Smoke.
Smoke.
Smoke?
Why is there smoke?
2 hours ago
Mornings started early for the Bhadury couple. Up at 4 am and walking by 6. Back by 8 and back to sleep. But the turn of events after that was one that they wouldn’t forget.
Mr.Bhadury, my grandfather, and Mrs. Bhadury, my grandmother, are morning people and walking enthusiasts. Daily average for them, I would say around 7 km plus. In any case, post-walk naps were the best. Even while my grandmother had an artificial knee cap from a knee transplant, they go walking regularly. They arrived home on this particular day at around 8 am.
By the time they got back in bed for their 2-hour nap, it was 8:30 am. Their adventure
for the day was just beginning…
Present
Smoke.
Smoke.
Smoke?
Why is there smoke?
Those were the exact thoughts Mr. Bhadury had as he woke up for the second time that morning. He glanced at the ancient wall clock. 9:42 am. But why was there smoke?
He quickly woke his wife up and she didn’t miss a beat. They both knew exactly what they needed to do. They rushed around the house, getting whatever they needed and did necessary things. Open the windows, get a wet cloth, and protect any valuables. They decided to see where this smoke was coming from. They looked out the window and were horrified. The condo they live in had a shop on the ground floor, and had caught fire…
Rushing through the smoke that now filled their house, with wet rags covering their mouth and nose, they tried to get out. But there was one problem. They couldn’t go down… They couldn’t go up through the stairs either as smoke filled the entire building.
There were people shouting from outside the building. CLIMB UP AND USE THE LADDER! they called. Mr. and Mrs. Bhadury didn’t know what ladder they were shouting about. But looking up from their bathroom window, they realised it was the only option.
A middle-aged man climbing out of their big bathroom window on the first floor is a decently easy job. But an elderly woman with an artificial knee cap climbing out of their tiny, tiny bathroom window on the fourth floor is no easy task. Especially when their lives were at stake.
They grabbed their official documents and just in time their home helper helped to pull them out one by one from the tiny window. Pull, push, grab, hold, finally they somehow managed to make their way out and were pulled by firemen carefully to the top floor of the building.
They made it to the roof where they were safe for the duration of the time that the firefighters came and extinguished the fire.
For the next couple of hours, they waited there, anxious and frightened with a few more people who were rescued from the building too.
They were escorted down eventually when the fire was under control.
For a couple of days they found shelter in a nearby hotel before they could get back home to check if everything was alright.
Luckily, the house was safe and they let out a breath of relief. BUT that memory would forever be etched in their minds.