Chapter 9
The community came together.
People from the trailer park. Mike and the construction crew. Dr. Martinez. Even the lawyer.
They brought food. Clothes. Money.
A local charity heard about what happened. They had a program for families who lost their homes to fire.
And they helped.
They gave us a temporary place to stay. Helped with Dad's medical bills. Connected us with resources I never knew existed.
Tyler was caught three days later.
He was found in a motel room on the other side of town. High. Drunk. With the gas can still in his truck.
He was charged with arson. Attempted murder. Witness intimidation.
With his record and the evidence... he was looking at fifteen years.
Minimum.
He called me once from jail.
"You ruined everything," he said. "That trailer should have been mine."
"You had your chance," I said. "You chose violence. You chose greed. You chose to burn down the only home we ever had."
I paused.
"Goodbye, Tyler."
May you like
I hung up.
And I blocked his number.
