Getting there

There’s always someone in your life that changes you, either for better or for worse. I’m not talking about the little changes like convincing you to dye your hair or teaching you how to bake brownies. No, this someone has the power to dig deep into the mind and body and eventually change your perspective on life completely. This person changes the beat of your heart, and the workings of your soul. This someone, if it’s the right someone, can give you the courage you need to stand up… and of course if it’s the wrong someone, they can instill the fear in you, which causes you to back down. That’s just Life… and it can be messy. No one is ever going to say it’s easy. It’s just a journey we all have to take to get where we need to go, and once we do, we realize that getting there was worth the trouble.

Chapter 1

I woke up to the familiar burning smell and it didn’t take me long at all to jump up and run toward the place where it was coming from. My mother’s door was shut—but I thank God it wasn’t locked—so I opened it and rushed toward the curtains that were ablaze.

“Mom!” I yelled to her. It was no use, she was out cold. I couldn’t help myself from yelling again, though. “Mom, wake up!”

I kicked the curtains trying to lessen the flames that were going out of control. I knew I couldn’t stop it this time. I rushed toward my room and grabbed my cell phone so that I could call 911. I ran back into my mother’s room and dragged her off the bed and into the hallway. I ran and woke up my little sister, Tiara.

“Tiara… wake up.” I shook her frantically. She woke up with a startled expression on her face. “C’mon we have to get out of here.”

Once she was up, I was able to call for help. “911, what is your emergency.”

“My house in on fire!”

I watched Tiara’s face turn to panic as she stood up, already knowing the drill. She ran to her closet and grabbed her bag which was already packed with clothes and other things she might need.

“Calm down miss, is there anyone in the house?”

I rolled my eyes. “Me, my little sister, and my mother. But we’re leaving now. Please come and put this fire out!”

“Help is on the way. Get out of the house as fast as possible.” Her voice was too calm for my liking. I knew I couldn’t be mad at her, but it was extremely annoying.

I hung up the phone, knowing they could track where I was without me giving an address. I ran back into my room and grabbed a bag that I had packed as well. It was a shame things had to be this way, but I had somehow found a way to salvage a little dignity by being prepared.

I made sure to get my mother and sister out of the house and no sooner than I had done that, the fire department was speeding in our direction—sadly, for the third time this month.

Everything after that was a blur, probably because the scene always played out the same. I saw police officers and fire fighters all taking their positions. My mother was placed on a stretcher, from her condition; it looked as if the fire had her in a shocked state or caused her to pass out. The truth of the matter was that she was drunk, and had dropped another cigarette which caused a fire. I pulled my 14 year old sister into my arms and tried to sooth her as she let the tears fall from her eyes. I couldn’t cry about the situation anymore. If I did, she’d have no one to lean on in times like this. It was always going to be this way. A drunk for a mother, a house that had seen more fires over the years than love and affection, and two siblings who had to deal with it all on their own.

“Excuse me, miss?” I glanced up at the tall police officer. He looked toward the house that was being invaded by the fire department and gestured toward it. “This is your house, right?”