I hate to admit it, but I fear a lot of things: the dark, sharp objects (makes my eyes go all squinty for some reason), deep water, escalators (weird fear, but true), bugs... and fire.
I came home after work and everything was pretty normal. As I entered my apartment I could hear a fire alarm going off somewhere in the distance. I paid no attention to it. I thought it was the building next to us. P. left for work and I was home alone with the two cats. Before she left she made a joke about me being able to carry two cats to safety. I wish it was only a joke...
The beeping continued. I couldn't hear it from my room, but in the kitchen and living room you could hear it quite clearly. When I opened the door the our apartment, the beeping only got louder. I don't know what I was thinking, but I clearly wasn't thinking properly. I could hear the alarm going, but it just didn't register. Looking back, it was definitely out of the ordinary. P. noticed it too and yet neither one of us told the caretaker in the building. It would have been so easy and so much could have been avoided.
I think some part of me knew what was going on. I had mentally prepared "okay, how am I going to get me and the 2 cats out of here if I had to?" I was going to put Bo Bo in Tippy's cage and carry Tippy in my backpack (she is pretty use to traveling in bags). I had set out their collars and leash. And then it happened.
My neighbours came home. I was in the kitchen and I heard shouting. I open the door and all I see is smoke coming out of my neighbour's apartment. There were packages everywhere laying where their owners had dropped them in panic. My neighbour was trying to get the fire extinguisher off the wall. Somehow in the blind panic she managed to get it out of its holder. By this time, the smoke had increased and I could see flames shooting out of my neighbour's kitchen. The fire alarm went off - shrill and ringing in my ears. That got my attention. I needed to get out. Where are the cats?
Frantic and shaking in fear (I really really hate fire and seeing flames just freaked me out even more.) The cats were hiding from the loud fire alarm. I located Bo Bo and I was trying to get him to go in Tippy's cage, but he freaked out, scratched me and hid under the couch. The bell kept ringing - that was all I could hear. I couldn't find Tippy.
I opened the apartment door to find the neighbour's dog trying to run away but being held back by the neighbour's friend (daughter?). I asked her if the fire was out (at least 3 -4 times) and she said yes. I breathed a little easier. I offered to take the dog while they cleared things up and calmed down.
Soon after the fire alarm turned off. Tippy finally came out of her hiding place. I still don't know where she was hiding - somewhere in my room. She sniffed at the doggie visitor. In other circumstances I would have found that incredibly adorable.
In the end everything was fine. My neighbour left her stove on and something spilled on it catching fire. Her stove was melted and everyone concerned was a bit traumatized, but everything turned out okay.
I was freaked out for the longest time. Took me at least a couple hours to calm down. When I told P. what happened I got all worked up again. I was scared to cook. Neurotic about making sure the stove was off, the oven was turned off... There was so much I wish I could have done differently....
I came home after work and everything was pretty normal. As I entered my apartment I could hear a fire alarm going off somewhere in the distance. I paid no attention to it. I thought it was the building next to us. P. left for work and I was home alone with the two cats. Before she left she made a joke about me being able to carry two cats to safety. I wish it was only a joke...
The beeping continued. I couldn't hear it from my room, but in the kitchen and living room you could hear it quite clearly. When I opened the door the our apartment, the beeping only got louder. I don't know what I was thinking, but I clearly wasn't thinking properly. I could hear the alarm going, but it just didn't register. Looking back, it was definitely out of the ordinary. P. noticed it too and yet neither one of us told the caretaker in the building. It would have been so easy and so much could have been avoided.
I think some part of me knew what was going on. I had mentally prepared "okay, how am I going to get me and the 2 cats out of here if I had to?" I was going to put Bo Bo in Tippy's cage and carry Tippy in my backpack (she is pretty use to traveling in bags). I had set out their collars and leash. And then it happened.
My neighbours came home. I was in the kitchen and I heard shouting. I open the door and all I see is smoke coming out of my neighbour's apartment. There were packages everywhere laying where their owners had dropped them in panic. My neighbour was trying to get the fire extinguisher off the wall. Somehow in the blind panic she managed to get it out of its holder. By this time, the smoke had increased and I could see flames shooting out of my neighbour's kitchen. The fire alarm went off - shrill and ringing in my ears. That got my attention. I needed to get out. Where are the cats?
Frantic and shaking in fear (I really really hate fire and seeing flames just freaked me out even more.) The cats were hiding from the loud fire alarm. I located Bo Bo and I was trying to get him to go in Tippy's cage, but he freaked out, scratched me and hid under the couch. The bell kept ringing - that was all I could hear. I couldn't find Tippy.
I opened the apartment door to find the neighbour's dog trying to run away but being held back by the neighbour's friend (daughter?). I asked her if the fire was out (at least 3 -4 times) and she said yes. I breathed a little easier. I offered to take the dog while they cleared things up and calmed down.
Soon after the fire alarm turned off. Tippy finally came out of her hiding place. I still don't know where she was hiding - somewhere in my room. She sniffed at the doggie visitor. In other circumstances I would have found that incredibly adorable.
In the end everything was fine. My neighbour left her stove on and something spilled on it catching fire. Her stove was melted and everyone concerned was a bit traumatized, but everything turned out okay.
I was freaked out for the longest time. Took me at least a couple hours to calm down. When I told P. what happened I got all worked up again. I was scared to cook. Neurotic about making sure the stove was off, the oven was turned off... There was so much I wish I could have done differently....
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