Although it happened two years ago, I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was the 24th of May, the day I had envisioned as my initiation to my first summer of independence. Three long hours of singing, gossiping, and endless giggles finally ended with our arrival to the lake. The three of us, Lauren, Jordan, and myself, expected this day to be memorable and full of adventure. We had no idea that fate also planned the day to be memorable but on a drastically different scale then what we had intended.

"Hey! There it is!" yelled Lauren pointing to the campsite that bordered the still, calm waters of the Texoma lake. I looked out the smudged window and saw our friends loitering around the campsite waiting for our arrival. Jordan

The safety of the car beckons, the driver that had arrived quickly jumps out and attempts to do what can be done to make us comfortable. He notifies the authorities and assured us that help was on the way. He then gently assisted Lauren and me to the air-conditioned car and handed us a glass of tea to provide liquid relief to our burned throats.

The hot sand filtered through our toes as we walked down to the edge of the lake water from the beach. The echo of the children's laughter made us simultaneously look over and see two kids on brightly colored rafts floating along the lake.

Jordan bounced up from the ground and responds "Do you think my insurance is going to pay for this?" I looked at her in astonishment, what a ditz, I thought to myself. While looking at Jordan, my glance strayed to Lauren and I notice the total bewilderment on both of their faces. Shock began to set in. We stood dumbfounded, hovering around each other, completely blackened from the smoke. There wasn't a soul in sight, we desperately attempted to verbalize cries of help, but our throats burning with each gasp of air made this nearly impossible.

"Let's go to the beach," said Jordan as she readjusted her bikini top, "this dock is so uncomfortable". We readily agreed and informed the guys we would be back shortly as we hopped in the car to head to the nearby beach.

"That's a good idea!" I boasted as I watched the kids jump playfully into the lake from the tops of their rafts. "We'll tan while floating!"

This life altering experience ultimately taught me a lot. It taught me to appreciate life. I view life in a whole new perspective now. I know that you shouldn't take life, or anything else in that matter, for granted. It also taught me anything could happen in the blink of an eye, whether you are prepared for it or not and also parents always know best and it's wise to trust their intuitions. But the most useful advice I have for you is this...Never, I repeat never, ride in a car with any use of the word "fire" in it's name (hence: Sunfire)!

We ran to the car, jumped in, and took off to find the nearest place to fill the air mattresses

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Approximate Word count = 1453
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)