Finders Keepers

Tending to the flames

     Flames danced about the house popping and crackling in hunger their molten arms reaching out for anything to grab onto. The screams of the poor family who once called this place home had all but silenced. In the center of this dance stood a girl her hair was scorched burning their once fair locks to a crisp, but she didn't cry out instead she wore a smile a sick mangled smile that could be worn by a child who knew they were doing something wrong. Her hand curled around the tender untouched neck of a doll large button eyes stared back lifelessly at the girl a stitched smile was burnt into oblivion. The girl held her innocent smile and dropped the doll as if her hand slipped letting it fall with a soft almost unheard thud. the flames lurched and devoured their new prey burning the wool and stitching away to leave a pile of ashes to be the cherry on the pile of burnt bodies. Once the flames were done with their meal they turned to the girl creeping like snakes around her already tainted legs, they curled up further twisting and turning as they latched onto her thighs. the girl stayed perfectly still listening to the sirens in the distance, they inched closer and closer till the only sound she could hear were footsteps pounding on the lawn and sirens blaring in her ears. The fire creeped up her chest leaving black and white blisters of scorched skin. Finally the door was broken down and wood chips rained onto the hungry fire men surged like a tidal wave into the room stopping when they saw the child staring at them flames curling around her neck like a noose to signal her demise. 

"why is the world so cold?" came her raspy fearful voice before the flames englufled her small body.