I made it to the entrance of my old home to see it deserted. No one had lived here in awhile. The cave walls were burnt, my drawing of Mother covered in ash. I began to panic as I moved to my friends old home. I entered their cave that they lived with their mother and father in a hurry. Instead of their siblings, I found only their father huddled in a corner. He was rocking back and forth while muttering to himself.
When he finally noticed me his eyes lit up and his face turned to blind rage. He kept saying "Your Fault! All Your Fault!" He swung at me once more, but I was no child this time. I dodged his attack and struck him back. The punch to his jaw sent him tumbling down. I was preparing myself for a fight, when I noticed him not getting back up. I know my punch wasn't enough to kill, so I cautiously approached him. I found him crying his heart out while still muttering "Your Fault!"
I left the cave and bumped into a child running around. I asked the child were the new fire mans cave was. He pointed in the direction and ran off. Yelling my thanks I headed for my friend.
The entrance to their home was off settling, I heard no voices, no laughter nothing of my friend. I felt only coldness coming from the cave. Stepping inside I called out for anyone and got a half reply. Venturing deeper I saw The Fire Mans Child huddled by the flame.
They called out my name which gave me a shock. I acknowledged them and they offered me a seat. I asked where my friend was and they gave a short laugh and said they were here. Looking through the cave It was obvious no one else was here. I asked again where they were and they picked up some ash covering the floor and once again said here, as they let the ash fall from their hands.
"I burned them. I burned them all." My heart beat started rising and my blood started moving. "Yip, Yip, Yip." They said mockingly. "They only loved you. only talked about you. They cried for days when you left. I thought they would get over it but when they wouldn't I thought my flames would help. At first it was light Id just burn them on their feet every time I heard that "Yip," that way they would remember every time they walked around the village. They grew use to that so I burned their hands so they could not play with their siblings for a while. Then I burned their mouth when they would talk with your Mother. Then when their eyes looked on at me in disgust I burned them too."
I lunged at them. They laughed as my fist landed on their face. "They said they were only yours, and that I would never have them. So I burned them to ashes and kept them here so you can never have them." My knuckles broke in my right hand but I kept swinging it down regardless of the pain. They kept on ignoring the beating. "When I was finished with that crispy doll, I thought to myself I should just burn everything that they love, you love." I switched to my elbow trying to shut them up. "There's only one thing left to burn... and that is you." They let out through a mouthful of blood, as their flames ignited my body.
As my body was burning from the outside in, I thought of something I had forgotten.
Death is rarely ever quick. Usually you have a few seconds to try to kill the one who kills you, before death finally takes you.
With broken hands I could only use my teeth now. I bit at their throat trying to rip out the words they had said to me. Ripping into the muscles in their neck I pulled with all my might. Finally, with no way of speaking anymore they smiled at me. I spit their neck into their smile.
Still on fire I gathered myself to leave the cave. My pale skin now charcoal black, my lungs did not provide oxygen only more flames. I tried to move my mouth to let out a familiar sound but was unable to anymore. I collapsed to the ground. The fire starting to spread away from my body. I felt it when my eyes shut for the last time. Death had finally arrived.