Of Immortals and Men ~The Howling Flame~

Prologue Conflagration

Of Immortals and Men

The Howling Flame

“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.”

          ~Robert Frost~

Prologue

Conflagration

          An ominous whisper crept into his body and danced around his bones; it sent shivers throughout his fur. Something was going to happen. He could feel the inevitable end no matter how hard he ignored it.

          The soft wind that brushed his face made him open his eyes and look up. The view was the same; everything went by unchanging—unmoving and everlasting—as if nothing would happen.  Lifting his enormous form, he stood from the spot he accustomed to sleep in. The giant willow tree that harbored all of his memories loomed over the patch of grass he called a bed, as it watched him go on his final way.

          His paws took one step and continued onwards to the house that stood a few yards in front of him. It was a bad idea to go to her, but something willed it inside him. The rose bushes he passed by reeked of her and he could not avoid the intensifying desire to say goodbye.

          ‘I at least owe her that.’ His mind was pensive when he reached the back of the door to her home. With a slight nudge of his head, he checked to see if could open it. Half of him prayed that would not be able to while the other half knew how foolish it was to think otherwise.

          Like any other day, the door opened. She always did leave it unlocked in case he ever needed anything. The house was still, more than the yard itself, as its eerie silence unsettled him.

          ‘This feeling isn’t going to get any better unless I get away from them…’ He knew he had to hurry.

          In one swift motion, a shroud of dark smoke enveloped him. He shut his eyes and pictured her bedroom only to be there when he opened them. Her room was quaint; she never did have much to begin with and it made his eyes soften when he saw her sleeping form.

          His stride took him to her side as he laid his head next to one of her feeble arms.

          ‘Goodbye, Faye.’ He thought it, unwilling to communicate it, as he allowed himself to take in her fragrance, the softness of her bed and the delicate feel of her wrinkly skin one last time

          The warmth of his breath left him and he glanced at her old body before turning to leave.

          “Huo…is that you? What’s wrong boy?” The sound of her old voice pierced through him.

          Her brown eyes marred with wrinkles, searched for any indication in his canine white eyes. He whimpered and went to her.

          She was always his weakness. Faye stroked the crimson fur that adorned his chest as he rubbed his deep black pelt on her lap, “You just wanted to see me didn’t you?” Her smile warmed him.

          It was bliss until it became an utter nightmare. The windows trembled violently in a shatter, causing the glass to spread onto the floor. He felt Faye’s heart rate quicken and his own became enraged. She was an old woman; anything that frightened her could easily be the end of her life. The growl escaped his throat when Faye timidly stood from her bed and searched for the cause of the action.

          The rest of the windows shook and burst as Faye began to scream in agony. A strong humming sound devoured the silence of her home and destroyed her hearing. Huo angrily howled in the direction he believed the sound had originated. The wave of his bark eliminated the deadly tune as Faye fell to her knees with her bloodied ears held within her palms. His own sensitive lobes were pounding but he was used to the wretched melody, unlike Faye.