Fire Escape

Originally written on January 5, 2013

before we knew

it was already around us

the flames

never even noticed

we did wonder

about the heat

then the alarms

piercing

loud

cover your ears loud

then the questions

what happened

how did we miss it

why now

looking around

through the flames

where's the fire escape

we wanted to run

avoid the conflagration

the engulfment

flames were crackling

reaching higher and higher

through us

around us

i grabbed her hand

looking around again

we realized

it was too late

we weren't just part of it

we were the fire

we are consuming each other

there was to be no rescue

and there was no fire escape