The Cane

The Fire

"Your neighbors are burning something again." said Johnson pointing toward the smoke. You soon realize that the smoke is coming from your property, not the neighbors.

"That's my property! Not theirs!" Johnson slams the gas to floor as you fly back against the seat trying to keep an eye on the smoke. As you get closer, the smoke gets thicker and darker. You round the corner of your property to find your home and barn up in flames. Johnson slams on the brakes right next to the house.

You charge into the kitchen with Johnson. Smoke hits you like a hammer as you fall to the ground. The kitchen is engulfed with flames and smoke, as you crawl toward the stairs. All you can hope is that they made it out.

"Bree! Ciara!" you crawl up the stairs into the thick smoke when you hear a voice shouting.

"Daddy! Where are you?!" she shouted. You look around through the fire trying to find the voice.

"Keep talking!" Another voice comes out of the smoke as Bree is shouting from the opposite direction.

"Here! I'm over here!"the constant shouting, makes it difficult to determine the location of each of them. You go left toward Ciara's room, since that's the closest.

"Follow my voice! I'm coming!" The voices become less and less and eventually stop. You find her on the floor in the hallway, still in her footies. You pick her up and go toward the stairs as fast as you can and meet up with Johnson.

"Take her outside. I'm gonna try to find Bree and dad." Johnson rubs his burning eyes and takes Ciara, disappearing into the thick smoke.

You crawl toward where you heard her voice, when an arm grabs you and begins pulling you back toward the stairs. A firefighter had made his way up the stairs and is dragging you out. You fight him trying to get free, but the overwhelming smoke and flames has taken away your strength. The firefighter picks you up and takes you outside. Other firefighters are going inside while two others are preparing the hose to put out the fire. You charge back toward the house when Johnson grabs you.

"Give it up! They'll be able to help more than we can!" he pushes you back as you fall down next to Ciara where an EMT is examining her. He looks up at you with sorrowful eyes and slightly shakes his head before standing up. You stand up and follow him angrily.

"Are you going to do anything?!" He turns toward you and looks at Ciara.

"There's nothing to do. The smoke got to her. There's nothing we can do for that. Not at this point." You look back at Ciara with tear filled eyes and clenched fists as they begin spraying water over the house. As time passes and the fire dims down one of the firefighters walks out with a long stick wrapped up and covered in ash.

"I believe this is for you." he said holding it out to you. You wipe the ash away and find a note stuck to it.

We, love you. Happy Birthday. :)

-Bree, Ciara, and dad.

You unwrap it and find dad's cane. He said he'd pass it down, but never said when. It just shouldn't have been today. The fire is out and you wait quietly sitting on the edge of the ambulance praying that somehow they got out. Black clouds have moved in and rain begins to fall. A firefighter comes over and sits next to you.

"The woman was found in the bedroom, and the man in the living room. The flames were too high and there wasn't a chance of getting out." He turns to you silent and stands up.

"I'm sorry." he walks around the ambulance and toward the truck. Johnson sits down next to you.

"They're gone." Johnson sits quietly looking toward the ground nodding slightly.

"I'll be here for as long as you need me."