Prologue - Blaze

They called me Blaze. Well, that's a lie. Because they barely spoke to me. But I'd have liked them to call me Blaze.

The meadow was my sanctuary. The stars were twinkling that night. Winking at me from all that distance away. I remember feeling like I wanted to sink into the ground, into the earth's hot core, where reality would cease to exist.

I remember the desire...

If you asked me to explain it, I don't think I could. Or rather, I don't think I'd want to. Because then you'd understand. And maybe you'd meet the same kind of end that I did.

There was always some kind of mystery about what had become of my parents. I mean, they were charred to death - that's not the mysterious bit. Obviously the fire drove their spirits out of their bodies and then ate through their flesh, stripped their bones clean. But no such bones could ever be found. At least, none that I've ever heard tell of.

Then again, it's been a while since I was in contact with the human race.

I remember the heat. I must have been around 3 I guess. (I've lost count of human years - very second feels like a year to me now.) I remember the seering sensation that burst through my clothes as though they were tissue paper. And then started to work on my skin, chipping away at every cell, consuming every fibre. I don't know who rescued me, or how. I despise them.

You would think having a blaze like this unleash intself upon your delicate flesh would be so excrutiating that I would barely want to relive it; but I have. I relived it every night of my natural life, I relived it as the most wonderfully consuming dream ever to seep across a human mind.

When kids were smoking, I was fingering a match. I didn't need some stupid white stick in my mouth to get a buzz. I just needed to swipe the match on something rough, and watch life burst at my fingertips with a ripping sound. It was alive. Fire was as alive as anything. More alive than me.

I'd stroke my arms slowly with the trickling flame, the heat melting away the sting of reality.

It was perfect. It was bliss. It was a touch of Death, and I knew it. But it was beautiful.

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Author guidance for This story

Originally known as "Burning Desire", but I felt the pun was a little bit something... I dunno, it didn't fit the seriousness I want to portray in the story.

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Funnily enough, the inspiration for this came a little from studying Hitler. It gave me the idea that people don't really realize how strange or evil or insane they are if they believe that they are completely right.

She's not a dictator however! XD But she has got an obsession that leads her to extreme measures.

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Characters

Name: Blaze.

Physical Appearance: Blaze is small in build. She is pretty, but her skin is damaged and discoloured around her neck and on her legs and arms. Her hair is long and light brown. Her eyes are light grey. She wears dark red extensions a lot. She dresses emo-style; mostly simple black.

Background (upbringing / adulthood): Blaze and her parents were caught in an apartment fire when Blaze was 3. Her parents were killed, but Blaze was pulled from the flames. Though she was very young, she remembers the burning very vividly. Blaze has lived with her aunt and uncle since the fire, and has had quite a normal upbringing with them.

Personality attributes: Blaze is very closed-off from other people. She refuses to get close to anyone, and it doesn't bother her if she's teased or gossiped about. She is thoughtful and dark and finds an escape in playing with fire. She always keeps a box of matches with her, and has a jewellery box in her bedroom where she has a supply hidden.

Conflicts: Blaze sees conflict in every little thing; she doesn't think she is unwanted or worthless, but something does tell her that her life isn't everything it could be. She is talked about a lot in her town, but this doesn't bother her. Her only goal in life is to discover what is missing.

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Name: Jared.

Physical appearance: Jared is tall and slim, with thick blonde hair and blue eyes. He wears a lot of band t-shirts and checked shirts.

Personality attributes: Jared is enthusiastic and caring. He is easily drawn in if he finds something fascinating. He thinks he would love to get to know Blaze, if she would let him. He is poetic, and doesn't fit in too well, though isn't as much of an outsider as Blaze.

Conflicts: Jared is sometimes made fun of for showing interest in Blaze; this bothers him, and he feels bad that it does. He worries a little about her, though he's not sure why. When he sees what Blaze has done, he is horrified, but feels a kind of understanding at the same time.

updated Sep 14 '11 by TheGirlInTheCupboard