, for a second time when we decided to pay my grandparents a visit. We had caught my grandfather by surprise and the pure delight in his face warmed my heart and put a big, silly, happy smile on my face. But, our visit didn't last very long...
No more than five minutes passed since we walked into my grandparents' apartment when my mom received a desperate call from my aunt (who lives in the floor below us in the two-family house we rent) crying uncontrollably trying to explain that a fire had erupted nearby. My mom, so overcome with panic, didn't quite hear the nearby part so we rushed on over to our house, especially since we saw the huge explosion of smoke towering over the other buildings from my grandparents' window. As soon as we arrived, we saw this colossal fire directly behind our house. Walking toward our home, I caught snatches of some of my neighbors, their ravaged faces and grim expressions...there were no words to describe all my jumbled up emotions.
My aunt shouted for us to meet her in our shared backyard, and when we got there the sight of the large flames eating up the neighboring apartments sitting behind our backyard, licking the sides of the houses at its sides...it was overwhelming, and nearly too much for me to bear...
My family and I stood there for a long time in the frigid weather gazing at the burning house, watching the (heroic) firemen hurriedly douse the flames, looking on as water shot out from all directions drenching the collapsing house. All I could think, for a long time, was that that could've been me and my family, it could have been our home. I huddled close to my family, taking comfort where it was given. Then I looked back and saw all those families looking on as their blackened homes slowly crumbled. I cried and cried so, so hard. I didn't know what to do with myself, particularly when we realized that we didn't know if everyone got out. The wait was painfully long, until we finally received an answer: yes, everyone managed to get out in time.
(The pictures of the house with the silver ladder is the house that was on fire and fell apart...I guess you can't see it that well. *shrugs*) Afterward I took the pictures you see. I felt like the entire occurrence was momentous as it was like nothing I'd ever experienced in my life, so I documented it so that I would not forget anytime soon. The whole experience was so surreal and one I don't care to take part in again. Those families...their homes...and right before Christmas also. It just hurts, you know. And it was frightening to wonder what would've happened if we hadn't been so lucky. Apparently the trees in our backyard didn't have any leaves to catch fire and the wind hadn't been blowing the fire in our direction, thankfully. But, still...
Unfortunately when we rushed out of my grandparents' apartment, I left behind the library's copy of Pegasus, so I won't be reviewing that for a bit, at least until I get it back. I'll be starting Linger tonight, instead...
I really, really hope and pray that those families are okay...
1 comments:
Wow, it is strange how tragic things near us have profound weight on our own thoughts. It is hard to go along thinking It Can't happen, when it is so close. One of my high school friends passed in a tragic freak accident this year. The unexpected feel of it, not an illness or even a car accident, made it feel bigger in some way. I think it makes us appreciate that there is no way to see the entire picture, so treasure what you take for granted. Thank you for being my first follow and have a great day.
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