When Paul woke up it was hot, the floor shook, and it thundered. He slipped his feet out of bed and placed them on the floor. In the confusion of the moment the sensation was meaningless. With the intense heat under his feet, he stood up. The bedroom door opened to the black smoke moving along the ceiling.
Working nights, he slept as his wife would go to her morning university class. Where was June? His one and a half-year-old daughter who usually slept in a bassinet beside the bed until her mother returned. It was empty—he remembered her awake and calling this morning. She was taken to their babysitter.
Paul rushed to the side door; and down the three steps to the door. He stepped out the door with bare feet, pajamas, and a towel over his shoulders on this mid-November morning. Smoke bellowed from behind him as he looked out snow was drifting down.
His bare feet were now stinging from the cold, relieved from the heat. Paul’s neighbour open the passenger door to his car. The house was on a busy street half a block from the fire station. The car door just closed as he heard the sirens of the fire trucks.
Thick smoke bellowed from the shattered windows as they were smashed from inside by the firemen. The fire crew hurried in pulling along the hoses. The clouds of smoked thinned until the black clouds were replaced by light grey signals. The fire captain rapped on the car window, and Paul open the door.
“You were inside?”
“Yes,” replied Paul.
“Is there anyone else?” asked the captain.
“No,” replied Paul. “I need some clothes.”
The captain nodded and motioned to a member of the crew, who took Paul into the hot building.
“Just get what you need. You’re not allowed to be here.”
Paul grabbed his shirt and pants from the bedroom. Everything was stained black-grey and every plant was wilted and dead. As Paul stepped out of the house, the captain handed him a card.
“Call me as soon as everything is settled.”
Paul, was feeling awake, vibrant, and energetic as he smelled the smoke from his clothes.
Kate, his wife looked annoyed and angry as he walked into the computer lab at the law school.
“We had a house fire,” he said.
“That’s what I smell,” she said.
They bought new clothes for Paul and got a hotel room where he showered. They picked up June from the babysitter at the usual time. At the house black soot was painted above all the windows. Yellow DANGER DO NOT ENTER tape was wrapped around it.
June got a child’s meal at the restaurant. Kate and Paul got a pizza and a bottle of wine. They had high energy and as they looked at each other and June a happy feeling grew until they were laughing at nothing.