One morning, Magnolia woke to the wail of sirens, a chill settling in her bones. Flashing red light painted her bedroom ceiling, strobing in broken rhythm. She slipped from bed, robe wrapped tight, and hurried to the porch. Down the street, smoke billowed ominously from a house that had been empty and on sale for years.
Neighbors gathered in the dark, faces lit by the blaze, voices rising in anxious clusters. The air was thick with the sharp scent of burning wood and wet ash. Magnolia watched in silence as firemen moved like shadows through the orange night, hoses snarling across lawns. Thankfully, the flames had consumed only memories and not lives.