Crouched behind a car next to Sam, the roar of the explosion echoed in Frank’s ears.   He heard the debris hitting some of the police cars and fire engines that had been parked closer to the house.  Luckily, all of the emergency personnel had been able to get far enough away from the blast, dragging Frank and Sam with them, to avoid serious injury. As the ringing in his ears began to subside, Frank shakily got to his feet.  Leaning against the car for support, he stared open-mouthed at the burning house, dazed. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Frank turned to see Sam, who was unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage.

“Sam…what – what happened?” Frank asked, his voice trembling.

Sam shook his head slowly, also having trouble believing what had just taken place.  “It just…exploded.”

Frank shifted his gaze, looking around at the firefighters who were hosing down what was left of the house, trying to contain the fire.

“Where are Dad and Joe?” Frank asked, his voice rising.  “Why isn’t anybody looking for them?”  He turned to Sam and gripped his arm tightly.  “They’re still inside!”

Denying what his eyes were telling him, Frank took off running, refusing to believe they were dead.

“Hey!  Hey, where’s he going?!”

“Are you crazy?”

“Someone stop him!”

Frank heard the shouts of the police and firefighters and wondered who they were talking about.  He felt someone grab his arm, but yanked it free and kept running.  Seconds later he was tackled and slammed to the ground.

“NO!  Let me go!” he yelled, lashing out at the men holding him down.  “My brother and father are in there!  I need to find them!”  Getting an arm free, he punched wildly, hitting nothing but air.  Quickly, someone grabbed his arm and gently but firmly pulled it behind his back.  “Why isn’t anyone looking for them?!” he demanded.  “They’ll die if you don’t get them out!”  Unfamiliar faces stared silently back at him, all eyes filled with pity.  “HELP THEM!!!” he cried out in anguish.

“Frank!  Frank, look at me!”  Sam was crouching in front of him now, grasping him by the shoulders and shaking him, hard.

“Sam?”  Frank responded, his voice suddenly small and terrified.  “Why isn’t anyone looking for them?”

Frank saw Sam’s lips moving as he murmured something to the police officers who still had a gentle hold on Frank.  They quickly released him and melted into the background as Sam sat on the ground next to Frank.  Putting his arm around Frank’s shoulders, Sam held him tightly.  “Frank… there’s no way they could have…”

Frank looked at Sam, seeing disbelief and utter devastation on his face.  Glancing over Sam’s shoulder, Frank stared at the flames dancing against the afternoon sky.  There was nothing left of the house but a burning skeleton.  While his heart didn’t want to believe it, his mind couldn’t deny the obvious – Joe and Fenton were dead.  Frank’s chest hitched as he choked on a sob.  “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he whispered, leaning heavily against Sam.

“I know, Frank, I know,” Sam said softly, rubbing Frank’s back, trying to offer some kind of comfort yet knowing this kind of pain was inconsolable.

Frank stared blankly at the ground, the grief consuming him.  It hurt to think, to feel, to breathe.  With a shuddering breath, Frank wiped a shirtsleeve across his eyes and finally looked at Sam, devastated and feeling much, much too old.  “How do I tell Vanessa?  How do I tell Mom?”  Frank’s voice broke. He couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Feeling his eyes start to burn and his throat tighten, Frank quickly stood up.  Abruptly he turned and walked away, not wanting to break down in front of a group of strangers.  Walking to the far side of the yard, he stopped, staring off into the distance.

‘How did this happen? It was supposed to be a simple missing persons case!’ Frank wrapped his arms about himself as another sob escaped.  Even in his worst nightmare, he never imagined the pain could be this bad.  ‘They can’t be gone!’

His vision blurred, the tears spilling over as he blindly stumbled forward.  Sniffling and swiping at his eyes again, Frank gazed out towards the backyard.  The ground was covered with ash, soot, smoldering wood and debris.  Everything looked bleak.  Black. Dead. Exactly the way he felt inside.

Suffocating from the weight of his sorrow, Frank continued putting one foot in front of the other.  He had no idea where he was going, only that he had to escape the pain he was sure would kill him.  As he approached the rear of the house, Frank stopped and listened to the crackle of the fire, staring mesmerized at a few small flare-ups in the wreckage littering the yard.

“Help…us…”

Frank’s eyes narrowed.  ‘What was that?’

He could have sworn he heard something – someone.  Taking a few tentative steps, he strained to hear above the chaotic sounds of the fire and emergency personnel trying to extinguish it.  Deciding it was only his mind playing tricks on him, Frank turned to leave, his eyes sweeping the ground as he did so.

Frank heard himself inhale sharply and stood frozen in place.  ‘A hand!’ He hesitated for a split second before charging forward.

“Dad!”  Frank dropped to his knees next to his father’s prone body.  “Dad!  Can you hear me?”  He waited a beat, then stood and waved his arms, yelling towards the front of the house.

“HELP! I NEED HELP BACK HERE!”