Shen looked away from him and to the distance, before he told his story.
[Fire. It was everywhere around him, hot and loud. He called out to anybody, but no one could hear the poor boy, no one cared. He forced his legs to run out as his arms covered his face. His legs and arms were burning, like his skin was melting, but he ignored the pain. He ran and ran until he was away from the hot flames. The small shack he was in was covered in fire. His mother… the only one who cared for him was now gone. He was alone in the cold of the night sky.
Crying and crying, he wrapped his arms around his knees, stuffing his face against his arms. He didn't know how long he sat there, but he was starving and cold. There was nothing left in the fire, no bones of his mother, no memories of their times in the house. Everything was gone.
He curled over his stomach, feeling the gnawing and clenching of his insides.
