A Long Forgotten Message

Chapter 4

I'm walking home, and I forget about the firetrucks almost immediately and go about my day. I see black smoke rising above the trees mixing in with the blue sky and white, wispy clouds. I'm busy thinking about what I'm going to eat when I get home. Tuna fish sandwich? Soup? Those potato chips from last night? Oh yeah. My thoughts are cut short as I round the corner on my street. I see all the firetrucks down there. I'm suprised, but still, I think nothing of my house.

"Is that Jerry's house?", I say to myself.

I get closer and then it hits me like a bullet train. That's my house. And that's my father outside of it, talking on the phone. I run up and work my way through the firetrucks and firefighters. I look for my father who has already disappeared. Typical.
I eventually spot him on the front lawn. Arms crossed, frown, the whole thing. Disappointment. All the way. I rush up to him.

"What happened?!?!", I ask, frantically.

"I don't know what caused it. I got a phone call while I was at work.", he replies, suprisingly calm.

We both stare at the remains of the house as the fire still rages on, but my contained now.

He breaks the silence.

"Were staying at your uncle's house downtown for a while, until we get this taken care of."

We both stare at the firefighters battling a valient blazing fire.

When it's all over, my father and we get in his car and drive to my uncle's, and we drive for maybe an hour.

I should probably tell you, but I've only seen this particular uncle a handful of times.

We get to his driveway and my father pulls in. We get out and we walk up to the door and ring the doorbell. A few moments later, a tall man, maybe forty appears. He opens the door and hugs my father and then me.

"Please, come inside", he says.

His wife appears and speedily walks towards us.

"Hello Tom!", she says hugging him.

"And Andrew!", she says to me as I recieve a hug.

Then she turns to my father, "You can stay as long as you like, we understand your situation"

"Thank you guys so much", he replies.

"You are probably starving!", she says so enthusiastically you can nearly feel the aurora of happiness around her.

She has already prepared a magnificent dinner. Meat and potatos. One of my favorites and I'm starving. I have seconds, and then thirds.

"That was great, thank you so much.", I say to my aunt.

"Yes, thank you very much, it is so kind of you guys.", my father agrees.

"Your welcome, anytime you need something, you know where to call", she says.

After dinner my father and aunt and uncle talk.

Later that night my father asks me about this fight. Oh brother.

A long while later I come off with a grounding and thats about it actually.

"Lets go see your new rooms", my aunt says to us as we wrap up our little talk.

My room has blue walls and twin sized bed.

My father's room is the similar with tan walls and a twin sized bed.

A little while later we all go to bed, and I lie there, staring up, as I slowly drift off into a very, very calm sleep, forgetting about the world.