Fire....!!!

around 1.30 in the afternoon i got an sms from a friend. she sounded terrified and in shock. earlier, her landlord called her at the office informing there was a fire in the neighborhood of her boarding house. she hurried home and scared stiff to see the fire was very close to the house. she was told to empty her room in case fireband reach the house. later on the phone she explained what had happened, the fire started from gas stove, it went on for a few hours and cooked three houses welldone (no injuries reported, thank God). she was relieved but still traumatized and ready to move out. i tried to calm her and offer to come over after work. she said it wasn’t necessary as the electricity is turned off and would be easier if she stays at her friend’s which is closer to the boarding house.

this reminds me of what happened in our neighborhood a few years back, when a fire destroyed a mini paint factory just 2 houses away from ours. the chemicals just kept the fire going on and on, we were kept worried that fire blaze will start burning other houses. it happened late at night and the whole neighborhood stayed up all night to watch out for the fire. being very close to the fire we didn’t want to risk it, so my parents warned us to take all valuables out and get ready. with the help from our neighbors, we sprayed the houses nearby with water the whole time. we figured that way the building will be more fire-resistant.

i’m grateful that not a single blaze of fire touched our house, also glad to know that my friend’s alright, but i never really think about the trauma caused by it. listening to my friend earlier sure brought back a bad memory. am i still in trauma? i don’t know, perhaps to find out i have to talk to a shrink? i could remember vividly how as i stared at the fire, fear numbed me that i couldn’t move nor do anything for a sheer moment. then i was dragged back to reality by people’s shouting. it wasn’t fire or the trauma that concern me, but that numbness. thinking back, it wasn’t the first time that my reflex ability was shut down at the mouth of danger and all i could do was staring. interesting, i think i have to explore this more and find a way to be more aware, conscious and able to make the right (and quick!) decision in a life threatening situation.