The Remains

II - Jess

 I woke up in a box.  A cold metal box, with rows of holes lining the walls. I tried to open my mouth, but I couldn't move. There was a bang somewhere. I could hear muffled voices, so I focused on the sound.

The first voice was deep, possibly a male. "Reckon we can grab a little lunch after we fire this up."

The second voice sighed. Maybe a woman. "Sounds good. Can you even call it lunch at midnight?" Definitely a woman.

The man laughed. "Feels like lunch time."

I tried to move, yell for help. Something. I couldn't talk. The way I was lying, I could see my wrist. It had a small pockmark right over the vein. Oh God.

The woman chuckled. "On the subject of lunch, let's get the barbecue going."

I heard someone walking. Then the room started to heat up. I tried to scream, but my mouth wouldn't work. My toe twitched. Yes. Come on. I could hear a distant roar. And it was getting louder. I had to signal to them that I was in here. Move you slack ass.

A click echoed through my metal box. The man's voice was very muffled. "Barbecue... You've got a hell of a sense of humor."

The woman sighed. "You kinda have to 'round here."

"I hear that."

There was another click.

Flames rushed through the holes, setting my clothes on fire. I screamed as I felt my conscious begin to fragment. A flake of ash flew off my toe, and I felt my consciousness follow it. A little piece of my mind followed that piece of ash. It floated out of the chimney, and into the sunlight. I could feel the warmth.

I was still burning in my chamber. My body disintegrated into ash. I drifted, parts of me leaving the chamber, another large part remaining in that box. I was blasted out of the chimney, carried by the rising heat, and scattered by the wind.

My mind went everywhere. Blue sky. Water. Salt water. Green hill. Grass. Clouds. Concrete. I was in pieces. Everywhere. No where. I could hear anything. I could see everything. I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't see anything.