Last Week, I Set My Hair on Fire

Last Friday, I smelled something burning in my room. I was on the phone with a friend and cut her off to say something was wrong — I smelled something burning.

My first thought was to turn off the space heater.

But I still smelled something burning.

Unplugged the space heater.

Still smelled burning.

Except now I felt a sizzle inside my head. (This moment stands out the most in this whole story because it was so visceral)

I could hear and smell something burning and so my next thought was that my Airpods shorted out.

I pulled them out and threw them on the bed.

I still smelled burning. An active burn.

I felt a sizzle internally.

This confused me because I pulled the Airpods out of my ears.

My animal body KNEW before the conscious part of me knew.

It was me.

My hair was on fire.

I yelled out loud, OMG IT’S ME, MY HAIR IS ON FIRE.

I immediately jammed my head into the blankets on my bed to smother the fire. I vigorously rolled my head around.