Wildfire Summer

F-I-R-E

            I watched my girl climb into the blue truck with her family to take off for their monthly trip to town for supplies. They would not be back until morning. Little did I know it'd be the last time I would see them in a long time.
            Once they disappeared down the road, I turned from the corner of my pasture that neighbored the end of the driveway and trotted over to my water trough. My name is Breezie. I am a grulla Quarter Horse mare with a blaze that starts thick then thins down the bridge if my nose to a diamond shaped snip between my nostrils. I have four white stockings that end right where my primitive zebra bars begin. My eyes are a delicious chocolate in color and I an six years old. I am owned by the most darling and energetic twelve year old in the whole valley.
          After dipping my muzzle into the cool water in my trough and sucking down a refreshing drink, I turn my head to the sky. To my surprise the clear blue skies that were here moments ago were gone. Thick black clouds were swiftly moving in, a normal sight for the mood swings of summer mountain weather. I paid it little attention. The clouds brought a very well appreciated cool down as they covered the sun. A low thunder could be heard from somewhere behind the mountain that my girl's house sat on. Rain was sure to be arriving any moment now.
      However, rain did not come. At least not the torrential downpour I had been hoping for. It had been a dry summer so far. August was halfway over and the potential for wildfires severe. There was a slight drizzle but most of the storm was ground shaking thunder and bright flashes of lightning.
      Hours passed and so did the storm. I was grazing peacefully when the faint smell of smoke drifted through my nostrils. I lifted my head to locate it, my senses on high alert. Behind the mountain I called my home, my people called their home, smoke was billowing up high into the sky in thick black clouds. It was too close for comfort. I whinnied nervously as I started trotting around my pasture. This isn't right. There couldn't be a fire this close to me, not when there was no one home to help me. I watched as cars from the small town a few miles up the road started filing out onto the windy highway on the other side of the reservoir that would take them out of the mountains and away from the smoke. Take me with you! I whinnied to the ones passing my home.
         Soon I could hear the roar of a helicopter. I watched as it dropped low into the valley, dipping a bucket into the reservoir and flying right over me towards the smoke which was getting thicker. As I followed the chopper my eyes caught sight of something far more concerning. Flames had reached the summit, engulfing everything in their path and fast. I soon realized, my home was in it's path.... I was in it's path. Panic set in and natural instincts to get away were coursing through me. I needed to get to safety, but how?
      My stall in the shed was my safe place. It too was in the fire's path. I needed out of my pasture. Quickly I galloped over to my gate fumbling the chain in my mouth trying to get it to come off. It was no use. I would have to jump it. I took off galloping a large circle before straightening out and headed directly for the fence. It was intimidating galloping towards the solid object that would be sure to injure me if I hit it.  My hooves thundered across the pasture, closer and closer to the fence I came. Before I knew it, I tucked my haunches and slid to a stop mere inches from the fence. I tossed my head in frustration as I turned around for try number two. The fire was now to the backyard. This would be my last shot to make it over that fence or the fire would claim me.
        Once again I took off at a gallop towards the fence. I shoved all fears aside as I got closer... and closer.  Lifting my front legs and tucking them close, my back legs shoved off the ground. I'd never jumped a day in my life, but in that moment- soaring over the fence- I felt like I could out jump any horse in the world. I stumbled as I landed, but quickly regained my footing and bolted across the road. A fire truck lays on his horn as I narrowly escape getting hit by it. I pause on the other side of the road to take one last look as the fire claimed my family's cabin. If only they knew the nightmare that was happening right now.
        I focused my attention back to in front of me and took off galloping through the marsh lands by the reservoir. Smoke was filling my lungs. They burned as I ran through the pastern deep muddy water. Everything I had ever known was gone. My home, my person, whom so was not aware that her home was gone too. Who would soon learn and think she lost me too. She'd be heartbroken. She would think I was dead. My heart started to break just thinking of never getting to see her again. I couldn't think of this now. My top priority was safety. If I live through this fire, if I make it to the neighboring valley just over the ridge line, I should be safe. There I could worry. There I could mourn my losses and be thankful for my life. Of course I had to make it there first and if I stopped in this thick mud, that would so not be a possibility.