Snow Falls on a Hot Day

Dad had his usual scent alcohol, cigars, and rust “Where yuh go’n” he said slurring his words “it’s Wednesday dad” I said while grabbing his cup from his hand “School bus will be here soon I gotta go, don’t sleep to late dad mom wants you to meet her to sign the divorce papers”. The sky was grey, the wind was sharp, the bus was loud, my headphones are my best friends. It’s 5th period 2 more to go everyone is talking about Dev’s grad party and BeeBee’s mom’s candle business like it’s the cure to mental illness, Mrs. Lepree still smells like cigarettes, Mr. Deet is sleeping with the vice principal before she’s even fully divorced, the Cheerleading squad is Fat phobic, the basketball team is Homophobic, and i’m just counting down the days to wear a cap and gown off to college for my photography. Period 6 right after lunch Mr. Jefferson is still praising Veronica for her color palette style in her photos little does he know all her photo’s are takin in her grandma’s back yard he scolds me to “expand my portfolio” but I like my city scape style it feels like home there’s just something therapeutic about Chicago in black and white dynamic angles. Period 7 the last and final period of the day and everyone is talking about a crazy fire that’s been happening since last week world events interest me ever since I read about the Northern Lights “it’s spreading really fast along the coast line, maybe a meteor did it” “or maybe and flame throwing zombie” “seriously Jacob Zombies don’t have the mind set to use a flame throwers it’s Dragons coming back after defrosting from the glaciers melting” They where all shooting their theories no matter how ridiculous it was to make light of the situation we knew was gonna have to face the fires was coming fast and the authorities didn’t have the man power to stop it from reaching us. “LOOK IT’S SNOWING” the class mobbed to the windows even me and it sure was, you couldn’t deny it millions of flakes hit the ground at the same time it was like a cloak of snow flakes fell from the heavens the bell rung and even though we was all in high school we was excited to play in it we lived on the south east coast we rarely see anything other than rain and waves the halls was flooded with us all eager to see it up close but when the doors opened we was not ready for what happened. The heat was unbearable even for a high school of south east coast students the smell was like charred lumber I couldn’t believe what was happening “Guys... The Sky” within a few seconds the grey went away and orange flooded the sky the fires came from the embers flying with the wind the alarm sounded, panic engulfed us cars screeched out the parking lots, buses were trapped, police escorts came the town was evacuation my dad was on the front lines of volunteers to help with reducing the fire from reaching our homes. The last time I ever heard my dads voice was on a voicemail “Demora, I have to go somewhere, after I come back maybe we can do a movie night with some of that pineapple and jalapeño pizza you love so much... uh... I left the step ladder out for you too so you can reach the cabinets... I uhh... I hope you had a good day in school make sure you do your homework and tomorrow morning lets have pancakes... oh and hey while I was cleaning out the garage I found something cool I think you’ll like and I made something that goes with it it’ll be on your bed when you get home.. I’ll see you later tonight Dee you can pick out a movie nothing over $15 dollars this time ok... I love you Dee just... I love you” I came home to empty bottles of liquor and alcohol in the sink and cigars in the trash and a letter to me from my mom opened. To this day I listen to my dads tape on that walkman he left me, a lot of old but gold songs Earf Wind and Fire, Wutang Clan, Tina Turner, NWA, Smiff and Wessun my dad had his ups and downs but he always done right by his family and he is my hero. I’m a Landscape photographer for world events now and i’m a wildfire survivor.

This story was inspired by a California Wild Fire Survivor.