I walked up from the basement, back to the entrance of the museum, leading flame behind me. I remember once I said that if this place went up, everything would go up in a second – but the fire seemed to cling to the museum, caressing the wood with it's gentle embrace. It was like in one of those movie sets where something burned, but not really. A controlled blaze. Or maybe it was hell, and I was here to spread it.
I didn't know what was happening. And in truth, I didn't care. All I knew was that I could feel warmth for the first time in ages.
I turned and looked, seeing the museum patrons gazing towards me. The look of fear and terror in their eyes was sobering, for the first time they actually noticed me.
I couldn't help but smile.
But they had so far been denied the fires' love. They were yet to learn of the beauty of the flame.
I waved my hand, like a conductor composing a beautiful symphony. The fire swooped in on them; I could hear their screams as the flame took them, stripping their clothing and flesh in equal measure. They joined with the flame as one – as ash.
I saw Ron amongst them, running around with his back on fire. How was putting a paper cup into recycling going to help you now?
But there were many more in this museum. And they needed to be made as one.
The flame trailed behind me wherever I went. Wherever I found someone, I made sure that the flame took them. Some tried to run, but my fire was quicker. Some tried to hide, but my fire found them. Some tried to beg, but my fire had no ears to listen. I became numb to the smell of burned flesh and the sounds of screaming. I could have been walking through a beautiful garden for all I cared.
I didn't know many of these people, but it didn't matter. None of them tried to help me, so why should I help them?
Walking through, the charred remains of that self-help poster I put up a while ago float towards me. I caught a glimpse of it before the fire took it away from me, reciting the questions it asked before.
Your health matters
Not anymore!
Make time for yourself.
You know, what, I will!
Ask yourself "What do I want to achieve today?"
This is easy – to watch everything burn!
Your thoughts and opinions matter.
Of course they do, I see that now! And if people won't listen, I'd MAKE them listen!
You are loved.
Better to be hated.
You are beautiful.
No. But I don't want to be.
It's ok to ask for help.
These people are at least, but no one can help them!
Show the world what you can do.
Oh they could already see what I could do!
I heard a scream down the hallway that didn't belong to anyone I recognised, so I headed towards it. It took me to a stairwell, which as of yet was untouched by my fire. The screams seemed to be from a gathering of people just downwards from where I was. A crowd of people that were struggling to get away from the heat, all piled up like sardines, crushing against each other. They were pushing against the fire exit, desperate to get it open.
And at the front, I saw Lara, pushing against the door with all her might along with the others. I did say that it would be a problem, bet she wished she listened to me now.
Which makes her the only Museum Manager to be in charge when there was a fire.
I caught her gaze as she looked up. I saw the terror and desperation in her eyes – and it made me chuckle.
I smiled back at her, waved a little hand. I couldn't resist a little joke at her expense.
"Looks like you're the one that's – fired!"
A bit cheesy I know, but this is my story after all.
With that, I introduced the flame to the area. It burned through the upper staircase quickly, causing it to break and rain flaming rubble toward the crowd. Their screams were eaten up by the fire, and I just left them to it.
I wonder if this will reflect badly on my CV for future roles?
Just then, who should I see next – but Gavin! He appeared down the corridor, covering his mouth to hide from the flames and smoke. As soon as he saw me, he immediately turned and tried to run. Of course he wasn't going to get far. A quick move from my hand and a fireball struck his back and took him down. Strangely, I could still hear him squeaking, like a mouse. I walked up to him in true movie monster villain fashion. I must have burned his back badly, because he was trying to crawl, but couldn't move any faster than a snail. I toyed with him a little, holding back the flame from him to make him think he could get away – but he took too much time and it got boring waiting after a time. Instead, I stood on the back of his head, forcing him to the ground. He whimpered and cried, but this time I was the one in control.
"Well, Gavin," I said to him in a low voice, "am I enough of a 'typical white male' for you now?"
"Oh Jesus!"
Not quite.
I allowed the flames to dance around Gavin's body, causing him to cry out with a high-pitched wail that sounded something like a mixture between crying and screaming. His hand, previously clenched, fell open and I saw that he was holding something. I caught it just before the flame took it away forever.
It was a picture of him and Richard.
Out brief candle. His life was a tale told by an idiot.
The flames were really eating through the museum now and it wouldn't be long before the entire building was condemned to the depths of hell. I'm sure it would take me with them, but that was ok. I didn't need to be around much longer anyway. In fact I planned not to be.
It then occurred to me that I hadn't paid Mysti a visit just yet. Maybe I would go and see how her book release was going on.
The Conference Room was just like the rest of the museum, slowly being devoured by the flame, but being held back just enough to make everyone feel the pain and suffering I had been through all this time. The heat didn't even really register with me anymore. Along the rows and rows of chairs were burning corpses of the poor sheep that had made an effort to be here today. They were fused to the very chairs that they sat on, their flesh merged with steel. They probably couldn't have even moved if they wanted to. I noticed one of the corpses had a pink coat that was being eaten by the fire. I remember Lara saying they had invited Anita here by way of an apology. Anita had learned a valuable lesson – doesn't matter how much you earn; man or woman, we all burn the same.
Mysti herself was in the corner, trapped by the flames that now licked around her. She had her hands to her head and appeared to be weeping uncontrollably, probably lamenting what should have been her best moment of her life. Little cunt didn't deserve it anyway! She only got this because her mum (who was a smoking corpse next to her). I couldn't even feel sorry for her, she was always whining and winging, kissing my arse before stabbing me in the back. Now she saw what the result of my wrath was.
She looked up to me, her eyes like a terrified rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. I wasn't going to lie, this was heaven for me. Seeing her scream and cry was more euphoric than I could ever imagine. She always had to act like such a needy little puppy, now where had that got her?
I turned back to the display, at yet untouched by the flames. As yet. Her big stupid smile on that poster brought up the rage in me again, further enhanced by the rows of books along the table. I wonder how much it cost to print those books? All that money wasted on ash.
Still, she at least achieved something.
"You know, Mysti. I take it back," I said. "I think this book is going to be a real – barn burner!"
With that, I allowed the flames to consume the display stand and her books. Mysti screamed louder, almost hysterical at this point. Seriously, THAT was the thing that threw her over the edge? Her pleading, ear-piercing screams were starting to give me a headache, so I figured I should at least put her out of my misery.
But then, I saw her maddening expression as her life's work burned away and saw how much it was hurting her. And that brought a smile to my dark heart.
Death would be too easy for her. It would end her suffering.
And considering how much shit she put me through, why should she get away so easily?
I walked away, leaving her with the flames holding her captive. I'm sure the fire would do it's job soon enough – but not too soon.
There was only one more place left to go in the museum, and that was the art gallery. I used to enjoy coming here, being around such amazing artists that left their place in the world. Now their works were nothing more than ash. Pity. So many great works destroyed. But hey, collateral damage and all.
I managed to catch one last glimpse of my favourite painting, The Fall of Man as the flame started to slowly devour it. It was strange, the fire seemed to act around it differently somehow. It snaked around the painting, as if trying to coil it.
I heard a scream over the flames, and weeping. I didn't know how long it had been going on for – perhaps I just didn't register it over the roar of the fire. But I heard it now, piercing in my ear. I turned.
And wouldn't you know it – I saw Gayle and Anna. Funny, I'm surprised that they were here.
The screaming wasn't coming from them, but from Charlie, who was in her crib. Gayle and Anna were standing over her, as if covering the pram, thinking that they could protect it like their bodies were fireproof. Their arms were interlinked with one another, and as I got closer, I saw that they were looking at each other with tears in their eyes.
Touching.
But Gayle belonged to me. And it was time Anna knew that.
They didn't know I was creeping up on them until I had one arm on Gayle and the other on Anna. I threw Anna to the side, where she became circled in flame. I then threw Gayle down, whilst still holding onto her waist, like a hero from the old movies about to embrace his woman. I smiled, but Gayle only looked towards me with widened eyes. Her brown eyes always did used to shine, it was one of the first things I noticed about her. I dared a look toward Anna, who glared towards me with daggers. Daggers she could not use. With a smile, I turned back to Gayle. Our lips locked in a sweet embrace (whether Gayle wanted to or not) as I gave her the kiss I had always wanted to give. Gayle tried to fight me of course, and I swore I could hear Anna curse me, but it didn't matter. I was the one in charge here, not them.
As I pulled my lips away from Gayle, I could see the sides of her mouth were burned away, her flesh melting to reveal her inner skeleton. With the way her flesh was burned, it almost looked like a smile. I placed the 50p coin she had given me into her mouth, letting her drop to the floor – when the fire carried her away from me. Anna reached out towards me, but the fire did not let her go any further. They spent their last few seconds away from each other, unable to hold the other.
All that was left was Charlie.
The baby's shrill cries pierced through the skulls of all nearby – had there been any left to hear it. One could wonder how such a tiny thing could have such powerful lungs and vocal chords – no adult could shriek this loud outside of a metal band. Her cheeks were already starting to glisten, like a river or a waterfall. Except now I knew what brought on her cries.
Poor Charlie. She hadn't hurt anyone. She was still new to this world. She knew nothing of pain and suffering. She never led on anyone, or pushed anyone around, nor did she ever make anyone's life a living hell.
And she never would.
The flames rose up around the pram; her screams and weeping got lost within the roar of the flame.
That was it. I was alone. Alone with only the flames for company. The fire raged across me, and I could see my skin starting to shrivel from the heat. Everyone else had been devoured – but the flames still had one more morsel to consume.
Now I felt the pain as the flame surged across my body. Now I felt the agony burn through me. It was like the combined pain of everyone I had sacrificed was coming back to make their agony aware, as if taunting me and trying to hurt me like I hurt them.
But I would take their pain.
My eyeballs saw only fire before I could feel them melt. I could sense my flesh turning to bone and my lungs turned to ash. I gathered what little breath I had and screamed.
And then nothing.