The kid

As thunder ripped the sky apart, trees were engulfed in red flames, white flashes bright enough to blind illuminated the sky, followed by a deafening rumble that shook the whole forest. Through this apocalyptic scene frantic steps were barely heard. A small silhouette rushed along the more than muddy path, slipping every three steps but never stopping. The winding path soon joined a gravel road and the lightly covered child rejoiced, right before tripping and diving head first in the gravel. 

His palms, knees and nose were bleeding as the kid pushed himself up, cursing. He hurriedly resumed his frenetic search for shelter but his steps faltered. The knee that took the impact refused to bend normally, and pain shot up his leg with each step taken.

Time seemed to stretch on, the never-ending road became progressively more threatening as the thunder grew increasingly powerful. But the kid pushed through, he had surveyed that road enough times to know that respite would soon come.

When the bridge finally came into sight he could only limp, dragging his injured leg pitifully on the gravel. He carefully lowered himself by the side of the road and gently slid down to the bank of the river before dragging himself under the bridge. Finally mostly shielded from the elements, the kid allowed tears to escape from his eyes as he collapsed on the humid ground.

Minutes passed as he wept quietly, hugging himself. The storm showed no signs of diminishing in force. The kid, soaked and shivering from the cold waited and hoped that somebody would come looking for him - perhaps his family, or even the nice sheriff. 

But as time passed by the storm grew harsher, the weather colder, and nobody came. He tried to hold on to that small glimmer of hope, but it was in vain. Everything became clear - nobody cared, just as he predicted. After all, they were right. With resentment towards the world, and hugged by the coldness of the night, he fell asleep.

Finally the forest began to warm up, and the heavy downpour turned into a light drizzle. Rays of light illuminated the forest, creating a beautiful effect as if an orange glow emanated from within it.

It felt as though the world had changed - it became quieter, nicer, and almost softer.

When he woke up, it wasn’t because of the light, but rather the heat. The air was warm, a welcomed contrast to the bone-chilling cold that was typical during this time of year and especially strange considering it was still the early morning.

As the kid took in his surroundings, he noticed a ram drinking from the river. He slowly pushed himself up, trying not jostle his leg too much and to avoid scaring the animal. At that moment the ram looked in his direction, and he noticed that the eyelashes and the hooves of the animal were on fire, although it didn’t seem to bother it. Suddenly the ram ran away, leaving imprints on the humid ground.

Carefully, the kid got up and dragged himself into the forest, where he found a long stick to help support his weight and relieve the pain. He followed the trail left by the fiery beast, which led him deep into the woods. Soon, he couldn't hear the rumble of the river anymore. The forest was beautiful, glowing with a sunny mist and a warm breeze guiding him towards his destination.

After a few minutes, he stumbled upon an old path. In the middle of it stood the beast, accompanied by a gigantic moose. Just like the ram, the giant moose had parts of its body made of fire - its antlers. It was a breathtaking sight, the way the flames roared and seemingly tried to touch the sky, reminiscent of a bonfire.

Exhausted, the kid collapsed on the ground again. He had pushed far beyond his limits to get there and he couldn't ignore anymore the pain shooting up from his injured leg. The moose slowly approached, the air growing warmer and exuding a sense of safety. It lowered its head, offering some sort of reassurance to the boy. Then, it fully bent down to allow the kid to climb onto its back, which was a difficult task for him. With his hands trying to circle the giant's neck but only reaching halfway, he finally found himself on the moose's back. 

It then started to walk, heading back into the forest. The gentle swaying of the animal and the feeling of safety it emitted quickly lulled the child to sleep.

When he woke up he found himself on the ground, lying on a bed of soft grass. As he looked around he noticed a group of bunnies with fiery ears. They were all gathered around him, and one even hopped onto him. Giggling, the child began to pet them until he realised that he was touching the bright flames, which didn't hurt him. It was comforting, like a warm embrace. He lifted his hand above his head, examining it for any damage. A few painless flames were dancing around his fingers.

Intrigued, the kid sat up and looked around. He was in the middle of a clearing filled with mythical fire creatures, with a lake of dark blue water at its center. In the distance, he could see fire consuming the trees.

Careful of the rabbits, the kid approached the lake to drink. Leaning in, he noticed his reflection. It wasn't his familiar face staring back at him, but that of a completely different person. His eyes were completely white, small red scales framed his face, and most importantly, his hair was made of fire. He ran his hand through it and only felt a slight warmth. He looked at himself, realising that his knee had stopped hurting while he was asleep and his hands were no longer scratched raw.

The surface of the water rippled, forming a message: “You’re safe now. This will be your eternal abode. Be at peace” He looked around, evident confusion on his face and a feeling of panic started to settle in, once again tears were threatening to spill. Right then a flaming dog ran over towards him and gently pressed itself against the kid. Sniffling, he buried his face in the dog’s fiery fur to cry, all the while petting it.

He understood now. He was safe, more than he had ever been.

For the first time in a long, long while, nobody was there to hurt him.

——

As the air tankers finished extinguishing the wildfire, a team of rescuers scoured the forest looking for any sign of life from the young boy who had run away the day before while escaping his abusive household. But no trace of him could be found, and the worst was feared.

The fires that started during the early hours of the night were intense, and no natural barriers, such as the many rivers that meandered through the trees, could stop them. The flames had destroyed everything - the plants, the trees, and the wild life. Even the sheriff’s dog who had left his team to follow a lead during the search, hadn’t survived.

The only thing that remained of the poor animal was a fistful of fur, damped from what might have been tears.