Crickets were heard chirping and flakes of snow swirled and danced around the air that night of Christmas Eve.
Marielle and her boyfriend, Kenny were taking a stroll along the edge of the woods, holding hands and savouring the beautiful Christmas night.
The trees along the edge of the woods had shed all their leaves and so the snow coated branches stuck out of the trunk like arms of a multiple handed creature.
The cute couple walked along silently, their feet making crunching noises as they trudged on. The cold wind and falling snow brushed the open skin of their faces, causing Marielle to shiver and Kenny to draw her close to him for warmth.
Marielle looked over at him and gave him a smile that made his heart swell and he gave her one back. Kenny, made an abrupt stop in the middle of the road and turned to face her.
“Marielle, there's something I need to tell you,” he began, sounding a little bit on edge.
Marielle looked at him with a creased forehead. “Anything wrong?”
“No, no. Nothing wrong. It's just…I've known you for a while now. And ever since I did, I've never been happier in my life. You're the sweetest person in the world, you're beautiful, smart, funny and…I just can't help loving you.”
Marielle nodded at him with tears shimmering in her eyes. “I love you too,” she whispered and took a step forward to embrace her boyfriend but he took a step back.
“What is it?”
Her heart leaped as he got down on one knee. It thrummed in her chest so fast she had to take deep breaths.
Was this really happening ? She asked herself.
He stuck his hand into his coat pocket and took a small black box out of it. Then he opened it up and asked the life changing question, “Marielle, my love, would you do the honours and be my wife?”
“Yes!” she shrieked, her voice shaking and her hands trembling. “Yes, I will marry you Kenny.”
Tears spilled out of Kenny's eyes and with a huge smile on his face, he took the ring out of the box and reached out for her hand.
Suddenly, the trees all around them burst into flames. Crackling sounds were heard and the heat the fire produced was so much that beads of sweat appeared on their forehead immediately. The couple screamed and took off without looking back or sticking around to find out what was going on. They ran back to the town, their screams not ever ceasing until they arrived.
***
June, a petite, brown haired, brooding teenage girl was sitting at her table, scribbling furiously into a notebook. The pencil she was using to write suddenly broke at the tip and her entire body tensed.
She heard screaming from almost every direction. She ran out of the room and emerged in the living room. The rest of her family was outside, trying to figure out what the commotion was all about.
They didn't stay there for long though, because everyone in the neighbourhood was told to stay indoors for their safety.
“What is going on?” June asked after they'd gone indoors, utterly confused and worried.
“I heard the trees caught on fire,” her father said to her with his hands placed on his waist. “But get this, it was only the trees that didn't have leaves on them that caught up in flames.”
“What?” her older brother, Max, exclaimed from his position on the couch.
“I know, it's crazy. But luckily we're safe. We just have to stay indoors and it will be taken care of by the fire fighters, okay?” her mother said.
