'We run under the stars, through cemetery backyards, celebrate the way the night hides scars.'
the flames were dancing gleefully around her, as if they were enjoying her fear. a wave of heat hit her, making her whimper. the fire continued to dance its dance of death, but started to close in on her. she coughed on the dark smoke that was starting to spread across the room and making her eyes water. she could smell something burning and when her sight cleared, she looked down to see her clothes ablaze.
she woke up screaming and then started to retch at the memory of herself burning in the flames. she had known not eat too much before going to bed, so she didn't throw up.
when she felt safe enough, she chuckled a little at the fact that this time, fire had been her enemy instead of water. her legs led her to her canvas and she started to work on portraying the burning room she had been trapped in.
once the work was done, she came to the conclusion that once again, she had nothing to do. her mind wandered to the unexpected encounter she had had the night before and contemplated visiting the field again. no matter how strange the boy was, she had to admit that she was intrigued.
to her dismay, the mysterious boy was not sitting under the tree when she reached the field. but just when she was about to leave, she saw a faint light coming from the road nearby.
she spotted him walking ahead of her carrying a flashlight when she stepped onto the road. he took an abrupt turn and she had to jog lightly to make sure she didn't lose him.
her eyes widened when she turned the corner and saw the rows of headstones in front of her. there was an angel statue towering over the entrance to the cemetery that chilled her blood. she hurried inside and spotted him pointing his flashlight at a few of the stones to read the inscriptions on them.
"i didn't think you could get any weirder." she declared.
"i didn't think you would follow me to observe my weird activities."
"touché. so what are you doing here anyway?"
"reading."
"i can see that. why do you feel the urge to read what's written on the gravestones?"
"it's interests me," he replied, then decided to elaborate upon seeing her clueless face. "if you had one last thing you could say to the world before fading into oblivion, what would you say?"
"something that has meaning to me."
"exactly. i feel the few words written on these slabs mean the world to whoever lies beneath them and if they want them to be heard, i will listen."
she said nothing and joined him in reading the words he shone the light on.
"some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. from what i've tasted of desire, i hold with those who favor fire," he read out loud. "robert frost."
a feeling of dread settled in her stomach as she remembered her last nightmare. it was an eerie coincidence that she read this quote on the same night.
he noticed her terrified expression and tried to alleviate her fear.
"do you know what robert frost's gravestone said? it said 'i had a lover's quarrel with the world."
"why am i not surprised you know that?" she sighed but started to smile.
her smile was mirrored by the boy in front of her and even though she was standing in an abandoned graveyard with a stranger, she felt the most safe she had felt in a long time.
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Dedicated to Nautilushearts for the support she's given this story and shout-out to the lovely newyorkgurl for the banner on the side.
