My idea for a thesis

THE BLINK BEFORE IT'S TRULY GONE

It seemed like it happened ages ago! You know, thinking back- I can barely remember the details. I think the night started something like this...

Hot.
No, not just hot, it was a steamy, stinky kind of hot. Like the kind of hot you get when you go to a hot dog stand downtown in the summertime, and ask for a dog with everything. When the steamer lid opens a sudden gust of steam billows in your face. You step back, and you feel your eyebrows wilt, and your eyes feel hot and dry. Then your face gets hot and flushed. And that smell of wet soaking hot meat fills the air.
That's the kind of hot it was.
A hot wet sweaty sticky meaty stinky kind of hot.

I couldn't sleep that night, I had all the windows open and I lay naked next to a broken fan, it made a cha-chunk cha-chunk cha-chunk noise set on high, and a grinding clicking noise on low. Set to medium it would whirr like a distant airplane, but would only work intermittently. My frustration got the best of me and I eventually tossed it out the window in a sleepless rage.
I finally got up and stood in front of the open refrigerator door. The dim watt bulb spilled a yellow-green cast into kitchen with its dried food crusted glow.
For a moment, the cool air blowing on my dripping body was paradise.
It was short lived.
The window next to me overlooked all of Boston. I glanced into the night, I imagined all those happy comfortable people in their homes sleeping soundly with their new air conditioners whirring a happy 55 degrees Fahrenheit of quiet cool comfort throughout their homes.
Then it happened.
In my wildest dreams I thought I would never see anything like it.
Like a wave, lights began turning dark. From my position on the 15Th floor I could see down Beacon Hill all the way across the Charles River to Cambridge. Every light went black!
Then the darkness engulfed my building.
Click.
The Fridge went out.
From my vantage point I could see that the entire city was coated in a thick velvety black.
I stood at the window naked and dripping, and tried to adjust my eyes to the blackness.
Nothing. Not a fucking thing!
Then, one by one, I could see flickers in some of the windows.
Small amber, yellow flickers. It was as if a single flame began dancing from window to window all over the city. Each window of every building had a single living moving flicker. It was an amazing sight to behold! Where there was once stationary single lights dotting every street and storefront, lit billboards, signs, apartment building foyers and flashing neon- was now replaced by a sea of one living flame.
One amber flickering breathing flame dancing from apartment window to window all over the city!
Out of the blackness it was the only thing one could see. If one were to look at it having never seen out my window, they would think there was nothing out in that blackness short of a few sticks of flame, and bleak nothingness beyond.
No other light permeated thru this darkness.
I sat on the window sill now looking out in amazement. Then it occurred to me. There were no car head lights either! I couldn't hear any motors, or siren's, or any usual city sounds.
It was just that peaceful dancing flame from window to window.
I lay on the floor now, with my face propped on the sill of the open window.
It was beautiful.
So peaceful and quiet. I wanted to keep my eyes open, even though I had not slept in many nights, I just had to capture that beauty of those flickers in the windows in my mind. My eyes blinked they were so dry from keeping them open so long, I struggled to watch, I blinked and blinked until I finally couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. I began to fall asleep. It was so hot, I could barely breathe. I closed my eyes and finally, finally I fell into a deep sound sleep, it was actually the most wonderful sleep I had ever had.
When I awoke I found myself here. And that's everything I recall. Honestly.

"Ok Mr. Pero. Thank you. Now, get some rest."

The Detective backed away from the hospital bed slowly, he slid his pen into his pocket and walked out of the room shaking his head.
"Well? " Asked the other detective who was standing outside the door during the interview.
"What did he say? " Detective Matt Perani, John's newest partner patiently waited for an answer.
Detective Gabberdini took a last look at the small notebook he scribbled notes on, and put it in his pocket. He looked at his partner and shook his head again.

"That's one lucky fucker right there. The only person to survive a 20 story apartment fire virtually unscathed!" He looked a his partner blankly.
" They found him the next morning lying next to his kitchen window. Not one scratch or burn on him!"
John reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo. He handed it to his partner.
"Look at this, its a crime scene photo of his apartment where he was found." Matt looked at it a moment.
"Whats this white spot on the floor?"He asked.
" Its linoleum." John said matter of factly.
Matt shook his head.
"I don't get it."
"Yea Matty, me neither. The white spot is the only non-burned part in that entire building. Its where they found him." He paused.
" Lying in front of the window."

Matt looked at him strangely.
"You mean he wasn't a suspect?"
"No." John grabbed the photo and put it in his pocket.
"He's the only survivor."