It was 2am, which is late for me. My usual bedtime is around midnight. I was so busy editing and watching videos that time had gotten away from me. My constant yawning made me check the time. I crawled into bed after plugging my phone into the charger. The house was quiet as everyone else was probably asleep although I thought I heard voices and pans clanking together earlier. I shut my eyes and fell asleep.
The next thing I know I'm being awaken by a screaming shrill of an alarm. I bolt up in bed, realizing how hot it is in my room. My hands frantically search for my phone to turn my alarm off. But when I find it, that's when I realize it's not my phone alarm going off. My clock read, 3:15am.
I decided to lay back down, hoping whose ever alarm it is goes off. I throw my covers off of me because I was actually sweating. That's so weird, I thought to myself, my fan is on full blast, why is it so hot in here?
Then I smell it. The smell of burning furniture and smoke filling my nose. I start coughing as I get out of bed. I stumble around, my legs getting caught in my blanket. Something was on fire.
Though it was pitch black in my room I could see the heavy dark smoke roll under my door and into my room. I grab a random T-shirt and put it over my nose and mouth.
When I open the door, smoke is congregated in the hallway. Across from me, Sams door was open slightly. He must've gotten out already.
"Guys?" I scream out, it was muffled against the shirt. I take tiny steps into the hall. The deafening fire alarm piercing through the quiet night.
My throat and eyes burn from the smoke and I remember back to elementary school when they told us to keep low in a fire. I get down on my hands and knees and crawl to the stairs. The heat getting more intense.
"Colby, is that you?" It sounded like Corey. I can't see him, not yet anyway.
"Yea," I call out, smoke filling my lungs. I crawl down the stairs and am instantly hit with an intense wave of heat. The fire was close. I look around the room to see the curtains on fire, the couches on fire and the carpet. And it didn't look like it was going to stop. The flames licked along the floor and into the kitchen. I have to get out of here, we all have to get out of here.
"This way," that was Jake. I see his figure, hunched over, running towards the door. Two more figures were behind him. I take one last glance at the burning house and run.
I make it outside and into the fresh air. I cough and cough until my throat was sore. I wipe my eyes trying to stop the burning. Corey and Aaron are hunched over, coughing, and Jake is laying on the ground. I allow my lungs to fill with oxygen. The heat from the house was making the night air warm. Beads of sweat roll down my face as I search for Sam.
"W-where's Sam?" I cough out. The other roommates look around, still trying to catch their bearings.
"No, no, oh my God," I start shouting. He is still in the house. Why didn't I make sure he wasn't in his room? Why didn't I check?
Smoke was escaping through some of the open windows. I can just imagine Sam laying in bed, inhaling the smoke and sweating. I can't let him die. I have to go back in and save him.
"I'm going back in," I shout at the other boys. Corey has his phone pressed to his ear, probably talking to 911. He doesn't hear me but Jakes eyes light up in realization of what I said. He comes running up to me.
Sweat was running down his face too and ash was smeared across his forehead. "No, Colby. You can't go back in. Firefighters are on their way."
"We can't leave Sam," I say. I take steps towards the house but Jake grabs my arm.
