Small Flame
The girl woke up with arms folded close against her chest. A soft moan escaped as she stretched out, her back cracking. The tall oak trees swayed overhead, dead leaves and moss coated the ground. The dark sky was gray through the branches, and the leaves seemed to shiver in the chilled dawn air. The air was clear with silence, frozen in place. A bird twittered somewhere far off, in a happier place, and the noise cut through the stillness with sharp clarity. A brown maple leaf fell from above, fluttering and dancing on the way down, reluctant to rest at last among its brothers.
Shaking hands placed against the wet mossy ground and the girl stood. Strands of dark brown hair fell from a messy ponytail, almost useless as the hair went rogue. Her dark chocolate, almost black eyes searched through the trees. A bird screeched and she started, jerking her limbs about before realizing what had created the sound. She relaxed a bit then tried straightening. Her cry sang out, echoing through the woods. She arched over her knees as her eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched against the pain. Light flashed through her skull as bits and pieces came back to her memory of the night before.
“Just one.” Allie had said, holding the match out, pinched between her finger and thumb. The small flame stretched from the match, illuminating Allie’s pale face with an eerie like quality. Her green eyes had narrowed with excitement and her dazzling blonde hair fell over her slender shoulders.
A tan hand reached out slowly and the dark haired girl looked down at the match held between her fingertips, her hair pulled up into a neat ponytail. The flame flickered and danced, casting silhouettes of the two girls onto the wooden walls. Allie had grinned and then bent over, the fire in her hands reaching out towards the wall, straining to burn and devour the dry wood.
“Maybe we shouldn’t.” The girl’s strained soft voice whispered. Chocolate eyes met bright green ones.
“Come on, Isabel,” Allie snapped, eyes glowing in the darkness. Her voice cut through the silence like the snap of a string drawn taut. “What’s wrong with a little revenge?” Her voice wrapped around Isabel like a snare, her smooth, seductive voice sounded mockingly innocent. Green eyes held chocolate brown ones until Allie turned away, not waiting for a response, and not expecting one. Isabel looked away, choosing instead to stare at the orange blue flame she delicately held.
A crackling noise brought her attention to see Allie stand back, a dangerous grin lighting her triumphant face. Flames sprung up the wood, and the blackened match lay forgotten on the ground beside. In a couple minutes the entire building had been engulfed by the blaze. Isabel’s eyes widened, the fire reflecting in her stricken eyes. Her lonely flame flickered in her fingers, forgotten. With a sudden burst of speed she spun on her heel and ran. Police sirens sounded through the blackness. The match had fallen from her grasp, landing on the pavement. The light flickered and died. The last thing she had seen before entering the woods was the shop burning in the night behind her.
Isabel stared at the ground and straightened slowly again, this time she didn’t collapse. Allie’s face flashed in her mind, the burning building scarred into her memory. She hadn’t wanted to go with Allie that night. She had known it wasn’t right, but she did whatever Allie said. Now the police were after her. She had barely slept at all the night before, and when she finally did, it was a fitful sleep, reliving the moments before. She hadn’t been gone long. It had only been the night before when Allie had concocted the plan and pulled her into it. It wasn’t her fault Allie’s father had done what he did.
A breath escaped and the cloud of mist swirled up into the still air. Isabel’s eyes stared ahead of her and then she started walking. Wincing at each step, she was careful to avoid stepping on branches, or getting caught in bushes. With only a strand of hair, of a thread of cloth she could leave hints for dogs or people tracking her. The police were after her now; she would have to be careful. She couldn’t risk being behind bars again.
The sun rose and skidded across the sky with surprising quickness, until it hung suspended, superior of the rest of the world. A siren screamed through the stillness and Isabel nearly stumbled in astonishment. With a couple bounds she poked her face through the thick brush. The highway curved right next to her, and she could make out the police cars in the distance. They had found her. Vehicles came from both sides, and dogs were barking from the way she had just came through the woods. Sounds clashed against each other, creating a cacophony of noise, but to Isabel, the world was silent. Her eyes took in everything in a glance, and her mind slowed down. Out of the corner of her mind she saw a brown pickup truck speeding towards the scene, towards her. Brakes screeched, but she didn’t hear. Her chocolate brown eyes locked on the license plate. Images flashed through her mind; gray bars, loud obscenities, a rough hand, pain, exploding red pain...years later…green eyes, blue flame, a burnt shop. With fluid gracefulness she stepped out of the woods and onto the road. Tires squealed on asphalt but the car kept moving. In slow motion Isabel saw the oncoming car. Dark chocolate, almost black eyes closed and she smiled in relief.
