Fire!!!

I haven't been asleep for more than an hour when I heard my mom knocked at my door literally bashing my door open.

"Anak may sunog! Get your stuff out of the house!"

I leaped out of my bed half irritated, half dazed. Dragging my feet all day at work, I went straight home today to buy myself some extra forty winks by skipping my after-shift work out. This is the day I chose to lay myself down in my bed hugging my fluffy pillows instead of stretching out on the gym bench pumping iron and here I am in my room, half naked and fully awoken by my mom.

I grabbed an undershirt, my wallet, phone and packed my laptop and my barely used SLR camera in my bag brought it downstairs along with my case of personal documents. I figured that’s all I need in case our house is literally on the line of fire within minutes.

I went downstairs leaping every other step, dropped my stuff in the sofa and went outside and checked where exactly the domicile bonfire was.

At first, it looks far from our house. Upon closer inspection though, I realized that our house might be reached by the blaze within hours. I went back inside our house and wore a short. Yes! I went outside in a sleeveless shirt and boxers. These are one of the rare occasion where you can justify wearing undergarments out in the street. I played the hot guy in sleeveless and boxers who went outside confused by the ruckus around him. LOL!!!

I ask my mom and my sister with my 6 month old niece to go and stay at a family friend living two blocks away from our house while I stayed just in case opportunists decide to take advantage of the uninvited commotion. They brought with them my bag (a little heavier with my baby niece’s bare essentials in it), my case, and my parent’s attaché case.

Just outside our gates, I watch as people carried their belongings frantically away from the fire. From household appliances to cooking utensils, people carried everything that they can away to safety fuelled by the burning scene. They were carrying everything that they have while I asked my mom and my sister to carry a bag and 2 cases of documents.

Thank God for my Dad who recognized long ago the importance of shelling out a small piece of fortune every year for fire insurance on our humble abode... Thank God we didn't have to file for fire insurance claim as well.

So while everything around me is in a state of anarchy with me still cranky from my revoked “R and R” time, I grabbed a pocketful of moment and converted other people's misery into my entertainment by brushing up on my amateur photography skills.

Yes, I’m a heartless bitch! Especially when I’m robbed of some shut-eye and my appointment with my soft, homey bed is canceled.

1 hour later, firemen successfully stopped the infernal destruction dead on its track 2 blocks away from our house. No injuries were reported. Unfortunately, several homes, including a local elementary school were reduced to ash or damaged by the blaze.