The fire spread quicker than he was expecting. An extinguisher would prove useless at this point and a firefighter was certainly out of reach. What began as a vanilla-scented candle on Ryan’s bedside table now encompassed the whole house in a cloud of smoke and flames. He was told not to light candles, especially around other flammable objects, and even more so when no one else was home; but he didn’t listen. He wasn’t the type to conform to the rules willingly and without a second thought. He would question their relevance until given a clear answer; although it seems today would mark his understanding of this particular guideline.
There was no time for thought; quick and strategic action was necessary. But what would be the quickest means of escape? What would be the safest? The door leading to the rest of the house was surrounded and would make for a risky, if not fatal attempt. The closet would only serve as a temporary refuge before the same outcome occurred. It seems the window was the only viable solution, but being situated on the second story and facing a concrete pavement outside, lessened his spirits for survival. His usual laissez-faire approach to life proved inadequate in these extenuating circumstances. Something had to be done. He began to crack the window open, but with no luck past a few inches. Reacting quickly, he took the table lamp from his desk and forcibly broke the window open, leaving room for his escape but simultaneously shards of glass beneath his skin. A sharp pain overtook his body physically, while nausea and fear consumed him mentally as he stared at the ground below. They say to “look before you leap,” although there was no analogy in this case. Ryan had to, quite literally, make a hurried decision of whether to jump onto the pavement feet first, with his knees bent or his legs extended, among other factors that could either lead to sudden death or merely a few broken bones. With what little he had learned from action movies and conspiracy theories, he came to the conclusion that feet first and knees bent would put him at less risk. He hesitantly crept up on the ledge of the window and positioned himself accordingly. The growing warmth on the back of his neck signaled that he had to go on immediately, and with that knowledge, he jumped.
Ryan could assure that time did not go by in slow motion as those same actions movies had made it seem. His landing was prompt, and so was the pain. Although, pain was a good indicator of his survival. A nearby scream was heard, likely provoked either by the sound of his body hitting the pavement or the smell of the growing fumes. He had done all in his power to secure his safety and attempt to reverse the damage of his initial mistake. The last thing that remained was a call for medical attention and a good lie to his parents explaining why the house had gone up in flames.