Anna Hauss
Jennifer Parrack-Rogers
English 111-006
Description and Illustration Essay
13 September 2011
Goodbye Home Sweet Home It was a day like any other day. I woke up early to prepare for what Monday had in store for me. Class was first on the agenda and I was driving into town when my phone started ringing abruptly. Dad was calling. The moment I picked up the phone my stomach dropped and cold chills devoured my body, as he told me our house had caught fire. I sensed the chill of a shadow cast over me and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Instinct pricked me and I knew I needed to return home. When I arrived, my entire street was blocked with fire and rescue crews. On the surface and from a distance, my house looked fine. I started to wander towards the chaos. The closer I proceeded, the damage was more apparent. My eyes began to fill with tears as I sat down tucking my legs to my chest as tight as I could, hiding my face between my knees. I had images racing through my mind of my house being engulfed in flames, with thick, dark smoke pouring out of the windows and roof. I sat in disbelief feeling utterly alone, suddenly assaulted with the vastness of the destruction. I sat, as tears continued to slowly make their way down my somber face, and studied the entrance of my black, damaged home in absolute doubt. I could not help but feel sick to my stomach with anger and discomfort for the obvious injustice of the situation. I heard car doors shut and my name being called through cries of confusion. My mom had just arrived from picking my younger sister up from school. I stood up as Caroline advanced towards me and the visibility of her distress upset me even more. I tried to look composed for her but the moment we embraced each other, we began crying harder at the sight of each other’s mournfulness. I then felt my mom’s arms gently wrap around us, sharing one of her motherly, soothing hugs that anchored me instantly. The three of us tearfully looked at each other and decided it was time to take a look inside our fire invaded home. My dad guided us slowly inside to the foyer and feelings of disbelief hit me as I examined my home, gutted and blackened with smoke. There was water damage all over and most of our personal items were reduced to ashes. The thick smell of melted paint and scorched wood hung in the air. The lingering scent was unpleasantly bitter to my nostrils and seemed to my brain an abomination to the air. The temperature of the house was hot and humid as water continually leaked from the ceiling and walls. I was standing in a room that just moments before was a beastly burning inferno. Observing the devastation I once called my home, the emotional toll was unbearable. Slowing making my way into the living room, family portraits were now smothered in thick black residue and our furniture was melted as if it were plastic; I was devastated by the reality of my childhood home no longer being a home. So many family events took place right there in my living room. We would have evenings where all of us would gather together on a Friday night and watch old home movies that provided us a wonderful, happy opportunity to help us remember when we were younger. My parents and we kids would watch over and over again the silly antics around the house- birthday parties, holidays, sledding down the hill in the back yard, school presentations, and family vacations. I couldn’t help smiling as more memories filled my head, but the sensibility of the demolition brought me back when pieces of the roof began to drop onto the floor beside me. The mighty structure of flames was just the beginning of the careless destruction of my home. Heavy water damage was beginning to take over. The downstairs had growing balloons of water all over the ceiling and walls, just another apparent sign of the extensive loss of my home. Everything that was already contaminated by smoke was now sitting in water, helplessly. I heard a faint cry from inside the already molding couch in our game room. An instant panic hit me. No one was home when the fire ignited, but our pets where! I ran to the couch and pulled it out from the wall as if I were the incredible hulk. There sat Callie, our family cat, trembling and looking back at me in fear. Determined to save her, I scooped Callie up in my arms and raced out of the weakening room. She smelled of thick, smutty ash and stagnant rainwater. She pitifully wined as I carried her to the front yard. Glancing up, my mom was walking towards me from our neighbor’s house with our rescued puppy swaddled in her arms. A firefighter had saved our sweet Hallie when he first entered the burning structure of havoc. I felt a great sense of appreciation knowing that our pets, our little treasures, were safe and unharmed. Though my home was collapsing behind me, I had my family standing right beside me, and at that moment I knew we were going to be alright. The most touching fact was that our concerned neighbors were reaching out to my family with heartwarming contributions. They were willing to do anything to help. My parents would talk to them in such a strong and collected way. Watching my parents speak and carry themselves with fortitude reminded me that we could get through anything. I was so humbled by the neighbor’s response; I couldn’t help but feel a sense of acceptance. Just moments before, I felt helpless when examining the enormity of the destruction, but I had absolutely no control over whether the fire confiscated my home. The incredible outreach of our community was inspiring and helped me realize that we had magnificent support. I was able to stand back and accept my life now. I did not have a choice over the fire destroying my house but I had a choice in how I responded. I could choose to be immobilized or to move forward and find the light in the situation. I chose the light. In facing such a difficult misfortune, so many emotions are happening at once; disbelief, devastation, and acceptance. Returning home, I was in such disbelief of the disaster. I didn’t want to believe it and I just wanted to wake up from a bad dream. It all became a reality walking into my home that had just been invaded by mighty burning inferno. I was devastated to see our personal items, everything that made our house a home, ruined by black smoke and water damage. Memories continued to play through my head of what my home once was. Taking everything in, I accepted what was to come and with the support of our amazing community, my family and I would push forward. Each day we continue to establish a new kind of normal as we begin to redefine home.