morraha's blogs

Return of the Fire Eater.

May 13, 2012

Return of the Fire Eater.

“What on earth are you doing?” His voiced echoed like a woman’s shriek but he didn’t really care at that point. He was focused on trying to prevent the insanity that he was currently witnessing. After the wonderful day that had just gone by, after finally having the chance to truly spend time with her, it couldn’t end like this.

She only laughed and stepped closer. The light flickered on her hair like it always did, turning the thick heavy mass into a fire all its own. Her dark honey eyes glowed all the brighter in the light of the flames. Turning her face to him she called back “Don’t worry; it’s only a trick that my father taught me years ago.”

He bolted towards her with arms outstretched but he was too late. She stepped into the blazing whirlwind and was drawn upwards in an instant. He stood, gawking open mouthed as her laughter somehow drifted back over the sound of the crackling flames. He waited, cringing, for the moment when her laughter became a scream. His muscles tense, his mind bracing for the terror and the shock. Every part of him ready to do anything he could.

And then it happened. The towering flames suddenly collapsed the fire rushing down like a fountain. He rushed forward intending to catch her, to save her from the fall. His hands never felt the fire’s bite as he tried to get to her. But she was not there. He could not find her, and then the scream came.

Sitting straight up he felt the rasping of his throat as her name tore itself from his lips. Looking around he realized he was home again, in his own bed with the sun just beginning to peek through the curtains. Shaking his head to try and clear away the dream, he gave some serious thought to avoiding the Fire Eater’s carnival when it came to town from now on. The dreams he had on those days were never sweet.

Reaching to pull aside the covers he winced at the pain in his hands, glancing down to see fresh burns.

5-13-12


(Written for the Blue Xpress challenge prompt. http://www.blindloop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Fire-Whirls.jpg)