Over the Rainbow

Chapter 8: A Single Point of Light

"What the hell was that?" Johnny had been coming back with more wine when Sarah exploded and the girls left."What the hell did you do? I was just gettin' in good with Marianne!"

"I don't know." Jared was genuinely confused. "I was going through the demo and Sarah just blew up. She stopped me from striking the first match and stormed out. I don't get it."

Johnny looked thoughtfully (for him) at his friend. "You think she thought it was real? I mean her dreams and all?"

"Yeah," Jared responded. "It's the only thing that makes sense. I mean it's crazy, right? But maybe she really believes she's been jumping around the multi-verse. Fuck! Maybe she is a bit crazy."

"Fuck yeah!" Johnny downed his wine. "You really dodged a bullet there, Bud."

Although Jared nodded in agreement, he didn't actually feel like he had dodged a bullet. He felt more like he'd lost something. Something good. He felt more like he needed to make this up to her, somehow.

"Chicks! Right?" Johnny had now switched to beer. "You want a beer, Dude?"

"Yeah," Jared settled back in the couch. "Yeah, I could use a beer about now."

Johnny popped a fresh can open and handed it to Jared.

***

Carlisle Jackson was on the run. Laughing hysterically, he ducked down an alley. The blaze he'd left behind was out of his line of sight now, but that was OK. It wasn't really an inferno yet anyway. Right now he needed to put a little distance between himself and the flame he'd started. Once he was far enough away, he would circle back and turn up as just another looky-loo.

He didn't much like it when people got caught up in his fires. He almost felt guilty when someone died. Almost. But that wasn't really his fault anyway. The blaze was the thing. Flames climbing into the sky, consuming the building. It was like the fire was a living thing. Eating, growing, multiplying. A living thing that he, Carlisle Jackson, had created. He felt like a god once the fire caught.

Slowly, he made his way back to the conflagration. He didn't want to be the first on the scene so he needed to see if anyone else had noticed the blaze yet. He heard sirens in the distance and as he turned the corner, he could see that there was a crowd beginning to form. That was good. Being the first one there might raise suspicions, but with this group already gathering, he would blend in. Just another rubbernecker hoping to see something good. He made his way closer and elbowed his way through the growing crowd to get a better view.

Already the flames were magnificent! Black, acrid smoke bellowed out of the upper story windows as the first floor belched flames into the night. And it wasn't silent. Oh no! The fire roared like an angry dragon, spitting its tongues of fire at the awestruck crowd.

The sight was terrible, beautiful, awesome and horrifying all at the same time. Carlisle could barely contain his excitement. He wanted to jump up and down, clapping his hands and shouting for more, like a small boy at the circus. But he knew how to play this game. He had to blend in with the rest of the onlookers. He needed to show concern. Concern for the firefighters, the property owners and anyone that may have been trapped by the blaze.

I wonder if there's anyone in there, he thought as he was watched gleefully. He could feel the heat pulling the flesh on his face taught. Blinking became difficult as his eyes dried in the heat. He began to wonder, once again, what it would be like to be in the fire, experiencing it close up. It must be glorious!

The crowd let out a loud sigh as the structure began to collapse in on itself. The cracking of large wooden beams made a satisfying sound as the roof sagged before falling to the floor below.