Unfinished Stories

The Flares Trap

There was only one light to be seen in the woods at this time of night, and that was the growing fire, lightning had struck five minutes prior and the animals were scurrying about for shelter away from the growing heat.
The flame itself grew on and on towards the fallen tree. Panic rose in the hollowed bark for he did now wish to burn alive. As the fire neared he prayed to the earth goddess, he prayed and prayed, hoping for the fire to cease.
When he opened his eyes the flame had shrunk and was smiling up at him like a small child, for she had prayed as well. She did not wish to destroy the homes of the animals like her father hoped for.
She danced on the damp grass, flickering in the dark, and oh how the log wanted to join her, but he was nothing but a fallen dead tree.
The flame patiently waited for him to join her only to soon find he was nothing like her. While he was stuck, she roamed free.
She reached out to him her flaming warm palm touching his cold icy bark, she finally took her residency inside the hollow of the bark, igniting warmth to him as she died out slowly. And as any fallen tree, he had soon no other choice but to dry out.