Spontaneous house combustion (SHC)

“Why are you being so stupid? Why are you being so stupid?”

I overheard the neighbours screaming at each other over the garden wall. The arguments had been taking place for day upon day never once attempting or hoping to reach a resolution. There seemed to be multiple parties involved in their battles, differing combinations of persons, the subject matter often unrecognisable beyond the subjects of blame and denial. The people who lived next door where a usual type of family; Mum and Dad both working with children (undeterminable number – difficult to count the individual shouts) in school

I had considered the possibilities of what was causing the situation there. Could it just be a normal argument? I figured that Mum and Dad could be having a row, perhaps over domesticities, the children fighting over whose turn it was to use their Gameboy? Like any other household? But something told me, the sound told me, that this was more extreme. Eventually curiosity got the better of me and we decided, my brother and I, to tiptoe up to the wall and peer over the wall in order to determine more of what was happening. We could not believe what our eyes saw!

Full scale war was about to commence and through the patio windows you could see the start of a preparing battle. Each member of the family had assembled their own individual army, 5 in total. It looked as though each had their own room to plan strategies and work out their plans. Even the bathroom at the back of the house was filled with people; you could see their silhouettes through the tinted glass when the light was switched on. Cannons and soldiers filled up the living room and cats and dogs were snarling and turning on each other in an attempt to rile the other on.

I turned to my brother and asked what he thought we should do, this was rather unusual surely?! In contrast to my opinions he didn’t seem too concerned and suggested we wait it out by why of seeing how it would unfold.

Darkness fell.

The doors to the patio were unlocked and out came a man dressed in armour riding a horse into the garden, behind him flowed out his followers all blaring out similar types of cry. Another party of troops came out as well and it wasn’t long until the garden had become completely packed with people. Through the windows you could see other teams emerging armed with arrows and blades; it was difficult however, to work out who was on whose side as everyone was dressed in colours alike to each other. It was even hard to work out who was leading whose army. It seemed like adults, children and the animals were all on a par with one another and the mass grew and grew. Eventually a horn was sounded from inside the house and the fight started outside and in.

For a long time all you could hear were the sounds of metal clashing, yelps and shouts from falling members of the fighters. Horses were galloped within the constraints of space occasionally halted by an arrow piercing into their legs shot from the attic bedroom’s window. The battle was relentless and got more passionate and angry within a short interval of time. What was this all about? It was still very hard to work out and my brother and I were glued to watching every second of it from our safe haven stood behind the gardens wall. I felt incredibly safe with my feet planted in the garden bed.

Suddenly, something amazing happened. The house next door started to move. Not only did it start to move but it also started to make a groaning sound and everyone heard it and stopped to look back in the house’s direction in utter silence. The house’s low moan continued to spread across the garden and the look of confusion that multiplied across the faces of all in attendance was manifest.

Now they say that spontaneous human combustion is when a human body burns without an external source of ignition. There is a lot of speculation surrounding this subject despite it being a proven natural phenomenon, many unexplained stories have been told throughout time coupled with theories and hypotheses which try to explain them but nothing has come near to the truth which remains unknown. Some theories have said that static electricity could cause the victim’s clothing to set on fire, another states that human fat could act in the same way as a candle would operate as fuel for the flames. But no one so far has said that it is caused by the human mind simply having enough, giving up the gift of life in favour of a way out and perhaps more simplistic existence because by the looks of things, that what the house decided to do.

And then from no where the house was engulfed by flames and unfortunately it seemed that everyone within the confines of the estate was as well. The adults, children and animals all were taken by the house and within a matter of minutes all that remained of the building and people were dust and ashes scattered on the ground forming the words, Forgiveness is a powerful tool.

Once, once my heart was blind
Once my heart was blind
It did not see

Two arms folded, crossed across my chest
A wall created for my hopes to rest
Rested hopes to forsake a sight
My heart was blind; it could not see the light

This choice was strict and imposed upon
And terrified the heart of at least not one
Yet the wall remained, two arms remained
My heart, its restricted sight, there to stay

Then my heart was exposed by two hands
Two warm hands and familiar hands
And into these hands I placed mine

In return for these hands I’d exposed my heart
By unfolding my arms, the wall came apart
And onto my chest a new hope arrived
The new hope has a hope to survive
And love and love this gentle new wall
I can not believe I couldn’t see it before

Now my heart can see what’s in front of it
And what’s in front of it can see my heart

From here until the future
From here it will start