14 Patient #4- Yeo Changgu

Yeo One had a comfortable life in the suburbs.

He had a nice family, a middle class house. He wasn't wealthy, but he was... content. His family had what they needed.

Yeo One was in 8th grade when he was forever changed.

It had actually been a very good day. Yeo One had gotten his report cards, all A's, and his father had told the family they were going to go to a movie of his choice on Saturday to celebrate.

His spirits were high. He was in his room, relaxing, doing a little homework before dinner. His cat, Luna, laid next to him, tail flicking back and forth, watching his pencil move.

"What movie should we go and see?" Yeo One asked him. "Should it be a cartoon, a scary movie, or maybe a funny movie?"

"Meow," the cat replied.

Yeo One thought about it. "I think comedy would be a good. Dad likes comedy."

The cat meowed once more.

"But mom likes scary movies... and Jinae likes cartoons.... this is so hard!"

Luna stared at him.

"Hmm... maybe I could let them decide."

He continued working, wanting to get everything done before dinner so afterward he could have some free time.

Wow, it had been a great day.

He didn't notice the smoke at first. In fact, it was the smell that made him look up.

Smoke was pouring through the crack under his door.

Luna meowed and hurried to get away. "Oh! Oh no!" Yeo One gasped. He had no idea what to do or how to react.

"Hello?!" He shouted for his family. "Mom? Dad?"

He ran to his door and threw it open. The wall of smoke immediately filled his room and his lungs. He coughed, covering his mouth and nose. He teared up and his nose ran.

"Mom?! Dad?! Jinae?!" He cried out for his family again. He dropped to the floor and started crawling toward the stairs.

Yeo One checked his sister's room. "JINAE?!" He yelled. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Nothing. That wasn't normal.

He had forgotten about his cat and was looking for his sister and parents. Yeo One could start to feel heat as he slid down the stairs. "Mom?!" Yeo One screamed.

It was the kitchen. He could see the flames climbing up the walls and burning the curtains above the sink. He saw an arm on the floor, peaking out from behind the island.

His stomach dropped.

"MOM!" He rushed to her, but was stopped by a sudden burst of flames coming up from the floor and seeming to explode in front of him. His eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair singed and turned blond on the ends. He cried out in pain and stumbled back.

Yeo One fell into the living room. The fire crackled and occasionally there was the sound of splitting wood or cans exploding.

"DAD?! JINAE?!"

His mom! What could he do?!

He had to find his sister!

"CHANGGU?" He heard his dad shout.

"DAD!"

His dad coughed and stumbled down the stairs. "DAD WAIT-!"

The fire had gotten a hold of his father's pant leg.

"AH!" He cried out.

But it was too late.

Yeo One had to crawl back and watch as his father was engulfed in flames. "NO! DAD!"

"CHANGGU! AH!" His father screamed and cried in pain as the fire ate at his skin and burnt away his hair. Yeo One was in pure shock.

His father... he was going to die...

After a moment more of blood curdling screaming, his father dropped, his misery finally ended.

Yeo One sobbed. Both of his parents were gone!

"JINAE!" He screamed even louder. It felt as if he had ripped his vocal chords he screamed so loud.

He never found her. The smoke filled his lungs to the point that he passed out right there in the living room.

*****************

Beep, beep, beep.

Yeo One slowly woke up. The light was so bright that he had to squint his eyes. He felt stiff, unable to move.

"Ah..."

He could barely move his head. He heard the steady beeping on his left side and turned to the machine.

He was in the hospital.

"He's awake!" Someone shouted.

He heard shuffling. Finally, once his eyes adjusted to the light, he opened them completely.

Almost his entire body was wrapped in tight bandages. He had a mask on to help him breathe . He remembered the fire and his heart sank.

His family... his sister... where was she...?

A doctor comes in with who he recognized as his aunt. Her face was contorted with sadness, but slight relief now that Yeo One was awake.

He found he couldn't talk. It hurt to try. It was as if his lungs were working at 10% of what they usually work at. He groaned and looked at his aunt, who held his hand tightly.

"Changgu... I'm so glad you're awake hon," she said. Her eyes were blurry and tears rolled down her face. "We were worried sick... it's been a month..."

Yeo One wanted desperately to ask where his sister was, but no sound came out of him. He couldn't even move without pain shooting through each of his limbs.

"We'll get him on some more morphine," the doctor said.

"Should we tell him...?" His aunt asked.

"I think it would be for the best. I'm sure he's wondering what happened."

Yeo One didn't like the sound of this, or the looks on their faces.

"Honey... I know this is going to be hard to hear... just know I'm here for you, okay?"

He blinked, his heart racing. What was going on?

"Look... Changgu... there's no easy way to say this..."

Yeo One looked at the doctor sadly. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming, and he wasn't prepared.

"Your family... they all passed away in the fire..."

Yeo One's throat closed up and tears immediately started rolling down his face. No... no! His parents... his poor sister... She was only seven...!

He turned toward his Aunt, who was weeping, her head down. Yeo One couldn't talk. It hurt too badly. But she seemed to read his mind. "Jinae is gone, Changgu..."

Yeo One tried to let out a sob, but he ended up having a coughing fit.

"Your house was completely burnt down... not much is left. The police found Luna though. She's at my house..." His aunt looked down at him. "I'm so glad you're alive, Changgu."

"You have 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over your body," the doctor told him. "A firefighter pulled you out of the house before the fire killed you."

Wow, Yeo One thought to himself. I should be dead right now.

His aunt ran a hand through his singed hair soothingly. "You're going to be living with your uncle and I, okay? We know this is hard... and so sudden... we will help you through it."

Yeo One cried and nodded. "H-H-How?" He managed to croak, but it hurt so bad he cried more.

"A kitchen fire... a grease fire..." his aunt replied.

Yeo One felt so trapped. He couldn't move... his family was gone... and there was nothing he could do about it.

He couldn't even speak.

Yeo One cried silently. His aunt stayed with him while he recovered in the hospital. His uncle prepared their house for him and started arranging the funerals.

Yeo One has been scared of fire ever since.

***************

Yeo One was raised by his aunt and uncle until he was 18. They noticed that whenever they had their fireplace on, he would start to freak out and have panic attacks. He was diagnosed with PTSD only a year after the fire.

He was always a nice, gentlemanly like person, and this did not stop after what happened with his family. He never wanted anyone else to feel hurt like he did, so he tried to make other people happy.

He checked himself into the Pentory State Mental Institution when he was 20. He wanted to take the initiative to heal and help himself.

He has been a patient for 4 years.