Dancing With The Fire

"Come on, Ava." Her mother gently tugged her away from the campfire, saying, "It's time to go inside to sleep."

They were on their way to a campground for a family holiday. Cabins formed a circle around them, with a massive campfire in the center point. The fire would burn from sundown until midnight, the dazzling light lingering for hours as more and more people from the surrounding cottages brought in wood to feed the flames.

"But it's so lovely." "Could you just give me another five minutes?" Ava begged her mother to let her go back to marveling at the jumping flame's flashing hues.

"Come on, Ava." Her mother gently tugged her away from the campfire, saying, "It's time to go inside to sleep."

"If you go any closer, you'll burn yourself. The campfire will be lit next night, but it is time to go to bed for the night."

She squinted at the light. She had the same story every night. Her mother would bring her back inside after she stayed out late at night watching the dancing flames. Ava would stay up a bit longer watching the fire from the window before retiring to bed. The flames were simply too lovely to ignore.

They entered hand in hand. Ava changed into her pajamas and washed her teeth while her mother combed her hair to remove all the knots. Apart from a few flashlights and a window, there were no lights inside the cabin. Ava stumbled her way around the cabin, even though it wasn't too dark.

Her mother shortly dozed off; her snoring filled the room. Ava pushed herself out of bed, and her feet landed silently on the floor. Something on the nightstand caught her sight in the faint and flickering light before she could go to the window.

The item was seized by Ava's tiny hands. It was something her mother did from time to time, although not very frequently. She had to hastily gather up little sticks with a darker tip that had fallen out in case her mother awoke. However, she did see an image of fire on the package.

"Do you have any fire sticks?" Her mouth twitched, but she didn't say anything. As she discovered she had her own fire, she was ecstatic.

She hastily gathered her belongings and slipped out the door. She put on her shoes outdoors while clutching the matchbook tightly in her fingers.

During this time, some others were out, with many of them sleeping in their own cabins. The bonfire was nearly out, leaving just a gentle light on the ground. Ava remained mainly concealed in the shadows, but only for a short while.

She had no intention of relighting the campfire. That would attract too much attention, and her joy would be fleeting. As a result, she wandered out into the woods.

She wasn't worried since it was dark, and every step she took resonated amid the trees. Fire, with its brightness and warmth, distracted her from the horrors that could be lurking around.

Ava discovered little heaps of leaves from a tree that was about to hibernate. She had witnessed others tossing leaves into the fire and decided that this would be an excellent place to begin. Her hands strained to strike the match as the leaves were pressed together tightly. Many of them shattered, and she damaged the box with her finger. Her face gleamed in the light of the fire after several more efforts.

Ava dropped the lighted match onto the foliage below resulted in a sharp wave of terror. As the flame devoured the leaves, it grew larger, becoming her own little campfire. She laughed and cheered quietly as she ran around the flames, savoring the brightness and the warmth on her skin.

The flames were enthralling to see. She began to look and stare when she had calmed down, watching the world shift in the fire. More leaves were placed, and more matches were ignited as time went on. The flame flared and swelled until it was completely blue.

People were now adding sticks to the blaze, and she observed them being brought in as well. The flames grew more prominent than the campfire, and the enthusiasm became louder. Ava would have the fire to herself for hours until it was utterly consumed.

However, she was afterward torched. Because she was so near to the flames, a spark leaped out and fell on her arm. Pain radiated from the wound, and she flung herself back and kicked additional branches into the flame's path in a panic.

The flames spread over an area of dry sticks, leaves, and grass while sparks continued to fly. The fire surged and expanded, consuming everything in their path. The girl began to scream as she saw the world around her get eaten by the same thing she cherished and felt secure in.

The roars of the fire drowned out the shouts of the other campers. Ava was choked as the smoke went down her throat. Her skin was coated in ashes, and her eyes were dazzled by an orange and crimson haze.

The fire eventually devoured everything.