Incendium1

Embers    She glared at him from across the campfire with tear-reddened eyes.  “That’s a pretty scary face you're making,” Otto laughed. “If looks could kill, I’d really be in trouble.”  He rubbed his hands together trying to warm them, moving them dangerously close to the flames. Chloe averted her gaze, trying not to think about words like ‘burning’ or ‘hot’.  Instead, she focused on the forest floor and watched as the shadows flickered and danced. “But you know,” Otto continued, twisting his lips upwards in a contortion that was too disturbing to be called a smile.  &

    Elizabeth had heard a rumor that there was a boy in her school who could, quite literally, paint people’s dreams.  She could not remember who she’d heard this rumor from, or if she had truly heard it from anyone at all; perhaps the idea had originated in her own mind and embedded itself there without her realizing.  Whatever the case was, she was certain that there was indeed such a boy somewhere in her school, and she was resolved to find him.      The night before (though perhaps much longer ago than that) Elizabeth had had a most unusual dream about a man who was simultaneously the ocean.  It was the sort of dream that mad

“Hey Baxter, where are you?” “Where am I?  What do you mean?  I’m right here.” “Okay, but where is here?” “You know, right here.”  I pounded my chest with my fist.  Alice smiled as I did so, and I saw something reflected in her eyes then, like a distant light.  Where was she going with this? “Have you ever cut your hair?”  She asked me. “Hey, what’s up with this all of the sudden?” “Just answer, okay?  Have you ever cut your hair?” “Not for a while, but yeah.  I have.” “And the hair that’s cut away.  Is that still yo