Deep Down

Entering the Building

My steps echoed throughout the vacant building and every step left a clean footprint on the dirty wooden floorboards. I looked back at the window that was only a few steps away, then moved my gaze back in front of me. The only light that was coming into the building was from the shattered windows, but even that failed to light up the room as a whole.

From what I could see, there was a blackened chair in the corner surrounded with bits and pieces of torn fabric. Filthy blankets that were only hanging by threads covered a sunken mattress. A fan that was missing a blade hung on the smoked ceiling held broken light bulbs, spots of the ceiling were more darkened than others.

As my eyes continued to trail the ceiling, the paint was failing as well as chunks of wood; there were even a few holes leading to the floor above. I looked back down at the ground and saw pieces of the ceiling scattered about, broken glass and tainted pictures littered the floor. The sight was unnerving, could a fire have happened here?

"I should be careful..." I murmured to myself and I slowly took steps around the room, feeling around for soft spots before stepping on them. "And I'm going to need some new socks after this, too. Devina isn't going to be happy about this."

Could there possibly be anything left to salvage? This looked like a bedroom, with curtains, crumbled posters, and things like broken bedside tables. Who once lived here, and what could have possibly caused such a fire? Perhaps that is why the building is no longer in use because there was nothing left to use.

There, in the corner. A small melted bin sat, covered in ash and dust. Carefully I made my way over there and wiped off the dust. A brand name was once on it, but it melted which made it unreadable; I ran my finger over it, feeling the dripping letters. Finding the ledge to open it, I put my fingers under it and attempted to lift it up.

It didn't budge, only letting out small sounds of cracking from the strain. Trying once again, I used all my strength to lift the cover so I could reveal the contents. When I opened it, a cloud of dust blew into my face and I coughed while waving my hand in the air. After a minute, I could breathe normally again, and the bin revealed toys of all shapes and sizes, but all melted into one big plastic mess.

I reached my hand inside, trying to pick it up and see if there was anything in there that maybe Dakota would enjoy. But no matter how many times I pulled it refused to disconnect from the once pale bottom. I let out a sigh in defeat and decided to move on. Once I started walking again, I pushed on the floor to make sure it wouldn't fall through under my weight.

This was nerve-wracking since the floor beneath me could fall through at any moment. I saw a door and decided to make my way towards it so I could see what was on the other side. Once I reached it, I placed my hand on the distorted knob and twisted. I pushed and pulled, but once again it wouldn't move. I braced myself as I busted the door open with my body, swinging the door violently and hitting the wall behind it.

When the door hit the wall, a loud bang resonated throughout the building, along with small pieces of the ceiling to fall. The next room that I found myself in seemed to be a living room, if it could even be called that anymore. Taking gentle steps towards a couch, I put my hand on it just to lift it back up and see that it was covered in ash and dust.

"I feel so bad for the people who lived here..." I murmured to myself quietly. "Where could they be now?" I asked myself as my eyes inspected the room.

I looked towards the so-called television, it was broken, melted, and had frayed wires laying about. It was teetering on the edge of a broken stand, with a coffee table that was chipped in front of it. More glass was found on the ground of the small living room along with trash and anything else that could have blown in from the shattered windows.