• One morning Mama was making breakfast and Daddy came in and set a pail of kerosene next to the stove. Mama, thinking that the pail was water for Daddy's coffee, put the pail onto the stove. Immediately, the stove was aflame. Mama ran outside I stated to run too, but then I thought about the flames licking the walls of the dry kitchen. I grabbed the pail and threw it out the door. I didn't know Mama was coming back into the house. Suddenly, Mama was a column of fire. I used my hands to beat the fire out. But it was to late. Mama was burned bad. So was I Daddy called Dr. Rice. First he treated Mama. then he treated me. He cut of all the burnt skin. Then he poked my hands with a pin to see what I could feel. He dipped my hands in anesthetics. That's when the pain came. As I walked outside I saw that all the apples on Mama's trees were gone. I couldn't tell her. I wouldn't. No. I will. But I didn't get the chance. Mama died giving birth to my baby brother. My aunt came to take the baby but he was dead before she came. The funeral was held later. Rev. Scott talked about Mama and asked Daddy to give the baby a name.He chose Franklin. Like our president. Mama and Franklin were buried on the rise of Mama's favorite hill.


    THE END