“I got stuck in the foyer. Some debris from upstairs fell. I’m okay though.”
The firefighter wraps a blanket around her and asks, “Are you all right ma’am? Anyone else in the apartment?”
“Yes, I’m okay. No one else lives here.”
At that moment, another firefighter comes barreling through the front entrance. “We need to get out now before it crumbles!”
Rivera picks me up. “Hold on kid.” He races off into the stairwell of the building. I look behind me and see my mother being carried by the other firefighter.
Smoke and flames surround us, and the unbearable smell fills my nose. I use the blanket to cover it, hoping I can breathe easier. Racing down the stairs, the building trembles and I hear debris falling.
As we pass each floor, cries for help echo throughout the stairwell as I see firefighters attempting to complete their rescues. The building shakes again, and Rivera stops suddenly, grabbing on to the banister.
“Shit! Hold on to me, kid!”
As our bodies sway along the banister, I see pieces of the stairwell beneath us crumble and fall into the darkness below. My eyes grow wide, and my breathing stops as fear of falling seeps in.
Rivera looks behind and yells, “We need to turn around! The stairwell is gone! Go back up to the fourth floor and we’ll jump for it!”
As we turn around, I can see Mom wrapped safely in the firefighter’s arms. She gives me a warm smile.
We follow closely behind until we reach the fourth floor. My mother’s rescuer runs to the nearest window, but suddenly debris falls in front of them. I hear her scream and the firefighter curse.
Rivera holds onto me tight as he radios for a jumping point. As he’s given his orders, he yells back, “We’re jumping off the west hallway! Follow us!”
He turns to race down another corridor, and as I look back to see my mom in the distance, I yell, “Mom!”
Rivera assures me, “Don’t worry kid. He’ll get her out.”
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The building trembles again as we rush to the jumping point. I can hear Rivera’s heavy breathing through the oxygen mask and he squeezes me tighter.
“Almost there. Hold on!”
I see light shine from a busted window casing as we get closer and closer. As we approach for the jump, I hold on with all of my might. Rivera leaps out, pulling me closer.
My eyes shut tight and loud screams from within escape me as we fly through the air until suddenly we are bouncing up and down on a trampoline. As our bodies settle onto the trampoline, I look up at the building. It’s completely covered in flames. Smoke escapes broken windows and firefighters spray water to calm the fires while others are jumping out of the building into safety.
An explosion blasts from inside the building and it immediately begins to crumble into dust.
My heart sinks as I jump off the trampoline and rush toward the building, crying out, “Mom!”
Rivera grabs hold of me. “No! Don’t!”
I struggle in his arms. “No! My mom is still in there! She needs my help!”
I continue to struggle as tears trickle down my face and he holds on to me. What feels like forever is probably only a few minutes, and my aching body surrenders in his arms.
I look back at the crumbled building as my body shudders. “She didn’t make it, did she?”
“No. I’m sorry son.”
Roman
MY MOTHER IS DEAD. I honestly don’t even know what happens; it all goes by so fast. After the building fire is put out, a few calls are made and paramedics take a look at me. As I sit with a blanket wrapped around my body to keep warm, an officer approaches me.
“What’s your name son? How old are you?”