The Burning Tower

Accidental Sacrifice

A swirling sky above, the sun dropping, the color reminding him of smoldering flames in the distance. He leaned against the railing, humming as he sipped alcohol filled coffee from his favorite mug, eyes scanning the horizon for trouble. Rarely was there something to worry himself over, and today seemed to be no different. 

The day had been terribly stale before, although Alastor had loved the quiet. As a watchman, quiet days just meant that his services were indeed doing some good for the park, so he knew to be thankful for those silent evenings. 

He had spent his time cleaning trash he found around his tower, and even got to sit and watch a family of deer as they ate in a field. Of course he couldn’t go all day without being visited by the neighboring tower B watchman, and supervisor; Vincent. They used to be friends, back a long time before; so Vince had always approached too casually for Al’s liking. He would even have the audacity to wrap and arm around his shoulders, pulling him into his chest as he spoke nonsense about rain measurements and sun exposure. 

Alastor knew that the other had no interest in this life, but he had gotten him the job in the first place; then he had followed him out into the wilderness once it was time for fire watch season. So, as he had been asked to by his mother; Alastor remained as civil as possible. Although, he was fully aware of the fact that Vince would never cease his pestering for as long as he had this occupation; but what choice did he have? He was kicked out of university, and this job paid so well that he decided to take it the moment it was offered to him. All he had to do was endure Vincent and relative isolation, which neither were deal breakers for the man. 

They had been friends for a long time before, and maybe he could learn to like him again. As Alastor had spent hours listening to him babble about a family of skunks living by tower B; he found that he couldn’t help but let that hope flourish. If Vincent could learn to live in the forest to be closer to him, then perhaps he could forgive him for the past.

Suddenly, Alastor was pulled from his thoughts of the day as he had caught a glance of a spark within the trees. Keen eyes widened, and he stood, waiting to make sure he had actually seen what he swore he had. Then it happened again, a spark in the distance. Hurrying, he slipped on his mud boots, and put on his hat, though he did not bother throwing on his uniform top, too hurried to grab it, yet, his rifle would be in hand before he left. 

He practically leaped down the stairs, and once he reached the Earth, he began to jog towards the source of the smoke. He did not know that this was not an ordinary fire. He did not know he was going to be changing his existence forever. Doing his job, doing what he had set out to do out in the wilderness. Alastor rushed towards the potential blaze, bounding over low lying logs and other plantlife, radio pressed to his face, breathing into it with a slightly raised tone, “Hey, this is tower A, I’ve caught sight of a potential fire hazard, standby.” 

As he approached the source of the light, he knelt in the bushes, tucking his radio back into his belt, eyes focused, dilated. Like a hunter eyeing pay, he waited to see what was happening, seeing if he could potentially gain another victim in these bloody woods. 

Alastor knew these forests had seen their fair share of bloodshed, between himself and Vincent’s family. They had an old reputation in town for taking what they wanted in the olden times before laws were widespread in America. Alastor, on the other hand, took advantage of his position. Killing to eat, gorging himself on flesh on the rare occasion a hiker happened to be alone and breaking laws their team frowned upon. He was doing a service to his people, and just doing his job. Nothing sinister, only an eye for an eye. The way nature intended. The way nature had needed. 

He took aim, looking into his scope, seeing multiple figures in a clearing, and he realized that the flame he had noticed was a campfire in the middle of a large circle, candles encircling it, and ground covered in what seemed to be salt of some sort. He would not be able to use his weapon now, not unless he could prove self defense, so he tucked it behind himself, making sure the strap was tight to his chest before he strategically moved to get closer.