Blaze - A Marvel One-Shot

Blaze - A Marvel One-Shot (10)

The ground was hard and cold. Steve eyes opened to a derelict cabin, filled with dirt and sawdust, a thin ceiling that would come down at any moment, and broken windows that had been made into target practice not so long ago. Through the holes on the ceiling, a sky filled with stars. A cold soft breeze filled the cabin, rising dust particles into the air. The cabin was filled with old furniture but after a closer look, it seemed more like barn than anything else. Farm tools rested against the decrepit walls.

In front of him, a light, a warm light. A fireplace.

Steve raised from the place he had been laying down and approached the weak fire with reverence. He could feel its warm in his hands and feet, in his body and his face. He felt alive.

Did I die? He though, this feeling of belonging and solace had never felt so good. He had die and gone to another place, a better place, where everything felt good, more warm and more comfortable.

He felt good, more than ever. A happy tear ran from his eyes crossing his cheek.

“Did you sleep well cowboy?” said voice behind him.

Steve turned his head quickly, and there, coming through the door’s threshold was a dark figure, disguised by shadows. The figure took several steps forward and when it came to the light, Steve saw his face.

“Johnny? You?” Steve said. Baffled.

“A hard night, eh?” Johnny said. He walked towards an old teared couch, his leather jacket over his left shoulder and sat down on it. “How you feeling?”

Steve thought on the question, and just then he realized he was sitting on the floor. He look down to his legs and they moved, then down to his hands touching the cold concrete surface. His fingers moved, along with his arms, his chest also was going up and down with each inhale and exhale. He was alive.

“How?” he whispered.

“How are you alive? Well, I won’t lie you. It wasn’t easy.”

“I was stone… I was dying and you came?”

“Yes.”

“A demon… It was a demon. I saw it. His eyes empty, his laugh malignant…”

“A burnt skull still ablaze.”

“Yes…”

“Terrifying, isn’t it?”

Steve stood up. Feeling the ground under his feet sent a feeling of relief through his spine. He checked himself up for injuries but any wound placed on his body by the Gorgon was gone. Actually, he felt better than he had felt in a long time.

He turned his head to Johnny, still seated on the old couch, looking at him patiently.

“What are you?” Steve said. He feared the answer to his question and that surprised him.

Johnny inclined forward on the couch. Steve could have swore the air around him got a little darker for a second.

“Do you believe in God, Steve?” Johnny asked. His voice tone dry.

“Yes.” Steve said.

“Then, you believe also in the Devil, am I right?”

“Not in the same way.”

“Oh, they’re one and the same you see. At least in nature. They both, they like to play their games and we mortals are the pieces.”

“Are you human then?”

“Yes, I am.”

“And the demon I saw?”

“It’s also me…” Johnny said. He took a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and lit up one. Smoke escaped his mouth, making designs in the air. They were almost beautiful. “I saw your exposition at the museum. Really nice.”