An Accident at Disneyland

I work as a firefighter. It's nothing much to be honest, just a simple job since police work was too hard for me. If I could help it, I would've loved to be a detective. But I get a bit too sickly at times. In any case, it's something that keeps me busy and fed. Can't complain with that. Can definitely complain about where I'm stationed though. Because just a mile or two from our station is Disneyland. And you'll be very much surprised to hear how often we get phone calls about an accident that needs our help. It's not even usually just small fires we need to take care of, we also have to play second fiddle to ambulances when they get too busy to help everyone. And before you even ask, yes we do get occasionally asked to help a cat out of a tree every so often. It definitely keeps us limber and active but you eventually get sick of the free trips to the "happiest place on earth."

Especially when that magic is lost for good.

That's what I want to talk about here. A call we got from Disneyland that I've never been able to forget. Hard to really pinpoint where to properly start but...well, these things tend to start from the beginning right? It was me and some work buddies of mine playing a game of cards. We get a ring from the chief that Disneyland is in dire need of our services, again. We shoved our cards onto the table and stretched our muscles before rushing over to the truck and setting off. The usual smell Disneyland had reminded me of a full capacity gym locker. Just sweat and body odor. Usually had to pinch my nose to keep myself from gagging on the job. When we got there, it was just about the same. But judging by the large crowd surrounding the entrance, this wasn't going to be routine. Hell as we got closer, the all too familiar smell of charcoal started to fill the air. This wasn't a case of a simple garbage bin fire or a kid who went into heat stroke, we had a real fire going on that had to be stopped.

The employees at the front gate brought us in past the crowd and filled us in on what was going on. Apparently some sick kid decided to light some fireworks near a Fantasyland building, which went just about as expected. The kid already got dragged out by a good Samaritan but he said he heard some people screaming around that general area and wasn't sure if they got out. So we had two things we needed to do: put out the fire and look for anyone who needs saving. We split off into pairs, one of us each carrying a hose and the other carrying a fire ax. I was chosen for the ax, my buddy Todd for the hose. We ran past the Castle gate and into the courtyard and what greeted us was a vision straight out of a nightmare. All of the buildings were burning to cinders, the rides were falling apart and crashing down on the ground in an inferno. We had our work cut out for us and we needed to work fast. I directed Todd to places where the fires were the strongest and he helped to point out any voices he heard within the fires. If there was one thing Todd was great at, it was a talent for picking apart sounds and focusing on important ones. We were at a steady pace, bringing down the fires and helping out some folks who were trapped. But then came the worst.

Right by the edge of Fantasyland was a simple building. Not a major attraction, just something for kids to fulfill a dream of. Meet Mickey Mouse. That was one of the buildings on fire. And Todd said that he heard someone in there. So while Todd had to douse the flames out on the outset, I needed to go inside and find whoever it was that was inside there. The fire axe came in handy, great for chopping down bits of debris and doors that needed opening. To this day there's a part of me that wished I gave up at the auditorium part of the building. When I saw burnt up footage of old Mickey Mouse cartoons playing through a projector onto the wall, I should've trusted my gut and ran back out. Yet I didn't. By God I didn't. Someone still needed saving. Hell. At this point I could hear that someone too. Someone who needed saving was going to get my help. So I jumped over the metal gates and headed towards the back. The screams of agony were coming from the Mickey Mouse room. Had to have been an employee. Someone who needed help.

I rushed over to the door and chopped down the door.

And there was Mickey Mouse.

His legs were trapped under a pile of debris. Bits of burning wood were slipping onto his back and mask. It singed past the clothing and onto the skin itself. The mask in particular looked sunken as the fire burnt away parts of the mask to reveal the bright red scalp that was being torched underneath. Must've been burning like a sauna in that costume. I can still remember...it looked like steam was coming off of him. I was just frozen in shock for what felt like an eternity at the sight. I've seen people get hurt and die before...but not here. Not at the happiest place in the world. Snapped myself back in place when my ears focused back on the screams the guy was making. Reminded me of a Banshee. I knelt down beside him and judged what would be the best course of action. His legs were pinned under the debris but his arms were still free. I could pull him out of there and get him to safety. Get Todd to bring him back to the fire truck. I held onto his arms and started to pull. This guy was going to live. He'd have to get extensive skin graft surgery but he was going to be okay. He started screaming again. He'll have to live the rest of his life as a disabled man but at least he gets the chance to live. He screeches in pain. I wasn't going to stop until I could assure this man's safety. He begs me to let go. I couldn't let go. He sobs into his mask. I wasn't letting go.

He slides out of the debris.

And he leaves his legs behind.

I stare where at his legs were. They had been punctured by some broken shrapnel in his thighs. The weight held those pieces of shrapnel in place as I pulled him out. I was killing him and I didn't even know. I couldn't let myself fall there so I stumbled out of the room and ran outside. Told Todd that the fire got too great inside and that I couldn't save him. Just gave me a pat on the back and told me he understood. About half an hour later we got backup and an hour later we stopped the fires. Only noted casualty was the Mickey Mouse employee who died in the building. Reportedly died of blood loss. All because of me.

It's been a few years since that's happened and I've not gotten over it since. I can cloud it to the back of my mind when I'm at home and when I'm doing the job anywhere else but Disneyland. But when I'm at the "happiest place in the world", I can't help myself from feeling guilty. Guilty for being responsible for the death of that man. Hell, at times I start hallucinating. Might be from the heat or guilt but whenever I take a small walk in that park, I feel like I'm being watched. I hear thudding sounds when I'm alone at times in the park. And when I'm looking at nothing in particular, I spot something in the dark alleyways. Pinprick eyes. They're always close to the floor.

And they only look at me.