I Tried, I Really Did. But…

 

“10-4, it’s a structure.

Fully involved.

A real hot one, too.

Send fire units to my location.”

Standby.

“Someone’s coming toward me.”

Please, you’ve got to help him.

“Help who, ma’am?”

The old man.

He’s in there.

I tried.

But it was too hot.

He’s trapped.

Screams.

A bedroom.

“His room?”

Yes.

Please hurry.

Heat and flames.

A fireplace,

times ten-thousand.

Smoke.

Thick.

Heavy.

Choking.

Eyes,

Burning.

Get low!

Crawl.

Glass.

Smoldering carpet.

Hot embers.

A doorway.

So hot.

Can’t breathe.

A little further.

Ashes.

Heat.

Too intense.

TV.

Melted.

Smoke boiling and billowing.

Can’t see.

Hands burning.

Wheelchair.

Caught,

on bed frame.

A crutch.

Out of reach.

A foot.

A leg.

Trapped!

Pull and tug.

Pull,

Harder!

Fire.

Crackling.

Popping.

Something falls.

Crash!

Hallway.

Dragging.

Straining.

Pulling.

Muscles,

Screaming.

Can’t see.

Sweating.

Burning.

Heart,

pounding.

No air.

Pulling.

Dizzy.

Can’t breathe.

No strength.

Can’t breath.

Almost there.

Can’t…breathe…

Moonlight.

A touch.

Strong hands.

Gloved hands.

Pulling.

Dragging.

Helping.

Cool night air.

Deep breaths.

Firefighters.

Oxygen.

“Yes, I’m okay.”

A few burns.

Not too bad.

Yes,

the coroner’s on the way

“I tried,

I really did.

But he was already gone.”