Living Fire

Chapter 2 - The Dance

Come on Hule, you'll be late. called Candle Hurry up! Footfalls boomed as they hit the hard wood - Hules footfalls. A grin was painted across his face; he cleaned himself up, getting ready for the dance, his all important date with a girl, an actual girl.

Hule's hair fell down towards his eyes, which were dark as obsidian, he shoved it to the side. He had to look his best. His strong build was much to behold; he was towering above Candle (who felt puny fixed to her spot, she doesn't show her displeasure - ever).  Racing from the house, he sprinted through the village. He stopped at nothing before reaching the village hall, the hosting place of the dance.

The dance was an annual event, set up as a relationship builder by the kind squire. Practically everyone between seventeen and twenty-four stood in that building - spinning to gentle music.

The village hall was small and made from wood - wood was a luxury in the year of this story - a highly insignificant place compared to the town a couple of miles away. All the youth from the villages around were gathered at the front ready to begin:

"Come on, get your partners and line up." shouted the organizer, none knew her name. People followed her commands - Hule looked around finding Kayla after a few seconds. He stared, she was beautiful.

She was wearing a navy blue dress. It was gorgeous! Pure blue waved down her body, eyes dark and warming. Her hair was also dark - but not like Hule's obsidian hair, hers was brown, a perfect brown thought Hule. The colours complemented each other - making the other look brilliant in the fading sunlight. It showed a sleek body, sporting a simple (but effective) jewellery choice.

"You're so pretty!" exclaimed Hule.

"And you're handsome!"shot Kayla.

An awkward silence descended between them as they crawled towards the door. Once they got in it was silence. Everyone whispering to each other, nobody  talking loud. Kayla strode in confidently - Hule more cautious followed in her wake. A burning smell was light in the air, everyone ignored it.

After a moment a member of the audience shouted,"Where's the music? My partner wants to dance." the girl next to him blushed. This hushed the waiting crowd - the smell becoming more immanent.

"We are having a few problems with the band. Can you please be patient." replied an older woman.

"What's going on?" inquired Kayla. Hule gave her a blank look."The smell." Hule shrugged in reply.

Meanwhile, outside a fire was growing Let me claim my first victim. thought Evul. The fire. The evil fire spirit, twisted from a life of crime and death. He wanted power, in this form he could have it.

For five minutes everyone waited, during that time the odour of smoke thrived in the noses of them (as did the fire). The attenders got agitated - nobody was enjoying their dance, the music wasn't playing. Hence, a quite chattering plagued the building. Someone tried to walk towards the door. Time for death, see you in hell. stated a voice. The smoke was getting more visible; the fire had, also, began to get more observable. People got freaked out. Anarchy erupted from the gentle whispering as someone screamed "Fire!".

The fire closed in! The stench gripped everyone's clothes more than before. Both Kayla and Hule moved away from the edges, no longer able to stay there. The partners were like sheep, penned in! Panic seized the assembly. Including Kayla and Hule."Mia!" The noise was an excruciating, ear-splitting, booming mass of cries and shouts.

"No, honey!" sob sob sob.

"Jack, where are you?"

Occasionally flaming torches came stumbling from the flame - screaming. The party was severally reduced. "Look, the door!" shouted a dancer. Half the crowd followed his hand and made an exit. Some stayed because of grief! Others stayed to look for a loved one. There was no education beyond what you needed to do at this time, nor were there fire drills if something went wrong.

The fire took hold. The building was alight in the dying flame of peoples souls. The smoke killed more than anything - it was deadly. Burning flesh filled the edges, a slow and painful death.

"I can't go!"

"But, my brothers are somewhere."

Outside wasn't much different. Ha! Ha! Ha! You're dead! "Kayla?" Cried Hule. The fire burned and more screams came. More people lives were gone. More blood shed.

Silhouettes appeared from the fire, the strangers were dangerous - they stabbed all they could find. As many people fell to them as the fire.

Hule?

"Candle, where's Kayla.?"

I don't know. Get inside now, you could die very easily. You can't die. I need you. She wasn't much help. Her view point wasn't good.

Hule got swivelled roughly around."Not John." the woman carried on not stopping.

"Candle."coff coff."I can't..."coff"breath." Each breath in felt like taking in a stone - he couldn't breath. That's when hysteria truly held him. He dismayed and flapped. Trying to stay alive. He felt his energy run short and fell to one knee.

Black dots. he thought black dots everywhe... He couldn't speak so that's the best he could do -  before he blacked out.