Sunshine Valley

Facing the smoke 

     When firefighters arrived, Dillon was fitted with a respirator. He and Bradley went into the smoke. Either he or Bradley would come out carrying someone. Well, not Bradley. He would help them out on their own power. 

     Authorities never really had an accurate census of the people living in Coal Town. It could be anywhere from a few hundred to a 1,000. Evie remembered at Christmas they counted 500 people they fed. She prayed there wasn’t 500 people here. 

     Day turned into night. The smoke was starting to turn gray. Fire fighters only fought the blaze where they knew people could be. Their primary concern was getting people crushed by rubble. The central fire was in what had been the headquarters building. Many of the old frame houses had fallen. Crushing folks. 

     Transportation workers set up construction lamps to light the night. Evie’s heart sank as Dillon shuffled out of the smoke carrying, at what first glance, looked like a  bundle of rags. He fell to his knees a few feet from her. She went to his side removing the respirator. No longer able to contain his sobs, he fell into her. The tears streaming down his face and the ring made by the respirator, were the only 2 clean spots he had. He finally blurted out, “it’s Pam.” She and Chico had been crushed when one of the old houses caved in. 

      “Please rest for a while. A group from Perkinsville just showed up. Let them.”

     Dillon gave in. EMS took the bundle from his arms. “Leave the dog with her. It needs to be buried with her.”

     “Yes, sir.”

     100 people were killed that night. As Coal Town burned, more help showed up. It lifted Dillon’s heart that so many people showed up to support those that had lost everything. A small piece of him was a little bitter. Where was all this love when these folks were alive? These were people. Human beings, who had a bad patch. Had no where else to go. Down on their luck. Life had a way of kickin’ your ass when you were down.