Page 4 - January 2021 BSTTW Community News
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CONTINUED From Page 3 “GRASS” to be seen. His motorcycle was there, lying
I had a flair for repairing most things, and on it's side on the grass. I looked around,
for this reason I was always welcomed to and guessed that he had gone down to the
stay with anyone I knew. cellar to fetch some tools, so I waited.
The flat was empty. I looked out from the It was half past eleven. I had not noticed
second floor balcony to see if the world was that the motorcycle was alight. The flames
still there. In the distance my aunt was were not visible in the sunlight as they
making her way to the local shops, with her licked around the petrol tank. They were not
daughter by her side. Below, on the large flames, possibly being fed from a
forecourt, my uncle was repairing his small oil spillage around the base of the
motorcycle. tank. The flames generated heat within the
petrol tank, the air expanded and within
I dressed and had breakfast. I had to carry seconds the cap on the tank blew off. Petrol
everything I needed for a three month shot out horizontally and caught the flames.
journey on two wheels and my wardrobe The pressure was sufficient to engulf me in
was limited. All my clothes were lightweight a ball of fire.
items. I also had to carry a lot of thoughts,
and this trip was going to help me decide There was not a bang as the petrol caught
what to do with my life, but not in the way I light, it was more like the sound of a
had expected. parachute opening; a kind of woosh My
immediate reaction was to close my eyes
I had other interests, apart from repairing and cover my face with my arms. I felt a
things. I hated and feared sport at school pain on my left arm, as if someone has
and always developed cold symptoms the spread very hot fat all over it. I shook my
day before. Regular timed illness did not arm to try and remove whatever was
prevent forced participation. My parents did causing the pain, but this caused the flames
not understand. I could not see the point of to flare even more. I opened my eyes and
running up and down a windswept field realized that I was alight all over. I shouted
chasing a bit of leather filled with air, only to in pain; my brain was swamped with pain
be pushed over by enthusiastic participants, messages, but the pain was coming from
into a muddy puddle. everywhere. As the burning continued
nerve endings become damaged and send
When I reached the Sixth form I could no more pain messages. I did not realist
choose my 'sporting' activities. I chose that my legs had taken much of the fireball.
horse riding. No more colds, I was a natural I was wearing shorts and a thin shirt. Now,
and quickly became hooked on the idea of in shock and unable to do anything about
leaving home as a working pupil. My the pain, I decided the best thing to do, was
parents, however, had visions of my to remove my petrol soaked burning
becoming some sort of technical expert. clothes. I took off my shoes and socks,
shorts, pants and shirt which were all
I averaged 100 miles each day on my burning. I was now no longer alight. I then
practice cycle run across Germany. This became rather self-conscious as I was
was my fifth day at my uncle's flat and I was standing outside with no clothes on. I ran
planning to leave the next day, Sunday. I indoors, up two flights of stairs and entered
went downstairs to see how my uncle was the flat.
getting on with his repairs. He was nowhere CONTINUED On Page 5 “GRASS”
