I head down the road. There is no sound. No birds. Nothing. Just the sky darkening. I'm anxious so I quicken my pace towards my neighbors house. As I head there I worry about my mother Reese, I hope she hasn't gotten in more trouble and token off and left. I never know what pretty girl she'll meet and leave me behind with Sheran. I'm starting to worry everyone's gone but that's probably just my anxiety my mother always said to stay in reality and not get caught up in fairytales, but it's hard when everything doesn't make sense.
I finally make it to my neighbors house it took awhile because her house is a little down the road. I climb up her stairs it seems like the stairs go on forever.. I'm already exhausted, I'm a bit out of shape. Panting I knock on her door. no one answers. no matter how much I knock. I say into the door that it's me Aaron her neighbor and I was worried about her. still nothing. That's weird I think to myself. I'm worried and I knock harder. no ones answering, I just hope my neighbors alright. I decide that in case my neighbor is in an emergency I'd do what I'd hope someone else would do for me and open the door and save them. I jiggle the door knob and I gulp nervously.
it-it isn't locked. I walk inside hastily. and I yell that I'm their neighbor down the road and that I was worried about them because I saw no cars like normal in their driveway. there was no answer. am I stupid for breaking in her house what if shes just out of town. against my best judgment I search every inch for her. no sound. nothing. I feel like I'm going crazy running up and down and around her large house and nothing. no one. no cars. no people. no sounds.
A thought hit me. that I'm trespassing, and that I need to leave now. Who would believe a teenage Latino boy would just be in an old ladies house while shes not home because they were worried about her? I rushed out of the house. i assumed she just didnt lock the door on her way out and that her and her caretaker just went somewhere. I locked the door behind me on the way out in case she forgot. trying to ease my thoughts. trying to not think the worst things possible. I didnt want to come to conclusions too fast and have an episode.. I need to pull myself together and be a man.
As soon as I left as I enter the sidewalk. I saw it. the crackling. looking down the road I see it. fire. fire at my house? smoke. fire. I didnt understand. I didnt leave anything on before I left. how could it catch fire? I scan the road and still no cars. and then i hear it.. this crackle. behind me. fire??! fire!!! what's going on!