A quick one-off I needed to write to deal with something that happened tonight. Not from fire, but a person who was supposed to love me. I'll go back to Hail to the Chief after this.
Gone. All of it was gone. The memories, the souvenirs, the little things that remind you of when you were safe.
My own apartment has been firebombed so many times I have my renter's insurance on speeddial. But the important stuff wasn't there. My apartment was the place for clothes and a TV and furniture from Goodwill. Rex was the only important thing there. The yearbooks, the baby photos, my baton-twirler uniform, they stayed in boxes in the basement of my parent's house.
For all the malicious fires set in my life, the one that is the most devastating wasn't malicious at all. Just a bit of old wiring giving out.
I had been at dinner at my family's when we smelled smoke. At first we thought something has spilled in the oven, landing on the heating element and smoking. We didn't panic. By the time we realized the smoke was coming from the basement it was too late.
I suppose it could have been much worse, no one was hurt. The living part of the house is fine, if a little smoky. We only lost the contents of the basement. Paper and fabric. Christmas tree ornaments and yearbooks. Much of it I hadn't looked at in years. But the loss was still real. Biting at my insides, nearly doubling me over.
I stood in the lawn as the lights flashed around me. I felt the warmth hit me half a second before arms wrapped around my shoulders.
"I'm so sorry. I was in Philadelphia, I rushed back as soon as I heard. Are you alright?"
I nodded mutely. I was still numb. I didn't know how I would feel in the morning, but for now the warmth was comforting.
"Take a walk with me."
I numbly turned from the house, taking comfort in the body close to me. When we were out of sight of the onlookers, he pulled me to his chest. It was only then I let the sobs hit me. He held me, I clutched his shirt, and sobs racked my body. I don't know how long we stood there, I just stood in his arms while I mourned the loss of my childhood memories.
