The House Fire. This is an event essay describing a young mother's actions during a house fire.
The morning was unfolding the same as it always had. My husband had already left for work and I was home with our two year old son, Cameron. Breakfast was already cleaned from the table and a load of laundry washing. We were just settling in the living room to watch a cartoon. The next set of events happened rather quickly with a strange sense of slowness.
It was the lights in our home dimming in and out that initiated my curiosity. It seemed as if we would lose electricity at any time. This was strange since it was a mild winter day. Therefore the weather couldn't be the cause of the problem. The only other thing I could think of was a blown fuse in the electrical box. I proceeded to the basement all the while losing and regaining electricity. At that time the basement appeared fine, with the faint light of a flashlight.
I was a typical young housewife at the time. I was not only unaware but unsure of what to do. My only option was to call my husband at work. As I dialed the number my mind began to race. We didn't have a lot of money and I was sure whatever was about to happen would result in a hefty bill. I knew we had insurance, but would it cover our problem? And then, his secretary answered the phone. I was hardly able to hear her with the crackling in the phone. Talking with my husband, I explained what was happening as I sat next to my son on the couch. My initial thought was a blown fuse. He knew we couldn't wait until that evening to replace it so he promptly left work.
As I hung up the phone I caught an unfamiliar smoky smell. I then walked into the kitchen and froze in my tracks. I could see smoke rolling out of the furnace duct. And the smell of burnt wires was becoming stronger. As I stood there analyzing the situation, the once dim electrical supply had completely went out.
Instinct was telling me to get our son to safety. I gathered him up and took him to the washroom to dress him in his winter coat and boots. At only two years old, Cameron was
It was the lights in our home dimming in and out that initiated my curiosity. It seemed as if we would lose electricity at any time. This was strange since it was a mild winter day. Therefore the weather couldn't be the cause of the problem. The only other thing I could think of was a blown fuse in the electrical box. I proceeded to the basement all the while losing and regaining electricity. At that time the basement appeared fine, with the faint light of a flashlight.
I was a typical young housewife at the time. I was not only unaware but unsure of what to do. My only option was to call my husband at work. As I dialed the number my mind began to race. We didn't have a lot of money and I was sure whatever was about to happen would result in a hefty bill. I knew we had insurance, but would it cover our problem? And then, his secretary answered the phone. I was hardly able to hear her with the crackling in the phone. Talking with my husband, I explained what was happening as I sat next to my son on the couch. My initial thought was a blown fuse. He knew we couldn't wait until that evening to replace it so he promptly left work.
As I hung up the phone I caught an unfamiliar smoky smell. I then walked into the kitchen and froze in my tracks. I could see smoke rolling out of the furnace duct. And the smell of burnt wires was becoming stronger. As I stood there analyzing the situation, the once dim electrical supply had completely went out.
Instinct was telling me to get our son to safety. I gathered him up and took him to the washroom to dress him in his winter coat and boots. At only two years old, Cameron was