I was working in the back of the restaurant across the street from my condo when I heard someone shout. FIRE. I Immediately looked up to see what was going on. Then I saw it. The fire. I turned off the stove and ran. Ran towards my condo. Ran towards my only daughter Lucy.

I arrive at the scene and hear her pleas for help. MOM. MOM. She says something else but I cannot hear her over the fire. I holler, MOM'S COMING DON'T WORRY. I run towards the building only to stop in my tracks. The fire exploded knocking me back. I feel dazed, unable to think or comprehend what just happened. I look up. I see a man speaking. I can't understand what he is saying. Wait. Faintly the words come into my mind. “Can you hear me?” He says. I take a minute to reply. I I think so.

As the man slowly helps me to my feet I start to think. What happened? Then it comes to me. Fire, Running, Daughter screaming, explosion. Daughter explosion… WHERES MY DAUGHTER. I scream between coughs as the smoke is starting to enter my lungs. Then I look down. I see the small charred mass of a teddy bear. I recognize that bear. That's my daughter's favorite. Something inside of me starts to break then I see her. My daughter. 

LUCY. I cry as she is being carried out of the building. No response. I ask the firefighter what is going on. 

“your daughter is unconscious we need to get her to the hospital”

“What can I do to help” 

"We might need some information do you think you have it” 

“I have it all memorized” 

“Then hop on and give it to us as we go we don't have time”

As I was in the ambulance they hurled a flurry of questions that I mostly answered.

“Allergies”

“Amoxicillin”

“Pre Existing conditions”

“None”

“Any medications”

“None”

“Any recent illnesses”

“None”

“Age and weight”

13 years and … 

Then I hear the words

“She's crashing”

My mind becomes a blur. The world is spinning. Why is this happening? The first time I ever left my daughter alone this happened. Why am I losing her? Where did I go wrong? 13 is too young to go. She deserves to live her life. I would trade my own life for her. I would do anything for her.

“She’s stable” 

The words sounded like heaven in my ears. MY daughter is safe. She is going to make it. She’s a fighter and she’ll survive. I just know it. Then the crash came. 

My head is pounding. My eyes are blurry. My ears hear nothing. Then I see it. Her. My daughter lays motionlessly on the ground. Lays motionlessly with a dent in her head. A dent too big to fit a brain. She’s gone. Then all goes black.

For a little while I wake up I see lights flashing above my head as if I'm being rushed down a corridor. Then nothingness. Then I see Angels clad in blue with only their eyes showing. Then nothing. Then for the last time I hear. It sounds hollow and flat. Then nothing.